This One Time at M.A.S.T.A. Camp
I was asked to write about my experience at the Michigan chapter of the American String Teachers Association Summer String Camp (M.A.S.T.A. String Camp) for their fall 2011 newsletter. I then used it as one of my pieces for my midterm portfolio.
My friends all groan. "Not ANOTHER camp story?" "Yes, another camp story." This is how many of my conversations start with my friends. I've had the pleasure of going to M.A.S.T.A. Camp, Michigan's Chapter of the American String Teachers Association, for five summers, one year at the three-day camp and four years of the week long junior high camp. From the first year at registration, I knew I had made the right choice. I remember from that first day when Mr. Scott, the director of the camps, had asked where I was from and I answered, "St. Joseph." He replied, "So, Steve Reed country". This made me realize that people from all over the state knew our orchestra director in St. Joseph. Something that has also appealed to me about M.A.S.T.A. Camp is the small staff to camper ratio, making it an easier learning environment.
Some of the staff members were there one summer and some up to all five summers I was there or longer. One staff member has been there all five years, Ted McDonald, or, as we like to call him, Tedward, Teddyward, or Micky D. He was my chamber coach for the cello quartet, The Violet Victorian Valences, (Hey, Ted, you still owe us flowers!) and also one of the coaches with Mark Kleyn for the J-E-C-K-L-J-A-C-K-S, a double quintet I was in. For every chamber group we have to make up a name and the J-E-C-K-L-J-A-C-K-S is the first letter of everyone's name in the group. I have been a part of different chamber groups in the last four years at camp, but I would have to say the cello quartet was my favorite. A standard quartet is made up of two violins, a viola, and a cello, a cello quartet is then made up of four cellos.
I have played in both Sarah Gridley Symphony and Pleasant Lake Philharmonic. My first year at the junior high camp the music director was Mr. Scott, and the past three years it has been Tony Krempa. (Happy Hump day, Mr. Krempa!) I have played music from Holst, Rossini and Grieg to music by Coldplay and movies Slumdog Millionaire and The Pink Panther: music I probably wouldn't have played in school. I remember this year; we talked about having 'A Musical Moment,' and I know I did during the final performance this year when it really sunk in that this was my last year performing as a camper. When Mr. Krempa was talking to our parents about the week and about our last song, I almost started to cry but looked over to my counselor, Ms. Kristi Luckritz. ( Hey, Kristi, NO KANOODLING!) She was making faces at me just like I told her to do if I started to cry. Kristi graduated from St. Joseph High School in 2008 , so I remember seeing her play her viola in concert when I was younger. When I walked into my cabin in 2009, I was surprised to see someone that I already knew. This year when I walked into my cabin, I was ecstatic to have her again because I had such a great time with her the first time.
Every year the staff puts on a concert for the campers. This is one of my favorite night activities, because you get to hear the staff play. The staff has played songs that you would never expect strings to be able to play like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Purple Haze," "Viva la Vida," "Lady Gaga Mix," "Fade to Black" with MASTA camp twist, "Paranoid Android," and "Somewhere over the Rainbow." Every time I hear "Somewhere over the Rainbow" now, I think of camp. I also remember Mrs. Amy Marr's and Mr. Eric Hudson's fiddling at the concerts, Ms. Kim and Ms. Nutting's violin duets, and Mr. Danny DeRose and Mr. Matt Nix viola/cello duet. I won't forget Mr. Joe Opera and Mr. Rodney Page's Jazz duets either. At what other music camp would you get serenaded to by male staff at meals? Three or four male staff members would sing "When You Say Nothing at All" by Alison Krauss to people, and yes, I have been sung to. Other meal favorite songs have to be just a M.A.S.T.A. thing are "Harvey the Wonder Hamster", "The Sun Song", "Bye Bye Bye", "French Toast", and performances to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Mr. Krempa and Kristi Luckritz.
At the camp dance, our own DJ, Mr. Rodney Page, did an improv on his electric violin to the music playing. Let me just say that the one hour MASTA dances are better than the 2 hour school dances.
Then, on to the camp fire: you can't have a camp fire without music. At MASTA, I've heard Brittany Spears performed by Nick McFadden, "Twist and Shout" by Mr. Krempa and Maggie Hasspacher, and probably my favorite, Adam Sandler's "Lunch Lady Land" performed by Mr. McDonald. "Boom Chicka Boom," "Swimming Hole," " A Little Cabin in the Wood," and "The Mountain Song" are camp favorites too.
If you want to see your orchestra director play volleyball, head to MASTA Camp for the volleyball staff/ counselor game. The counselors have won three years, and this year the staff took them down. It's a lot of fun seeing directors and staff enjoying the camp experience also.
This year at camp, we experienced the High Ropes Course and the Rock Wall at the Howell Nature Center, where the camp is held. This allowed us to grow as an orchestra and to encourage other campers that they can do it. Counselors who are scared of heights, also faced their fears with the encouragement of everyone on the ground.
Besides amazing staff and awesome music, I have made friends at MASTA Camp from all over Michigan. I was in the same cabin with two girls from Gross Pointe Woods for the past 4 years. We enjoy coming back each year to be with each other again. I have made lasting friendships, and arrange to get together when we can.
A thanks to many more people that made my camp experience including Rachael Whitmore, Ann Armbruster, Emily Kenney, Brigitte Cripe, Caitlin Mihalko, Ann Marie Jones, Shawn Boucké, Matt Nix, Bryan Marr, Rachel Cabanilla-Sinnett and Wendy Stuart.... Thank You!! All the staff have touched not just myself but all of the campers that have attended MASTA Camp in some way or another. From me and all my friends, THANK YOU. Thanks for all you do to continue music education throughout the state of Michigan. I appreciate you continuing to teach at camp and fighting to keep music education in our schools. I can't wait until I'm old enough to go back and be a counselor and be part of the MASTA Camp Family again.
The only question now is which music camp to attend next summer???
My friends all groan. "Not ANOTHER camp story?" "Yes, another camp story." This is how many of my conversations start with my friends. I've had the pleasure of going to M.A.S.T.A. Camp, Michigan's Chapter of the American String Teachers Association, for five summers, one year at the three-day camp and four years of the week long junior high camp. From the first year at registration, I knew I had made the right choice. I remember from that first day when Mr. Scott, the director of the camps, had asked where I was from and I answered, "St. Joseph." He replied, "So, Steve Reed country". This made me realize that people from all over the state knew our orchestra director in St. Joseph. Something that has also appealed to me about M.A.S.T.A. Camp is the small staff to camper ratio, making it an easier learning environment.
Some of the staff members were there one summer and some up to all five summers I was there or longer. One staff member has been there all five years, Ted McDonald, or, as we like to call him, Tedward, Teddyward, or Micky D. He was my chamber coach for the cello quartet, The Violet Victorian Valences, (Hey, Ted, you still owe us flowers!) and also one of the coaches with Mark Kleyn for the J-E-C-K-L-J-A-C-K-S, a double quintet I was in. For every chamber group we have to make up a name and the J-E-C-K-L-J-A-C-K-S is the first letter of everyone's name in the group. I have been a part of different chamber groups in the last four years at camp, but I would have to say the cello quartet was my favorite. A standard quartet is made up of two violins, a viola, and a cello, a cello quartet is then made up of four cellos.
I have played in both Sarah Gridley Symphony and Pleasant Lake Philharmonic. My first year at the junior high camp the music director was Mr. Scott, and the past three years it has been Tony Krempa. (Happy Hump day, Mr. Krempa!) I have played music from Holst, Rossini and Grieg to music by Coldplay and movies Slumdog Millionaire and The Pink Panther: music I probably wouldn't have played in school. I remember this year; we talked about having 'A Musical Moment,' and I know I did during the final performance this year when it really sunk in that this was my last year performing as a camper. When Mr. Krempa was talking to our parents about the week and about our last song, I almost started to cry but looked over to my counselor, Ms. Kristi Luckritz. ( Hey, Kristi, NO KANOODLING!) She was making faces at me just like I told her to do if I started to cry. Kristi graduated from St. Joseph High School in 2008 , so I remember seeing her play her viola in concert when I was younger. When I walked into my cabin in 2009, I was surprised to see someone that I already knew. This year when I walked into my cabin, I was ecstatic to have her again because I had such a great time with her the first time.
Every year the staff puts on a concert for the campers. This is one of my favorite night activities, because you get to hear the staff play. The staff has played songs that you would never expect strings to be able to play like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Purple Haze," "Viva la Vida," "Lady Gaga Mix," "Fade to Black" with MASTA camp twist, "Paranoid Android," and "Somewhere over the Rainbow." Every time I hear "Somewhere over the Rainbow" now, I think of camp. I also remember Mrs. Amy Marr's and Mr. Eric Hudson's fiddling at the concerts, Ms. Kim and Ms. Nutting's violin duets, and Mr. Danny DeRose and Mr. Matt Nix viola/cello duet. I won't forget Mr. Joe Opera and Mr. Rodney Page's Jazz duets either. At what other music camp would you get serenaded to by male staff at meals? Three or four male staff members would sing "When You Say Nothing at All" by Alison Krauss to people, and yes, I have been sung to. Other meal favorite songs have to be just a M.A.S.T.A. thing are "Harvey the Wonder Hamster", "The Sun Song", "Bye Bye Bye", "French Toast", and performances to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Mr. Krempa and Kristi Luckritz.
At the camp dance, our own DJ, Mr. Rodney Page, did an improv on his electric violin to the music playing. Let me just say that the one hour MASTA dances are better than the 2 hour school dances.
Then, on to the camp fire: you can't have a camp fire without music. At MASTA, I've heard Brittany Spears performed by Nick McFadden, "Twist and Shout" by Mr. Krempa and Maggie Hasspacher, and probably my favorite, Adam Sandler's "Lunch Lady Land" performed by Mr. McDonald. "Boom Chicka Boom," "Swimming Hole," " A Little Cabin in the Wood," and "The Mountain Song" are camp favorites too.
If you want to see your orchestra director play volleyball, head to MASTA Camp for the volleyball staff/ counselor game. The counselors have won three years, and this year the staff took them down. It's a lot of fun seeing directors and staff enjoying the camp experience also.
This year at camp, we experienced the High Ropes Course and the Rock Wall at the Howell Nature Center, where the camp is held. This allowed us to grow as an orchestra and to encourage other campers that they can do it. Counselors who are scared of heights, also faced their fears with the encouragement of everyone on the ground.
Besides amazing staff and awesome music, I have made friends at MASTA Camp from all over Michigan. I was in the same cabin with two girls from Gross Pointe Woods for the past 4 years. We enjoy coming back each year to be with each other again. I have made lasting friendships, and arrange to get together when we can.
A thanks to many more people that made my camp experience including Rachael Whitmore, Ann Armbruster, Emily Kenney, Brigitte Cripe, Caitlin Mihalko, Ann Marie Jones, Shawn Boucké, Matt Nix, Bryan Marr, Rachel Cabanilla-Sinnett and Wendy Stuart.... Thank You!! All the staff have touched not just myself but all of the campers that have attended MASTA Camp in some way or another. From me and all my friends, THANK YOU. Thanks for all you do to continue music education throughout the state of Michigan. I appreciate you continuing to teach at camp and fighting to keep music education in our schools. I can't wait until I'm old enough to go back and be a counselor and be part of the MASTA Camp Family again.
The only question now is which music camp to attend next summer???
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