FORM A BAND! WRITE, RECORD & PERFORM YOUR OWN SONGS!

Take home a professional recording of your music —and so much more: confidence, pride, and a new community of friends.

 

  • Ages 9-13

  • No Experience Necessary

  • Scholarships Available (No one turned away for lack of funds)

 
 
 

Spring Break Rock Camps at My Voice Music in Portland, Oregon offer an intro to writing, recording and performing music for Portland-area youth ages 9-13. Campers work with experienced Teaching Artists to:

  • Learn how to play new instruments and sing

  • Improve their skills on instruments they already play

  • Write songs

  • Form a band and perform for friends & family on stage on the last day of camp

  • Record in our professional studio and take home a CD of their songs

This year we are inviting friends from Synth Library Portland, Bridgetown Aikido and Arts for Learning to provide 45-minute workshops throughout week where youth will have opportunities to explore other avenues of creative activity and movement.

 
 
 

2024 SPRING BREAK ROCK CAMP DATES

MARCH 25—MARCH 29, 2024
9am-3:00pm, $450
optional aftercare 3:00pm-5:00pm, $50 per day

WAITING LIST

If camp is sold out please email register@myvoicemusic.org to get on our waitlist. We reserve some slots specifically for scholarship students for each camp and release them to paying families if not filled.

SCHOLARSHIPS

My Voice Music provides sliding-scale scholarships automatically, no questions asked. If you are able to pay for programs, please do! Your child’s program fee pays for a student who can’t afford one. MVM will not turn away any youth for financial reasons. Please visit our Play It Forward Scholarship page to obtain a discount code that best fits your circumstances. Scholarships

If camp is sold out please reach out to register@myvoicemusic.org as we reserve some slots specifically for scholarship students for each camp!

AfterCare

Optional Aftercare is available for $25 per hour or at pay-what-you-can afford rates for students utilizing scholarships for camp tuition. Play It Forward scholarship scholarship rates are applied automatically to aftercare registration during checkout when using a discount code.

Reserved Scholarship Spots

Our camps sell out faster every year! While that’s a really good thing, we dedicate a portion of spots for scholarship students for each camp. This means that a camp may be listed as “Sold Out” on the registration page, but a spot may still be available for a scholarship student. Tuition assistance is limited to one one rock camp per season.

Email us at register@myvoicemusic.org to inquire about scholarship availability of a “Sold Out” camp or to join the waiting list. We release these reserved Scholarship spots to paying families periodically over the summer if not filled.

We intend to provide in-person rock camps as the health and safety protocols allow. Note that rock camp dates and formats are subject to change, and our operations will be determined by guidelines set forth by the state and the building in which we operate.

My Voice Music reserves the right to reschedule or cancel rock camps if they do not meet capacity requirements.

Questions? Read Our FAQ.

 
 
 
 
 
“I love how much room My Voice Music gives you to discover your own style of music. I think that music is a great way to express yourself and it’s nice to be able to create MY MUSIC with a positive push behind me.”
— Dammon, My Voice Music Student
“One thing that My Voice Music [Summer Rock Camps] does really well is making music accessible. It was so important during COVID when so many things have been stripped away.”
— Janelle, MVM Rock Camp Parent
“Come back, come back, come back to where you’ll be home… where you can sing your favorite song, where no one can tell you that you’re wrong…”
— Olivia, MVM Student. Lyrics from “Song for Rock Camp”
“As much as it’s a music program, it’s also a youth program. MVM elevates kids through music. They want kids to feel like they belong. To feel empowered and confident.”
— Jennifer, MVM Rock Camp Parent 
“I truly thought I couldn’t get any prouder than the day I saw [my two children] singing and performing and having the time of their life…up on stage with all the lights, instruments, and fantastic sounds... When my daughter was up on stage belting out her song, the energy, the healing that shown through, told me that everything was going to be alright. That WE were going to be alright! …Thank you for allowing my children to enjoy such a life changing experience!”
— Kelly, MVM Rock Camp Parent
“This is the best money I have ever spent for my child.”
— Anonymous Rock Camp Parent
“Thank you! You made one of my dreams come true. I am so passionate about my music. I just want people to hear the message that I am trying to send and you made that possible. I can truly say, I would not be the man I am today without My Voice Music. Thank you so much.”
— Christian My Voice Music Graduate
 

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? WE HAVE ANSWERS!

 

  • Summer Rock Camp at MVM Studios offers a unique experience for Portland-area youth aged 9-13. Over the span of our week-long camps, participants create a band, and then write, record, and perform their own songs. At the end of the week, every camper goes home with a recording of their music—and so much more: confidence, pride, and a new community of friends.

  • In-person Rock Camps will take at MVM Studios in the Sunnyside Community House at 3520 SE Yamhill St, Portland, 97214. Six sessions will be offered in 2023:

    June 26—June 30, 12:30pm-4:30pm, optional aftercare 4:30pm-5:30pm

    July 10—July 14, 9am-3:00pm, optional aftercare 4:00pm-5:00pm

    July 17—July 21, 12:30pm-4:30pm, optional aftercare 4:30pm-5:30pm

    July 31—August 4, 2:30pm-4:30pm, optional aftercare 4:30pm-5:30pm

    Aug 14—Aug 18, 9am-3:00pm, optional aftercare 4:00pm-5:00pm

    Aug 21—Aug 25, 12:30pm-4:30pm, optional aftercare 4:30pm-5:30pm

  • Unlike other rock camps that focus exclusively on performance, at MVM Rock Camps, campers create a band, and then write, record, and perform their own songs—all in the space of a week. My Voice Music is a nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon, that amplifies young voices and ignites self-discovery through music. As our name suggests, our vision is that all youth have the opportunity to find and share their artistic voice. Our programs are guided by three core beliefs: † being a part of, and contributing something positive to, a community is transformative and empowering; positive relationships provide guidance and foster a sense of social accountability; and engaging, relevant, and challenging experiences can connect with individuals in a unique way and teach skills that can be used for a lifetime. This approach makes My Voice Music Rock Camp an opportunity for personal growth and community building, in addition to music education and rocking out.

  • All campers and staff are required to wear face masks, with limited exceptions when students may remove masks temporarily during performances, recording, and photo shoots.

    Rock Camp staff is fully vaccinated and up-to-date as they are eligible.

    Instruments and high-touch points sanitized daily.

    Campers will be assigned their own instruments for the week.

    Limit of 12 campers per week.

    Air purifiers in each room and gathering space, windows open where possible.

    6 feet of physical distancing whenever possible.

  • Our Rock Camps are run by professionally trained instructors, who happen to be awesome musicians, too. They’re assisted by student teachers (many of whom are former campers) whose enthusiasm, maturity and leadership helped them earn invitations to return in this key supporting role. All staff and student teachers participate in intensive pre-camp training and ongoing learning and supervision throughout the summer.

  • Nope! Kids with any level of music experience are guaranteed to learn, grow and have a blast at MVM Rock Camp.

  • No instruments needed! MVM provides all the instruments, though rock campers can bring their own instruments if desired.

  • In-person camps in 2023 will be limited to 12 campers per week.

  • All sessions have at least a 1:3 staff-to-student ratio. Each camp is run by our experienced Rock Camp director, who is assisted by carefully selected student leaders. All staff and student leaders go through extensive, ongoing training on best practices when working with youth.

  • We have a “rule of three” at My Voice Music: There are always three My Voice Music participants or staff in any room at any time. Our restrooms are individual rooms with locks. Students go with a staff person to use the restroom, and staff waits outside. All of our high school interns are trained on best practices for youth programming and receive ongoing training and supervision throughout the summer. Sunnyside Community House is a locked, secure building; in order to gain entrance, you have to be let in by a staff person.

  • By paying full tuition at My Voice Music, you automatically provide access to music programs for youth who can’t afford it. Learn more about our Play It Forward scholarship model.

  • Scholarships are always available for My Voice Music programs, no questions asked. Click here to view our discount options.

  • We divide campers into bands with the goal of creating an equal representation of experienced musicians and newbies across each group. This means there is no guarantee campers will be placed with their friends though we will try to accommodate requests. This approach assures each band can thrive during the songwriting, recording and performance opportunities at camp! There are opportunities for friends to join a band together exclusively through our "Band on Demand" classes (See more on our classes registration page).

  • Cancellation until April 30: 75% of tuition is refundable

    Cancellations on or after May 1: 50% of tuition is refundable

    Cancellations on or after June 1: no tuition is refundable

    Exceptions can be made in extenuating circumstances. Please reach out to info@myvoicemusic.org.