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SMC students performing a vocal pieceSMC students performing a vocal piece

Summer Music Clinic

Teachers and counselors

Our highly qualified teachers are chosen for their excellence, diverse perspectives and backgrounds, creativity and care as music educators and are drawn from the Madison area as well as greater Wisconsin and the U.S. Instructors bring their own unique style of teaching and musical experiences to their classes, offering current, wide-ranging opportunities for students.

Experienced and caring counselors are part of what makes Summer Music Clinic so special. Several were campers themselves and know the value of having a friendly and reliable support system while away from home. These supervisors — usually college students or young educators — ensure campus life is fun and safe for all who attend, resulting in a welcoming and inclusive community.

"It helped me feel confident in my playing and singing ability with having the support of many other instrumentalists/singers with me. It helped me step into an uncomfortable situation for me in a safe space."

SMC Student, 2023

"One thing I really appreciate about this camp was working with such talented staff. I remember numerous comments and instructions that changed the way I think about music. I particularly learned things from the orchestra instructor about the importance of feeling the music and connecting with others. I also think I learned a lot from the opportunity I had to play in Collins Recital Hall for the tuition waiver audition."

SMC Student 2023

Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

Summer Music Clinic and Badger Precollege are guided by values for inclusivity and equity and strive to provide access to any middle or high school musician who wants to participate. Summer Music Clinic and  Badger Precollege uphold the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s commitment to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion as we seek to create programming that embraces the richness of diversity and the importance of an inclusive community of students, faculty and staff. We strive to increase accessibility to quality precollege programs for ALL students.

Our students are the embodiment of our hopes for a better future, and they deserve a platform that encourages dialogue and harnesses the unbridled passion for social justice that they possess. To this end, we endeavor to educate and entrust our community to use their voices to foster meaningful change for a more inclusive and just world by providing a welcoming environment for inquiry, reflection and shared accountability.

We further recognize that this is an ongoing task, and we are dedicated to investing the time and effort required to bring about such change.

Badger Precollege supports diversity initiatives in all of our programs by developing innovative, inclusive curricula designed to promote critical thinking, cultural competencies and social justice. We provide faculty, staff, families and students with resources to continuously engage in our joint efforts to combat inequities in our community and beyond.

We lead by example in hosting the annual Latino Youth Summit on the UW–Madison campus and by offering LGBTQ+-inclusive housing options in our residential programs. Our top priorities are to foster strategic partnerships to increase diversity admissions and to fully leverage available funds for scholarships. Learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

"I've never seen any other music education program of this structure and size have such a broad-reaching and long-lasting impact on young people. These young musicians grow and bloom exponentially over one brief summer week. This is possible because of two pillars of the program: 1) incredibly talented educators who love teaching more than anything, and 2) incredibly caring camp counselors who work tirelessly to create a safe, supportive, and fun community. Summer Music Clinic is much more than a music camp; it's a game-changer."

Elizabeth Snodgrass, Program Manager of Summer Music Clinic 2018-2019

International Participants

Support for international participants

At Badger Precollege, we provide international students with engaging coursework and programming while offering different levels of support to ensure the best experience possible. In addition to the traditional program opportunities, international students have access to:

  • A Badger Precollege community manager who will work closely with international students to create a fun and educational atmosphere while in the program. The community manager will be available for students to communicate any ideas, concerns or issues relevant to the programs.
  • An orientation session that covers all relevant information for the program and any questions that students or their families may have. It will cover technologies used in the program, what to expect within each synchronous course set up, expectations for the program and work done outside of course time, time zone set up and many other topics.

English proficiency recommendations

To be successful in Summer Music Clinic, we suggest that students demonstrate at least intermediate-level English through a minimum TOEFL score of 80 or IELTS score of 6.5 or Duolingo English Test score of 105. If you do not have a test score available but would like to see if your English is proficient for Summer Music Clinic, you may request a phone or video interview with Summer Music Clinic program staff. To schedule an interview, please email smc@wisc.edu.

"I’m very glad I got to be part of this camp. It was super fun and pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way. I’ve made a lot of friends and feel so much more confident moving forward in my life. This camp will always be special to me and I am so glad I attended."

SMC Student 2023