If you haven’t already, read Scor!’s post from March 2016 here before continuing. 

By Beth Bultman

Our 2016 season has ended, and we are thrilled to have shared Scor! with so many people around the country this year. Scor! offers string camps for adults, and we specialize in providing a safe, nurturing, educational environment where it’s OK to still be in process, where we learn, grow, allow ourselves to be transformed, and hey, make friends and have a lot of musical fun! My husband Kyle & I are the founders of Scor!, and travel to and run all the camps. We left our Rochester, NY home for our first stop in Raleigh, NC in March, and haven’t stopped traveling since!

Our camps in 2016 took us all around the country. In Dunedin FL we had a St. Patrick’s Day parade and festivities (read “noise!”) right outside our door at Scor!. The plus side? We’re only 3 blocks from the water! In Atlanta GA, we had an extra day of Scor! to just have fun sight-reading music and playing together. In Austin TX, campers got to stay right in the hotel, and play downstairs. You can’t beat the convenience (except if you take an accidental nap!). In Escondido CA we had an enthusiastic bunch for our second year. In Lodi CA, our first camp in northern California, we discovered that Lodi in wine country is really worth traveling to! Our trip back across the country to Knoxville TN came next (FYI – it’s a LONG way!). People there are so nice and inviting, and just have the best way of showing hospitality! In LeClaire IA, it was HOT, but thankfully, the air conditioning at our facility made up for that. In Lansing MI the hotel/rehearsal room combination was a winner. Rochester NY brings us our largest and longest running camp with lots of traditions. We had a varied and fantastic Final Music Sharing event there. Bel Air MD is our second largest camp with lots of new people this year and lots of inspiring chamber music. And finally, Kingston RI where we hold Scor! at the University of Rhode Island, had a really nice group of people this year and was lots of fun.

Although we run a similar event around the country, various regions of the country can be different. Some are more traditional, some are more open to new musical experiences. Some are more high-pressure, and some are more laid back. But what do we find in common? All over the country, there are wonderful people following a dream. They’ve always wanted to play. They’ve always wanted to come back to playing. They’ve always wanted to improve their playing. Now, they are doing just that. They are open to learning, improving, playing music, making new musical friends, getting out there and doing what they’ve always wanted to do. We are the only ones that really get to see the arc of these events – the commonalities that all these individuals have. Believe me, it’s a lot of work to do what we do. There are no illusions about that in my world. But I have to say, we have set out to inspire people to play music, to improve, to be transformed. I think we are doing just that. Yet, I have also been inspired by the kindness, the can-do attitude, the openness, the determination, the persistence of the people we have met along the way. They are pursuing their dreams, and I have to say, that’s one courageous and inspiring group of people.

How can I find out about Scor!?

Check out our website at www.StringCamp.com & sign up for our E-Newsletters, where you’ll get free string-playing tips, as well as news of upcoming events. Ask to join our Facebook Group or search “Scor! String Camps for Adults” Public Group and check out recent photos of events.