Spark Summer Clinics
Welcome to Music Effect Design!
We are so excited that you are interested in our summer clinics. Our staff has decades of experience orchestrating & executing clinics, and we are proud to bring our vision into our very own summer clinic program.
Students at Spark Summer Clinics experience research-based educational practices applied to a short marching band show. Students learn to be a productive part of an ensemble in less than a week while elevating their technique for their section. We utilize experiential learning to grow and develop applicable skills for any marching band member, no matter their level of previous experience. Through our show production, we are focused on performer excellence and confidence to ensure that skills transfer through to their upcoming season!
Our Students
Our clinics are geared towards students entering 5th – 12th grade interested in improving their skills in one of the following sections of the marching band:
- Winds- Whether leaders or first-time marchers, students learn movement fundamentals, musicianship, and communication strategies.
- Percussion- Members practice and refine marching percussion fundamentals, including practical applications of tempo skills, communication, and leadership strategies.
- Color Guard- Flag and Rifle students learn and refine movement and equipment techniques and apply those skills in our show choreography while marching.
- Drum Majors- Drum majors learn conducting and score study fundamentals, utilize opportunities to conduct live musicians, practice giving music/visual feedback, and gain leadership and communication skills.
Absolutely do it! I had a blast and there is nothing here you won’t use and won’t enjoy! It is WELL worth the time and I strongly advocate to doing this to better your skills as a person and drum major/marcher/etc.
2022 Attendee
I absolutely LOVED the leadership sessions. I left understanding a leadership concept every time, and thoroughly enjoyed all of those activities.
2023 Attendee
Just being in Spark Summer Clinic made my skill level skyrocket with the technique classes. I could throw higher than before with just one simple critique. This is a really amazing experience that I would love to share with more people.
2023 Attendee
Our Tenets
Community, Identity, and Skill are Music Effect Design’s guiding tenets that influence every small and large choice in designing the clinic experience.
- Community- Throughout the clinic, students build a community with their fellow performers and learn teamwork and communication skills that they can bring back to their home programs.
- Identity- The clinic experience is designed around students building confidence in their skills as performers and leaders.
- Skill- Foundational skills, whether it’s musicianship, marching, moving, spinning, or conducting, are a key element of the clinic experience. Students learn and rehearse key skills in their area to help them grow and succeed in their season.
Our Clinics
The 2024 Spark Summer Clinic will be hosted at Wittenberg University. The clinic will run from Sunday, June 16 through Wednesday, June 19. Registration fees are $400 per student. Registration includes overnight housing in the dorms, and meals from Sunday dinner – Wednesday lunch. Check-in will start mid-morning on Sunday, June 16. The Final Showcase is at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, June 19. All family members, friends, band directors, and advisors are invited to the Final Showcase. The show will last under an hour. We will finish checking out afterward back at the dorm. More details have been sent out to registered students and parents via email. Please add info@musiceffectdesign.com to your email contacts so that our emails will not be sent to your spam folder.
Our FAQs
Confirmation emails are sent automatically when a registration is completed, but sometimes they get caught by spam filters. Please add info@musiceffectdesign.com to your contacts to ensure you see our emails right away.
Registration is now open, submit your registration to reserve your spot! Payment can be made at the time of registration or anytime before June 14, 2024.
Clinic fees are $400 per student. Payments can be made online or by check.
During registration, you will be given an option to pay online via PayPal. If you prefer to pay by check or at a later day, you may skip the payment process during registration and an e-invoice will be mailed to you with a link for online payment and an address for mailed checks. Allow a few days after registration to receive your e-invoice. Please add info@musiceffectdesign.com to your email contacts so the emails won’t be sent to your spam folder.
If we are notified of the cancellation by email 14 days prior to the start date of the clinic you are attending, we will refund you all but a $75 deposit. A refund cannot be issued if we are not notified by 14 days prior. Deposits and payments of students who are no longer able to attend may be transferred to another student who will serve as a replacement. Transfers can be made at the start of the clinic during check-in, but refunds cannot be made at that time.
Yes! At the end of each clinic, there will be a parent/family/director showcase to show off the skills they’ve learned. More specific times/locations will be sent out to registrants closer to the start of camp.
Yes! We offer discounts for schools that send 10 or more students to our camps. Email us at info@musiceffectdesign.com for more information.
Yes! Our staff can choreograph part of your show to teach your color guard students during the choreography blocks of our clinic. Email us at guard@musiceffectdesign.com for more information and pricing for custom choreography.
Our ultimate goal is to expand our clinics throughout the summer to different locations across the United States. If you know of interest in your area, please email us at info@musiceffectdesign.com.
Email us your questions at info@musiceffectdesign.com, and keep an eye on your email for updates and other information.