2018-19 Guide To Yellow Springs

69 Y e l l ow S p r i n g s N ews the Guide to YelLow Springs y 2018 - 1 9 y  friends music camp inspires y Friends Music Camp musicians marched through town in late July 2017, announcing the annual benefit concert for Glen Helen. A bemused wedding party from across the street looked on. The 35-plus-year-old camp offers two- and four-week programs in strings, brass, woodwinds and voice for young musicians aged 10 to 18 years. In addition, campers collaborate to produce a musical as a final project. • Photo by Matt Minde By YS NEws STAFF Friends Music Camp is a month-long summer youth camp with deep ties to Yellow Springs. It was co-founded by villager Peg Champney and the late Jean Putnam, both musicians and Quakers, and once each summer, campers travel to Yellow Springs to perform a benefit concert. Based on Quaker principles — including equality, simplicity and integrity — FMC offers a noncompetitive environment for aspiring musicians. Orchestra, jazz and concert band, choir, musical theater and individual instruction are all available, along with ensembles and combos that arise out of camper interest. Champney and Putnam were co-directors until Putnam’s retirement in 2012, and Champney, who plays violin and viola and sings alto in the Yellow Springs Community Chorus, stepped down as director two years ago but remains director emeritus. “It is the realization of a dream that Jean and I had — to combine the best of music camp and strong values,” said Champney recently. She used to teach a class at the camp entitled Life Challenge Discussion, in which goal-setting and making one’s life meaningful were the topics. Two of Champney’s daughters have also served on the staff: Wendy Champney, a classical violist, and Heidi Champney, a violinist, singer and pianist. Another long- time staffer is multi-instrumentalist Martha Hyde, who also grew up in Yellow Springs and is a professional musician in New York City. The camp, formerly held at Olney Friends School in Barnesville, is now on the Earl- ham College campus in Richmond, Ind. Nick Hutchison is the director. 1 • 3rd GENERATION SPRINGER. • OF SERVICE. • ADVANTAGE=YOURS. Shelly Blackman Realtor ® 937-381-9799 SHELLY@YELLOWSPRINGS.COM YELLOW SPRINGS, WHERE THE LIVIN’ IS EASY ...