Aug 4-9
Secondline Camp
“The music of New Orleans is infectious. Often referred to as “Feel Good Music”, students at Shell Lake’s Second Line Camp will learn both traditional and modern Brass Band tunes without the use of sheet music. Everything by ear!
Instructor: Adam Meckler
Residential Tuition…………..$895
Commuter Tuition…………..$695
- For Students grades 6-12
- Adult registration as Commuter and only with instructor consent
Students will learn songs by bands such as Rebirth Brass Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Stooges Brass Band, and traditional songs and hymns you might hear played by the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Learning by ear is an essential part of being an instrumentalist, and is historically under-emphasized in the traditional band world. Expert educator Adam Meckler will guide students through the process of learning by ear, and has done so with students from 5th grade all the way to adulthood. Students will develop confidence playing by ear as quickly as day one of the camp. New Orleans music serves as a perfect medium for students to be introduced to playing by ear, with it’s roots in the call and response format. This music is an absolute blast to play while also helping to develop skills in improvisation, focusing on navigating simple chord changes and learning what those chord changes mean. Students will also learn how to put on a brass band show, including doing some call and response with the audience as a band.
This will be an unforgettable week of music for students who make the leap to learning by ear, and will set them up for success in their experiences as musicians in the future.
A minimum of at least two years on your instrument is required to join this camp. All songs can be modified to fit your range, especially related to trumpet and trombones.
About the Instructor
Adam is a trumpet player, composer, songwriter, educator, and entrepreneur living in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He is an Edwards Instrument Co. Performing Artist and Clinician and leads the Adam Meckler Orchestra (AMO), an 18-piece big band that plays his original compositions.
The AMO’s release ‘When the Clouds Look Like This’ was listed as one of the best jazz releases of 2014 by iTunes. Their ‘Magnificent Madness’ album was released to critical acclaim on the legendary alt-jazz label Ropeadope Records in 2018, and featured collaborations with hip hop artists and soul singers including EMMY Award-winning rapper Toki Wright, and GRAMMY award-winning vocalist J.D. Steele. The AMO’s four critically acclaimed albums showcase Meckler’s penchant for both melody and groove, and his knack for potent collaborations.
Adam has toured and/or recorded with Cory Wong, Dave Koz, Steve Cole, Youngblood Brass Band, Nooky Jones, The Hornheads (Prince), and many others. Meckler’s trumpet trio Supercell explores the outer rings of explorative jazz featuring Meckler as an improviser in addition to composer/arranger. His collaborations with L.A.-based beat maker JFab have more than a quarter million streams on Spotify.
An award-winning educator, Meckler is the Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan Technological University, and is featured as a guest artist at educational jazz festivals all over the world. Meckler is passionate about teaching jazz by ear and is frequently tapped to demonstrate his approach at music conferences and educational institutions. In 2019, Meckler founded the Workshop Brass Band as a credited ensemble at Michigan Tech that learns both traditional and modern New Orleans-style Brass Band music by ear (with no sheet music). Meckler will be designing and leading a New Orleans-style Brass Band week at Shell Lake Arts Camp in Summer of 2024 where students will learn similarly by ear.
Adam is co-founder and CEO of Gig Boss, LLC, an app that serves as a DIY self-management tool for artists. Born of his busy career as a freelancer and bandleader, Gig Boss was designed to help musicians organize their groups, schedules, and finances. Meckler is host of the How Musicians Make It (HMMI) podcast where he breaks down the music business, and interviews artists and music industry professionals and asks them how they’re making it. HMMI has more than 20,000 downloads across all platforms.
Additional Information
Questions? Feel free to contact us for any additional information.
Accommodations
Lodges are available for the duration of the camp session. They are supervised by a professional counseling staff on duty 24 hours each day and meals are prepared under the supervision of a state-approved dietitian.
Commuter Expectations
Commuter students are expected to remain at camp until the day’s activities are completed (Typically 9:am-8pm).
Registrations
Online registrations are accepted until the camp is full. Students may be placed on a waiting list if desired. A camp registration form is sent after payment is received. All cancellations must be made in writing and received 3 weeks in advance of the start of camp for a full refund. A $100.00 fee will be deducted from your refund. Refunds less than three weeks before camp will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Residential Tuition
Our student tuition is $895 per student and includes instructional fees, room and board and a camp t shirt which will be worn at the final performance. Please refer to the registration materials found on our registration site at Ultracamp for complete details. A $100 down payment is due at the time of registration. The remaining balance can be paid at the time of registration or in equal monthly installments. All Tuition must be paid before arrival at camp.
Commuter Tuition
This option is for campers that want to attend our camps but not stay in our dorms, The $695 tuition covers instructional fees, a camp T-Shirt which will be worn at the final performance, meals, and evening activities. Commuters arrive for their first class by 9AM, and can be picked up any time after evening activities conclude (usually around 8pm).
Check-in / Check-out
Check in begins at 2pm on Sunday of the week your camp begins. All medical, dietary, and consent forms must be completed in UltraCamp before arriving at camp. Additional information will be emailed to you approximately 4 weeks before camp begins.
Scholarships
Each year, the Arts Center raises funds for the scholarship program. If you are interested in applying for an Arts Center scholarship, please visit our website
Additional Information
To request disability accommodations, or other special requests, please contact the Arts Center at least two weeks in advance of camp. More information about camp and all of the opportunities available at the Shell Lake Arts Center can be found on our website.
Participants are admitted without regard to race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. The Shell Lake Arts Center is an inclusive organization, and we accept all artists and musicians.