Suzuki Camp 6.29-7.3, 2010

For the past 27 summers at the Sandy Island Family Camp operated by the YMCA of Greater Boston, the last week in June has had a musical accompaniment. My husband, Nate Todaro, had become director of the camp in 1983 and during the school year I teach Suzuki Method violin lessons, which encourages students to participate in summer enrichment programs. Upon arriving at the camp, I realized that Sandy Island is the perfect spot for a combined music camp and family vacation. Knowing that the camper weeks were filled, Nate agreed to provide a few days of staff training week for our Suzuki music camp. The experiment began the summer of 1984 and continues to the present. We began with a few violin and piano students and have added cello and occasionally a few other instruments. In recent years we have accommodated as many as 60 students and their families. Our campers now come from not just New England, but other states as well, and our cello teacher returns each year from Arizona. Several teachers and families have been with us the entire 27 years. Some of our students are now teachers who still return to play and teach.

The campers arrive on Tuesday afternoon of the last week in June and leave on Saturday morning as the regular campers begin to arrive. Tuesday evening they are treated to a Sandy dance and a sunset cruise on the camp’s passenger boat. We then have a full three days of lessons, ensembles, orchestras, recitals, singing, a teen musical production number and a grand finale performance on Friday evening. Just like regular Sandy campers, everyone goes home exhausted, but enriched and refreshed, and the staff members have had real live campers to practice on!

Our Suzuki families look forward to returning to camp each summer, and the littlest students begin asking around Labor Day, “When are we going to Sandy Island?” Although it is a challenge to continue to provide inspirational programming, the reward is looking around and seeing violinists playing music together on the docks and pathways, every possible teaching space being utilized, every piano being played, teenagers singing and dancing to music from Broadway musicals, as well as happy swimmers and boaters.

I am extremely grateful to the YMCA and the Sandy Island staff for encouraging me to continue to create this musical vacation experience for so many families over the years. Their help and support have made what was once only a dream become a reality beyond what I would have envisioned. We are all looking forward to this summer and the 27th year of Sandy Island Suzuki Camp.

-Carole Todaro

• Click Here for the Family Registration Form

• Click Here for the Student Registration Form

• Questions? email Carole at:  todaro34@comcast.net