US Adults Rediscover Summer Music Camps

Adults across the United States are rediscovering the joys of summer music camp, enrolling in programs that echo their youthful experiences while fostering new skills, friendships and personal well-being. From serene lakesides in Maine to college campuses in Pennsylvania, these camps cater to players of all levels, drawing retirees and lifelong enthusiasts alike.

Lori Guess, 71, a retired lawyer from Baltimore who once attended music camp as a high school oboist in the 1970s, returned to the New England Adult Music Camp in Sidney, Maine, after a separate adult band program launched there in 2013. She picked up the trumpet and plans to attend again in August. "I was thrilled because I love this place," Guess said. "It is serene, beautiful, a perfect setting."

These camps span genres including electronic, folk, rock, jazz, chamber and opera music. Participants seek nostalgia, skill improvement or simply time away after raising families. Experts highlight the benefits. "Emotionally, making music is good for the soul," said Carole Lieberman, a California-based forensic psychiatrist who plays multiple instruments. "Cognitively, research demonstrates that learning to play a musical...