DC Campus: NW – Session 2 Newsletter

Dear Camp Levine families,

What a joy it has been to be part of your campers’ summer!

As we explored our theme, Sights, Songs, and Sounds of the City, it has been incredible to watch our campers grow, create, and gain confidence in just a few short weeks. From Spirit Week and Games Day to our end-of-session performances, they truly brought the magic of Camp Levine to life through their creativity, enthusiasm, and hard work.

Thank you for trusting us with your children this summer and for giving them the opportunity to explore, learn, and express themselves through the arts. We hope they leave camp with wonderful memories, new friendships, and a lasting love of music and the arts.

We wish you and your family a wonderful rest of the summer, and we hope to see you again next year!

Best,

Jazmin Goodson, Director of Camp Levine

As our second session comes to a close, I want to take a moment to thank you for allowing us to be a part of your children’s summer. It has truly been a wonderful and fulfilling experience watching our campers learn, grow, and build confidence through music, creativity, and friendship. 

I could not be more proud of our incredible faculty and staff, whose passion, dedication, and care have made this such a memorable session. Most of all, I am proud of our campers. Their hard work, enthusiasm, perseverance, and accomplishments over the past few weeks have been inspiring to witness, and they should all be incredibly proud of what they have achieved. 

Thank you for your support and for trusting us with your children this summer. We hope the memories, friendships, and love of music they have developed will stay with them long after camp ends. 

Have a safe, joyful, and relaxing rest of your summer. We look forward to welcoming many of you back next year! 

Warmly, 

Kevin  

Hi all! I have enjoyed getting to know each and every one of your campers. In my role, I got to oversee all of the faculty, teen apprentices, and campers.  From making schedules, to being on my toes 24/7, I have been dedicated to making camp an enjoyable experience for everyone. As I was once a camper here, I want the campers to come to love Camp Levine just as I have. 

I enjoyed being a part of your camper’s summer!  

-Noelle

The Trams continue to take advantage of opportunity to have fun during this session of camp. During every single activity, art project, song, snack, even quiet time, the 11 campers and 2 TA’s enjoy every moment. On one wall in the classroom, we are in the process of “building” a skyscraper by decorating construction paper and taping them to the wall. The skyscraper is complete with windows, patios, dragons, helicopters, airplanes, clouds, and even a traffic jam on the bottom. Outside time has been dominated with playground time, chalk artwork, and bubbles. These campers will sing “Lil’ Liza Jane” for the production on Thursday, singing four verses. These kids have been extremely fun to spend time and teach. I hope to see them at more camps or music lessons in the future! 

What a wonderful high-energy camp sesison it has been for The Trolleys at Camp Levine! Our youngest artists and musicians have been busy exploring the bustling sounds of the urban landscape through song, dance, and rhythm.  

Our classroom has been filled with beautiful singing voices! The Trolleys have mastered several camp favorites, including “Popcorn Popping” – Celebrating the crunchy sights of city street vendors, “ – “Mr. Sun” – Wishing for bright skies during our imaginary city walks and “Take me Riding in the Car” – Beeping and honking our way through morning rush hour traffic. 

City life is all about movement, and these kids know how to groove! We took a deep dive into active play with “The Airplane Song” – Soaring high above the city skyline and “Highway Number One” – Driving, steering, and zooming down the open road. 

Beyond the singing and dancing, our little musicians are working hard on foundational music skills. We have been practicing keeping a steady beat and learning basic rhythm patterns.  

The Trolleys are channeling all this knowledge into preparing for their big final performance! They cannot wait to show you how they play instruments to bring the city sounds to life. 

Over the past three weeks, our campers have explored the music and culture of Washington, D.C., New Orleans, and Nashville through stories, movement, crafts, games, and live music experiences. They learned about influential musicians and composers including Duke Ellington, Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, George Gershwin, Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, and Bessie Smith, while listening to their music and discovering their contributions to American music. Campers created jazz collages, Mardi Gras hats and parade crafts, New Orleans skylines, musical instrument art, rhythm instruments, and city-themed projects. Through singing, dancing, instrument exploration, rhythm games, scavenger hunts, and collaborative activities, they built confidence, creativity, and an appreciation for the rich musical traditions that have shaped our country. 

Focus Students

Saxophone focus campers worked very hard this session. We started with an overview of all the parts including an interactive diagram. Classes discovered why saxophone is a woodwind—the reed!!—even though the instruments are made of metal. Campers worked on hand position, posture, embouchure, and sound production. Younger focus students learned the first four notes of the G Major scale and mastered Hot Cross Buns and C Jam Blues (in B flat). Older focus students have learned their G major scale as well as Lean on Me in B flat. I have so enjoyed getting to know all of the saxophone focus campers this summer!  

Sampler Students

Saxophone sampler started with an exploration of the different parts of the saxophone. We tested how posture impacts breath control and sound. Campers got to test out the different keys found on the saxophone in addition to an up close look at the interlocking key and rod systems. We played games such as “High, Low,” “Dance to the Music,” and “Guess that Song!” The second day of sampler included a foray into recorder, a little kid friendly alternative to saxophone. I am so excited to have played with so many campers this session 

In Violin Focus, we have a wonderfully enthusiastic group of students! During the first week, we learned about the parts of the violin and explored the instrument’s fascinating origins. During the second and third week we are exploring the technique of violin playing and crafting pieces for our show. We have created an original song about the sights of Washington, DC. Students play rhythms based on the words, giving them their first experience with musical improvisation. We are also learning new notes by placing fingers on the A string, which will be featured in another song for the performance.  We can’t wait to share everything we’ve learned at our final performance!  

The second session in the Percussion Cottage has been a blast! It has been wonderful getting to know our campers and seeing each of their unique personalities come to life through percussion. 

Our younger campers are discovering the exciting world of percussion by playing just about anything you can strike, scrape, or shake, with a special emphasis on the drum set. Our Focus students have the opportunity to dive deeper, building their skills on drum set while exploring melodic percussion instruments like the vibraphone and marimba. 

This session’s “Cities” theme has us traveling to Seattle, where our campers are preparing a performance of a popular ’90s hit that many parents are sure to recognize… hint, hint! 

It has been a joy making music with this fantastic group of campers. Happy drumming! 

Hi everyone! We’ve been having a great session 2 in trumpet class. In our focus groups, we are working on our songs for the final performance, and learning about songs and music from different cities. We learned about the history of jazz in different cities like New York and Washington DC, and also got to learn about the great trumpeter Miles Davis and composer Duke Ellington. In sampler class, we got to try out the trumpet, learn how to make our embouchure, and the first five notes, C D E F and G. It’s been great to work with these campers this summer, and I really appreciate everyone’s hard work. 

For each group at the beginning of week 1, we worked on getting the fundamental techniques down in order to be able to play our songs. How to hold the guitar pick, how to press down notes correctly on the fretboard, and how to practice synchronization between both hands. Once the kids felt more comfortable with the different exercises I assigned them to practice at home, we started to work on our songs for the final performance. For group 1 I picked something traditional, Kansas City by Little Richard. For Group 2, I picked something contemporary, Welcome To New York by Taylor Swift. Each member of the band has a very important part to play, making them each essential to our group sound. Each group learned and committed greatly to the parts I taught them, and we were ready to perform by the middle of week 2. It’s been a pleasure working with them and I can’t wait for our final performance! 

The Piano Campers had a blast this session exploring what makes the piano such a unique and special instrument. The campers in the focus class were introduced to basic piano technique, notation, and music theory. They got to see the many ways the piano is used in music, from a solo instrument to a member of the band. We were introduced to reading music on the staff as well as tips and tricks for confidently playing by ear. The best part of each class? Getting to make music with your friends! 

In Music+ 1, campers have been discovering many forms of music-making through listening, movement, and teamwork. Some highlights of this session include parachute games, learning to play many different songs/build arrangements on various pitched and unpitched percussion instruments, and learning the cups song (a favorite among the kids). I am impressed with thr amount of joy and dedication that your children bring to the room each day. Thank you for an amazing several weeks of fun and music-making with your young musicians! 

In Music+ 2, Parks & Fountains campers have been exploring rhythm through body percussion, movement, glockenspiels, and fun singing games, including their favorite Dorito-themed warm-ups! Towers & Skyscrapers have been building their rhythmic skills through body percussion, bucket drumming, and a variety of Orff instruments, including xylophones, marimbas, and glockenspiels, while also enjoying singing together each day. Teaching these groups has been so much fun. I can’t wait for everyone to see all of their hard work at the final performance!

Sports & Games has been full of fun, teamwork, and nonstop movement this summer at Levine Music Camp! Campers have enjoyed exciting game days on Howard Field playing favorites like Capture the Flag. With the recent hot weather keeping us indoors, we’ve stayed active with games like Hula Hoop Frenzy and the World’s Slowest Race. Sports & Games gives campers a chance to release energy, build teamwork, practice great sportsmanship, and, most importantly, have fun! 

Hi Families! My name is Margot Cohen! I am returning for my second year working with Camp Levine as an art teacher.  All campers are working on making a one-point perspective cityscape. Campers are creating twelve of their own buildings, outlining, and then coloring them to make their own unique bustling cities. 

The campers have spent the session making musical instruments out of everyday recycled objects. These instruments include rain sticks made with paper towel rolls, aluminum foil, and rice; castinets with construction paper and bottle caps; tabourines and banjos with paper plates; and maracas using plastic eggs and spoons. They had fun using gems, stickers, construction paper, beads, washi tape, and so much more to put their own unique twist on each craft.

All of the classes have been getting ready for the play with theatre games, stage directions and feeling comfortable working with each other as an ensemble. 

The 1s will mostly be animals, and the 2s and 3s are learning their lines. Many only want to help with props, so they will be on stage helping with  the transitions from each scene. 

Everyone has an important job to make the performance a success. 

We are very excited in drama class! 

The campers have spent the session learning dances to songs that pertain to certain cities that they “travel” to in our final performance. For Chicago, our 2s have learned a dance to Uptown Funk (Alvin and the Chipmunks). For New Orleans, our 1s have learned a dance to a modern version of a song that originated in New Orleans called Iko Iko. For New York, our 3s have learned a dance to Empire State of Mind. The entire camp has also learned a dance to a song that mentions all 3 cities – Dancing in the Street. 

In Vocal/Choral, we combine practicing the musical selections for our play with the art of learning basic vocal technique and performance practice. This session, students brought their strong voices to our production, and we had fun playing singing games and learning many songs of different genres. It has been wonderful working with the kiddos and the rest of the Musical Theater team to make it all happen! 

Throughout the past three weeks, campers have had the chance to explore rhythm, creativity, and teamwork through a variety of composition activities. Our 1st graders practiced creating and performing their own short rhythmic compositions, while our 2nd and 3rd graders worked with partners to compose and perform multi-part pieces on Orff instruments. To wrap up the session, everyone had fun putting a creative twist on the Camp Levine song by making their own Mad Libs versions. There were lots of laughs and some very creative ideas! 

Production Art focused on creating sets, props, and costumes for this year’s camp original performance: The Musical Express. Campers in all groups worked on stained glass windows in a collaborative project to create the building set pieces. Our 1A and 1B groups created their own pigeon and squirrel masks. The 2s and 3s then worked to complete some banners to welcome the “travelers” in the musical to each of their city destinations—New Orleans, Chicago, and New York City! Teen apprentices assisted in the creation of buildings, train windows, and guidebooks for performance day. Thank you to all campers for helping make for a great production! 

For sports and games campers play many different games together as groups. The first two groups (older groups) arrive, and we play games like capture the flag and treasure grab. The oldest group (5th and 6th graders) play capture the flag and they like it a lot, all the campers are engaged and ready to play especially when it’s outside. The second oldest group (3rd and 4th graders) play capturesthe flag as well with the same amount of engagement, however there are some kids who don’t always play. The youngest group 1st and 2nd graders play treasure grab and the slowest person. I haven’t seen the first graders play anything else like capture the flag. For when we are indoors, we play things like treasure grab, and the slowest person as well as rock paper scissors shoot army. 

Being the art TA for the past 1 and a half weeks has been a great experience so far. I have learned how to do styles of art like abstract and perspective with the campers that come into the art class. So far we have been learning how to draw buildings that go from largest to smallest- a fish eye view of looking up at a city.  

The campers that walk into the art class in the morning (as well as the TAs) have always shown support to their peers- even giving them ideas on what to draw/ color, and if the camper is troubled, my fellow TAs will always be willing to help out. 

Hello Parents,  

Your kids have been amazing this year, and they keep being awesome and creative! Throughout the first 2 weeks they’ve been engaged in songs, arts, and music. So far they enjoyed playing capture the flag against us TA’s and making fun postcards along with cute keychains in art! All of the campers have been doing great with their separate focus instruments. After focus, we learn how to play different percussion instruments and play rhythm. ON some days, instead of art, we go to instrument building, where we have been making all sorts of instruments such as rain sticks and tambourines.  

In production art campers work on projects that will be used in the final performance. Our first project for the performance was making windows for buildings in the set. All of the groups used tissue paper to make designs on cardboard windows. After that project the 1s moved on to making masks of birds and squirrels. The 2s and 3s started to decorate banners with the names of all three cities featured in the production on them. Those are all the projects we’ve worked on so far, and we will be doing even more before camp ends!  

In drama class, the kids play many fun theater games like sculpture, mirror, bus stop, and kitty wants a corner. These games are great because they encourage the kids to be more creative and find alternative solutions to problems. All the kids love drama, and always look forward to coming. Lately, we have been reading the script for the upcoming play aloud as a class, and practicing stage directions to prepare. We can’t wait for the kids to show off all the hard work they have put into it.   

Everyday begins with our collaborative morning sing and circle time, used to practice our pieces for performance. The campers learn through music, stories, movement, dancing, singing, and hands-on activities to create a fun/interactive environment. We have been focusing on “The Sounds of DC,” and Jazz and The Blues music. There is a different collection of composers and genres that they learn about every week, each with corresponding arts and crafts. The teacher and TA’s also take the campers outside for play, including climbing, bubbles, balls, jump ropes, etc. Once back inside, a surprise musician guest comes in everyday and teach the specialties of their chosen instrument. Our afternoon is mostly about rest before going home. There is designated quiet time, a relaxing final crafting project based around daily themes, snack, and story time to conclude the day and it’s adventures. 

The Trams have been hard workers these past couple of weeks. During Outdoor time they have played with bubbles and created drawings of trams and rainbows using chalk. In Visiting Instrument, the kids have learned about many different instruments, including the piano and trumpet. They continue to create new amazing art projects, such as building a skyscraper and musical straw instruments. In addition, they have continued to explore music and sights of cities through story time. They continue to practice and finalize their end of session camp performance. 

First thing in the day is we go to morning sing which my kids typically enjoy. Next we go outside or go to our classroom for playtime. After playtime we set up a tarp and fold up table for lunch time. After lunch time we have visiting instrument which the kids are always hyped for and they always try to guess what instrument it’s gonna be. After visiting instrument is art where sometimes we go outside with sidewalk chalk while other times we stay inside and make crafts. During quiet time they never really are quiet they usually play with their maps nobody really ever sleeps. After quiet time we do movement and stories, sometimes kids bring in books for me or miss Cierra to read. After movement and stories is snack which we usually don’t go all the way through with we usually cut snack early to get to playtime quicker. Playtime is the most fun part of the day for most of the kids. Me and the kids invented a game called fireworks where we throw these tiny little thin cloth into the air and call them fireworks. Fireworks is what we usually do during playtime but we also build things or play games so we do a lot of things.   

After morning sing, the pigeons enjoy outdoor play while learning skills on how to share and be respectful. The pigeons have enjoyed playing capture the flag, tag, soccer and various other outdoor games. Then, the campers do an amazing job practicing with their focus instrument and getting their songs ready for the performance. After, they enjoy making projects like rain shakers, maracas, and drawings. During lunch campers talk and after eating they play circle games. In Music +1, the campers love practicing their song on the drums, xylophones, or bells. 

Squirrels is a very special group to be in. We have a lot of fun and are each unique in our own way. Everyday the campers have morning sing which is a time to get the kids excited about the upcoming day. We learn and sing different songs which engages them with the whole camp. After we have sports and games which is a time for the campers to let loose and just have fun. Sometimes we play games as a whole or we have free play where they can do what they like. After, everyday we have focus which is where the campers split off into different instrument groups and learn how to play them including a song for the final performance at the end of camp. After focus everyday we have music+1 which is where the kids enjoy learning different songs along with different instruments. They also practice their song for the final performance. After, we have lunch so the kids can take a break and regain their energy. After, on do days we have art where the kids enjoy coloring and putting their art skills to work! On re days our campers have instrument building which is where they use different art materials to make different instruments. There is a very special community among the squirrels group which has made this a session we will never forget! 

Hello families! We have had an amazing time with the Parks! On Do Days we start the day off with Music +2 where we do vocal warm ups with fun songs like the Solfege Dorito Song. We also learn songs like Mary Had a Little Lamb on the xylophone and practice our songs for the final showcase like Welcome to New York or Good Morning Baltimore. Next, we move to Instrument Building where the campers get to create and decorate instruments like rain sticks or maracas. After this the campers split into their Sampler groups, where campers get to sample each instrument. Then we have lunch on the side lot if it is nice outside. After that we have Games and Sports. Some days we play games like capture the flag or have free play with hula hoops and jump ropes. On Re Days instead of having Instrument Building the campers have Art where they make projects like coloring the wards of D.C. or sketching perspective cities. 

In the Fountains, we did so many great and interesting things at Camp Levine. In instrument building, students made instruments like tambourines, rainsticks, shakers, and started making banjos out of paper plates and wooden sticks. The students also played songs on the xylophone, as well as doing various musical warm-ups and scales. In Art, we made a type of stained glass window that involved aluminum foil and markers. Finally, in sports and games, we played games like capture the flag, treasure grab, and floor is lava relay. 

We start the day off with morning sing. Campers arrive and learn a couple songs. Our first class of the day is music class where we are learning the song “city blues” and playing along with instruments. Then in instrument building campers make instruments out of household items, like a tambourine with paper plates. In art we have been making city related projects. In sports and games we let off energy by playing games like capture the flag and floor is lava. After we take a break for lunch, campers rotate through various instruments to try them out, staying at each instrument for two days. At that point we switch into new groups for the afternoon. 

Our ferries are a joy to work with, always bringing energy to the activities they do. This Monday was a Re day, where we walk to the lower cottage for Instrument Building, this week working on rain sticks and banjos made from apple roasted and rubber bands. From there, we walk to Music+, where the campers are working on learning their instruments, and then going to sports and games. During sports and games, they play various games such as capture the flag and “treasure hunt”. After sports and games, they go to lunch either on the patio or in the Lang Recital Hall. After, they switch to their afternoon groups before a performance is put on in the Recital Hall, either on the projector or in the form of a dance. On Do days, we have the same classes but in a different order and with some new classes, where the ferries begin the day with art where they finished their stained glass windows and fish eye cityscapes. Sampler, the highlight of many campers days, includes trying out new instruments and learning to play them. We’re looking forward to the next few weeks!  

The Towers have been having a wonderful time over the past two weeks. The group bonded quickly over their love for Hamilton and competitive relationship with the Skyscrapers (their fellow 4th through 6th graders). They’ve had the opportunity to learn a new instrument during the Focus period and have improved immensely since the start of camp. In Games, they’ve really enjoyed capture the flag and accusing the TAs of cheating. In Music +2 and Instrument Building, they’ve used creativity and their musical talents to bring each song or art project to life. Despite their hatred of washing their hands, lunch is by far the most anticipated period where blackjack and imaginative “Shuchy Auntie” scenarios are made. The campers are looking forward to our final week and performance!  

During their Focus classes, the Skyscrapers have been working hard—and sounding better—each day. In Sports and Games, they have a great time collaborating and strategizing with one another on the best way to capture the flag! In their Art class, the Skyscrapers have started their one-point perspective cityscapes, some of which are inspired by real cities, others from their imagination. In their Instrument Building class, they have built and designed a variety of instruments, from rain sticks to tambourines. And finally, in Music+, they’ve been getting into the rhythm of things;  mastering body percussion, doing vocal warm-ups, and finding the beat to their song for the final performance. Each day brings a new opportunity for the campers to learn and have fun! 

On this Monday’s Re day, after afternoon switch, we had snack and break. After that, we transitioned to Dance, learning the choreography for their big show. then we walked down the hall to vocal/choral, where we were joined by the 1Bs while we sung songs to prep for the end of session city-themes play! We then went to composition, where we are learning to make our own songs. On Do days, we have completely different classes aside from vocal/choral. For example, production art, where we make squirrel and bird masks for the people performing as animals in the musical. As well as drama, where we memorize our lines and practice our acting! We look forward to every day with this amazing group! 

In 1B, it was a very interesting week. In Music, we sang songs like “The El Train” as well as doing a bunch of tongue twisters. In Dance, students danced songs like “Iko Iko” to the music, as well as practicing dances for the final performance.  In Production Art, the kids made stained glass windows out of tissue paper as well as doing tons of free drawing and coloring. Finally, in drama, the campers are practicing their lines for the final show, as well as doing animal acting.

2A is a very fun group to be in! They are each unique in their own way. On do days our campers have drama where they put their acting skills to work! They enjoy fun games such as kitty wants a corner or night at the museum. They also practice their lines for the play at the end of camp. Next they have break and snack which is a time everyday where the campers are able to take a break from specific activities. They can enjoy talking to their friends and get a snack energy boost to push them through the rest of the day. The next class is production art. The campers enjoy helping build the structures for the play at the end of camp. Then, everyday they have vocal choral where they enjoy singing fun and crazy warm ups as they prepare their final song for the performance. On re days our campers have composition where they make their own songs with notes they have learned. Then they share their songs in a group, and they practice them with drums and/or other instruments. Next, they have dance which is started off with the campers warming up their bodies, and then they practice the dances for the final showcase! There is a very special community among 2A which has made this a session we will never forget! 

2B is a fun and engaging group. On Do days we begin the afternoon with Composition, where the campers are learning to compose their own music on the xylophone. On Re days 2B has Drama first where they are beginning to learn their lines for the final performance. Next we have break and snack, a time when the campers can relax and recharge for the rest of the afternoon. Then, we have production art where the kids have been creating unique art pieces that will be displayed in the final performance. On Do days we have dance after break and snack. 2B are fast learners, and almost done with their dance for the final performance to “Uptown Funk”. The campers end their day with Vocal/Choral where they are learning New York, New York for the final performance. Overall 2B is a colorful and lively group, that loves learning and trying new things! 

Throughout the last couple weeks, 3A has had lots of fun and has learned so much about music and art! In vocal choral, the campers love to do silly warm ups and are delighted to spend time singing! In drama, they are exercising their acting skill with fun games such as bus stop and they’re excited to put on the final show! During break and snack they bond with eachother by playing card games, having fun conversation that never lacks some chaos, and maybe a bit of bullying to the TAs. Production art is a great time for them to express themselves while also assisting with the final performance. Dance is 3A’s favorite class where they get out all their energy right at the end of the day and they love the music! They’re very musically inclined and get into the rhythm easily. Finally, in composition they are making their own songs on the xylophones, and their music has improved drastically since the beginning! Overall, 3A is having a great time learning and excels at everything they do! 

In 3B, we start the afternoon in vocal/choral where we are learning several different songs including, riding on a railroad, and listen to the music. In composition, 3B shared out some of the music they’ve written for the past week. Each camper did an amazing job either working together (or by themselves) to produce music, and took time to listen to their peers. We then move into drama where our campers are leaning the play and acting out different scenarios every class. In dance 3B has been working hard, memorizing the moves to Empire State of Mind, and Dancing in the Street! The campers have a lot of fun in that class. As the theme this year is sights, sounds and city’s, we work on art closely related to the theme with a wide variety