For a representative look at program content, check out the camp program schedule from 2024. The 2025 program schedule will be finalized and announced in June and promises to be even better!
The performance ensembles (both small and large) will accommodate the following instruments:
Piccolo
Flute
Oboes
Bassoon
Clarinet (Eb or Bb,soprano, alto, bass)
Saxophone (alto, tenor, baritone, bass)
Bb Trumpets/Coronets
French Horns/Mellophones
Trombone/Baritone/Euphonium/Bass Trombone
Tuba
Percussion (including pitched and miscellaneous percussion)
Electric/String Bass
A limited number of instruments are available on loan for the camp week; inquire with Dr. Gupta upon registration.
The Platt Student Performing Arts House is a modern 13,000 square foot performing arts space which serves over 60 student performing arts on the Penn campus:
The Penn Band rehearsal room, including its office and storage space
A dance rehearsal room with sprung floor, mirrors, and sound system
A theatre rehearsal room
Two music rehearsal rooms with pianos
Six administrative and student offices
A bank of computers with set, lighting, sound, poster design and music composition software
A cabaret stage with lights and sound
A comfortable lounge and resource area
The Penn Band is well-equipped and staffed for offerings of the highest quality on the collegiate level. The Penn Band maintains a large and varied repertoire of musical instruments, flexible enough to serve any performance situation and equip any visiting student.
The Penn Band music library contains over 2000 pieces of music in its library of music, including over 500 customized arrangements of contemporary pieces. The band’s rehearsal room is equipped with a 7.1 surround sound system, DLP projector, 8-ft. projector screen, and audio recording capabilities.
Via its partnerships with the Office of Student Life, the Department of Athletics, and other campus partners, the program has access to world-renowed facilities, resources, and expertise, including athletic facilities at historic Franklin Field and the Palestra, the Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology at Penn, and the collections at Van Pelt library, including rare collections and the Ormandy Listening Center.
Participants will be residing at Kings Court/English House at 36th and Sansom Streets. These recently renovated dormitories features air conditioning, campus Wi-Fi, dormitory styled dual occupancy rooms with community bathrooms, 24-hour security and maintenance, study/TV lounges on various floors and loungesCamp Counselors will reside on each floor occupied by program participants and will be on-call.
All camp meals (except for special meals (ie: Pizza, Hoagies) that will be provided by the Camp during the course of the week) will be served at either the Class of 1920 Commons, which is located on campus at 38th Street and Locust Walk, or Houston Hall, located at 36th and Spruce Streets. In order to receive meals, a dining/identification card will be issued to each camper at registration—this card is necessary to gain access to the cafeteria. The cafeteria offers a wide-variety of menu items designed to accommodate any dietary needs. In addition, there are several restaurants and grocery stores conveniently located within a few blocks of the dormitory, in case other provisions are needed.
$1250 for Overnight Residents: The fee includes tuition, room, board,t-shirts, and all the amenities and programming for the week.
$595 for Commuters: The fee includes tuition, lunch and dinner, and t-shirts. Evening activities are provided at no additional cost. This option is offered concurrently with the overnight option.
*children of Faculty/Staff of University of Pennsylvania are eligible for 10% discount! Cannont be combined with other offers and discounts
*Early Bird discount of 10% applied for registrations by March 15th. Cannot be combined with other offers and discounts.
The Summer Music Camp Program at the University of Pennsylvania does not require an audition for admission.
Students must complete the online registration by June 30th, 2025. The deposit is non-refundable and does apply to your tuition. You may submit the full payment for tuition.
Full payment (less the initial deposit) is due by July 3rd, 2025.
In addition to the registration form, a recommendation form must be completed by the student’s school music director or private instructor and mailed to the address below by July 3rd, 2025. This information will be kept confidential and used to guide part assignment in the band and the program curriculum for the week.
Checks must be made payable to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. Written correspondence can be sent to the following address:
Kushol Gupta, Ph.D.- Summer Music Camp
The University of Pennsylvania Band
Platt Student Performing Arts House
Room 182 Stouffer Commons
3702 Spruce Street
Philadelphia PA 19104
kgupta@.upenn.edu
T: 215-898-8719
An email confirmation will be sent to you after your registration has been received. Please be certain to supply the correct e-mail address. If you do not provide an e-mail address, this confirmation will not be received. If you do not receive any notification within two weeks of mailing your payment, please call 215-898-8719 to confirm payment, or email kgupta@.upenn.edu.
Deposit: The required $200 deposit is non-refundable except for students awarded full tuition scholarships; the deposit directly applies towards your tuition payment.
Tuition Refund: If a student is unable to attend a camp session, a written request for any tuition paid (less the deposit) must be received at the address above before the session begins, otherwise, no refund will be granted.
A Program Handbook providing details on schedules, payment, housing needs, clothing, what to bring, medical forms, and other pertinent information will be sent to each participant beginning in June (as well as made available here).
All boarding students are housed in the University High Rises, air-conditioned residence halls which offer many amenities. Additionally, a resident staff of musician counselors supervises the students. Rooms house three or four campers, and each room has its own bath and kitchen. All meals will be provided for from the University Dining Services and other special arrangements.
This program will feature public performances by all students in a large and small ensemble.
During the session, the Summer Music Camp will take advantage of the array of cultural and recreational opportunities that the University of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia has to offer, including Historic Philadelphia and the beautiful campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
A limited number of instruments are available to loan to participants during the week of the camp. If you need to borrow an instrument for the program, contact the Camp Director at kgupta@upenn.edu at least two weeks before the start of the program. All percussion instruments (including pitched percussion) will be provided for by the camp.
All personal information supplied by music students and parents will be used only by the University of Pennsylvania for the purposes of mailing Summer Music Camp literature and application forms to those interested in our summer music programs and will not be sold, given, or lent to any other parties outside of the Penn Band or Conference Services Offices.
The Student Health Services and numerous other local hospitals are available for any camper who may experience health problems. Health forms will be sent to you along with your handbook. These forms must be completed and returned on or before the first day of camp. Parents should provide health insurance for campers. For more questions on insurance coverage, please contact us at 215-898-8719.
If you have a disability requiring accommodations, please call (215) 898-8719 at least ten days prior to the start of the program. The University of Pennsylvania is accessible to persons with disabilities, and accessible parking is available at all sites.
Contact Authority for the Program | The contact authority for all issues regarding the Penn Band programs is Dr. Kushol Gupta. His email is kgupta@upenn.edu, and his contact phone number is 267-259-0082.
Privacy Statement for The Penn Band Summer Music Camp | The University of Pennsylvania and The University of Pennsylvania Band are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy is intended to explain how we collect, use, and protect information concerning our participants. We periodically update the Privacy Policy. We will post any changes on this page, and at the start, always tell you the date of the last update. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to Dr. Gupta at 267-259-0082 or kgupta@upenn.edu.
Third Party Software, Applications, and Services Not Covered by This Privacy Policy
External Websites | Occasionally our content will include external links to websites not hosted at Penn, usually within in the of music performance, technology, and enrichment. We do not control, and are not responsible for, the content or practices of these other websites. Our use of such links does not constitute our endorsement of these other websites, their content, their owners, or their practices.
Social Media Features | Our program makes use of social media application to share content and information, including Facebook, Instagram,YouTube, and Twitter. Our Privacy Policy does not apply to these services. Your interactions with these features are governed by their respective privacy policies.
Information We Collect | Our program collects important participant data for enrollment into our annual program. This personal information, including contact information, medical information, date of birth, gender, and school information are held strictly confidential and not shared with any third party under any circumstance. Our policies mirror those for The University of Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania Privacy Policy.
How We Use Your Information | We will never sell your Personal Information to any third party. We will use the information to contact you when it is necessary for business purposes, with specific regards to enrollment and participation in an upcoming program/offering, or to promote our camps and programs.
Retention of Personal Information | We will keep your Personal Information only for as long as is reasonably necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements. In making this determination, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the Personal Information, the purposes for which we process it, and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means. In the case of Personal Information used for marketing communications, we will retain your data only until you unsubscribe. When retention of Personal Information is no longer reasonably necessary, we will securely destroy it in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. In some circumstances, we may anonymize your personal data so that it can no longer be associated with you, and thus is no longer Personal Information.
Security of Your Personal Information | We use all available measures within reason to help protect your Personal Information from unauthorized access, use or disclosure.
Unsubscribing from our Marketing Communications | You may unsubscribe from our marketing communications by clicking on the “unsubscribe” link located on the bottom of our emails or by emailing us at kgupta@upenn.edu.
Counselors Wanted | The Penn Band Summer Music Camp (July 6th-July 12th, 2025) seeks deeply motivated and talented college students to serve as camp counselors for the Summer Music Camp in 2025, delivering a memorable musical experience unlike no other to high school youth from across the Greater Philadelphia Region and across the country.
Eligibility, Benefits, and Requirements | Rising college second years to rising fourth years are eligible to apply. Starting with new applicants in 2024, the counselor experience will be limited to a maximum of two years. Benefits include a $500 stipend for the week, room and board, and all the program amenities.
The counselors chosen are expected to lead a student-centered and student-driven camp experience like that found nowhere else. They are required to reside on-campus during the week of the camp and will help oversee over >50 high school participants in residence and performance.
Our mission is centered on the student experience and its impact. If “not my job” is in your vocabulary and mindset, you need not apply.
Requirements for a counselor position include a good and fun-loving attitude, a college-level proficiency in a musical instrument and considerable experience in ensemble performance.
Preference will be given to students with evidence of a passion for music, initiative and drive, and the compassion and empathy needed to deliver on a mission of “Band for All.”
All team members will be required to undergo criminal background checks, unconscious bias training, and to abide by the program’s policies on conflict of interest (COI), approach to diversity, inclusion, and equality (DEI), and associated community standards.
Deadlines | Applications and related references for positions are due back on May 15th, 2025. Successful applicants will be notified on a rolling basis, no later than by June 15th, 2025.
COVID-19 | Vaccination is a requirement for all positions at the University of Pennsylvania. New hires are expected to be fully vaccinated before beginning work at the University. For more information about Penn’s vaccine requirements and the use of Penn Open Pass, visit the Penn COVID-19 Response website for the latest information.
Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion | The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status.
See the application for more details:
Wavy Chen (Percussion) is currently a rising super-senior (woo hoo!) Chemical Engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh. She has been playing the piano for 8 years and the drums for 6 years. She is super excited to spend another summer as a counselor at Penn Summer Band Camp and working with both campers and fellow staff members to make a fun and educational music camp online. She is hoping that she can help make this year's campers fall in love with the program like she did 8 years ago.
Quinn Terry (Tuba) is a rising sophomore at Temple University majoring in Music Technology. He was a camper for 4 years and has played tuba and sousaphone for 8 years. He has written digital music as a hobby on GarageBand for several years and is excited to continue creating music at Temple. He hopes that he will pass on some of his musical and technical skills to the Penn Band campers. This will be his second year as a counselor, and he can’t wait to start making music in person together again!
Wavy Chen (Percussion) is currently a rising senior Chemical Engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh. She has been playing the piano for 8 years and the drums for 6 years.She is super excited to spend another summer as a counselor at Penn Summer Band Camp and working with both campers and fellow staff members to make a fun and educational music camp online. She is hoping that she can help make this year campers fall in love with the program like she did 8 years ago.
Caitlin Frazee (Flute/Piccolo) is a rising junior at Penn where she majors in bioengineering and is a member of the Penn Band where she serves as the equipment manager. She has been playing the flute for 11 years and the piccolo for 8. This is her fourth year returning to this camp, and her third summer as a Counselor. This program has been the highlight of her summer each year, and she hopes that this summer’s campers enjoy it as much as she has.
Erica Winston (Flute/Piccolo) is a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania, where she will be a member of the Penn Band. She has played the flute for eleven years and has played the piccolo for eight years. This is her third year as a counselor and her fifth year participating in the program, so she hopes all the campers have a good time!
Hailey Kozuchowski (Alto Saxophone) is a rising sophomore at the University of Michigan, studying political science. She has been playing the saxophone for 10 years, and is currently a member of the Michigan Marching band as a tenor sax. She was also a camper at Penn Band Camp for 3 years before becoming a counselor. Outside of playing the sax, Hailey loves watching theater, playing tennis, and traveling. She hopes every camper enjoys this fun and reimagined experience at band camp!
Quinn Terry (Tuba) is a rising freshman at Temple University majoring in Music Technology. He was a camper for 4 years and has played tuba and sousaphone for 7 years. He has written digital music as a hobby on GarageBand for several years and is excited to continue creating music at Temple. He hopes that he will pass on some of his musical and technical skills to the Penn Band campers. This will be his first year as a counselor, and he can't wait to start virtual camp!
Caitlin Frazee (Flute/Piccolo) is a rising sophomore at Penn where she majors in bioengineering and is an active member of the Penn Band. She is also currently serving as the flute section leader for the band. She has been playing the flute for ten years and the piccolo for seven years. She loved this camp when she was a camper and a CIT, and she can’t wait to return as a counselor this Summer. She hopes the campers have as great a time as she has every summer at band camp!
Avery Greenberg (Trumpet) is a rising sophomore at the University of Michigan studying Economics, Business, and Music. While not in class, Avery spends his time as a member of the Michigan Marching Band, performing in front of millions of people live, on television, on the internet, and through social media each weekend in the fall. Over the summer, Avery works as a senior counselor at the local day camp but enjoys taking a week off to help provide a unique music education and experience with several exciting performance opportunities here at Penn. Now in his sixth year with the Penn Band Camp (second as a counselor), Avery is counting the days and cannot wait for a fun-filled week!
Erica Winston (Flute/Piccolo) is a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania, where she will be a member of the Penn Band. She has played the flute for ten years and has played the piccolo for seven years. This is her second year as a counselor and her fourth year participating in the program, so she hopes all the campers have a good time!
John Wisniewski (Trumpet and Baritone Horn) is ready to start his first as a counselor after being a camper for over five years with Penn Band Camp. He is entering his Junior year at Duquesne University in the Fall. John has played the trumpet for ten years and the baritone horn for six. He currently is in the Symphony Band at Duquesne University. His major in college is mathematics and is going for a business certificate. John loves to bowl, play frisbee, basketball, and mostly any sport activity. John’s goal for the future is to represent a county in the Olympics when ultimate frisbee is added as an Olympic sport. But most of all, John cannot wait to continue another year of band camp!
Wavy Chen (Percussion) is currently a sophomore Chemical Engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh. She has been playing the piano for 8 years and the drums for 6 years. This year will be her 6th summer attending the University of Pennsylvania band camp. She is super excited to be able to spend another summer at band camp but is also excited because this is her first year as a counselor. She is hoping that she can help make this year campers fall in love with the program like she did 6 years ago.
Natalia Grosso (Trumpet) is a returning camp counselor of two solid years at Penn Band Camp! She is 20 years old, attending Thomas Jefferson University to secure a BSN in Nursing. She is an avid trumpet player (12 years, and counting!), and loves to entertain people with her musical talent! Aside from that, she enjoys traveling, hiking, exploring new places, and finding different ways to make people laugh! She has loved coming back to camp for 4 years now and cannot wait to see the musical diversity this year’s campers have to offer!
Erica Winston (Flute/Piccolo) Erica (flute/piccolo) is a rising sophomore at Penn and a member of the Penn Band and is currently serving as their flute section leader. She has played the flute for nine years and the piccolo for eight years. This is her second summer working as a counselor and she hopes her past experience as a counselor, as well as her time in the Penn Band, helps her to give her campers a great summer.
Caitlin Frazee (Flute/Piccolo, Counselor-In-Training) is a recent high school graduate from Jenkintown High School in Jenkintown, PA. In the fall, Caitlin will be studying at the University of Pennsylvania where she will major in bioengineering, and where she will be a member of the Penn Band. She loves theater, choir, and band, and has played flute for nine years and piccolo for six years. She has participated in the Penn Honor Band each year, but last summer was her first time as a Penn Band camper. Caitlin absolutely loved the experience and can’t wait to try it from a new perspective as a CIT.
Avery Greenberg (Trumpet, Counselor-In-Training) is a recent graduate of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in New Jersey and will be studying Economics and Data Science at the University of Michigan this coming fall. While not in school, Avery can be found spending time with various clubs and organizations such as Marching Band, Jazz Band, Repertory Theatre Crew, DECA, Model United Nations, National Honor Society, and more. Over the summer, Avery also works as a special needs counselor at the local day camp. After being a camper for four summers, Avery cannot wait to make the band camp experience just as amazing for others as it was for him.
Wavy Chen (Percussion) - Has just graduated from Bishop McDevitt High School a little over a month ago. In the fall she is attending the University of Pittsburgh where she plans to study chemical engineering.She has been playing the piano for 8 years and the drums for 6 years. This year will be her 5th summer attending the University of Pennsylvania band camp. She is super excited to to be able to spend another summer at band camp, but is also excited to experience the camp as a CIT as opposed to a camper.
Joshua Formola (Alto Sax) is a recent high school graduate from North Brunswick, NJ. Joshua has attended the last two UPenn Summer Band Camps as a camper and is very excited to join the counseling staff this year! He enjoys playing guitar, singing, and going to concerts. Joshua will be attending the University of Hartford in Connecticut this fall, majoring in History/Pre-Law. Joshua has participated in every Penn Band program for the past three years, including the Palestra Band and Honor Band. He loves listening to punk, classic rock, and metal, and always carries some sort of instrument with him. Joshua also loves mandatory fun, because it's mandatory.
Natalia Grosso (Trumpet) is a rising sophomore at Philadelphia University with continuing study at Thomas Jefferson University to secure a BSN in nursing. She has been playing trumpet for a solid 10 years, and going strong! Natalia also enjoys running with her local ambulance, and practicing tennis and swimming for amusement- because music is her main hobby! She started out participating in numerous Penn Honor Events in high school, and eventually landed a spot as a trumpet player for the University band during college! Last year she served as a counselor in training, but this year she has committed to being a full-time counselor at the camp! She is looking forward to meeting all the students and seeing what musical diversity they have to offer this year to the group!
John Wisniewski (Trumpet and Baritone Horn) is a counselor-in-training. He was been with the Penn Band Camp for over 5 years. He just graduated Holy Ghost Preparatory High School and will attend Duquesne University in the Fall. John has played the trumpet for 8 years and the baritone horn for 4. John loves to bowl, play frisbee, basketball, and mostly and sport activity. John’s goal is to make it to the Olympics when bowling or ultimate frisbee are an Olympic sport. But most of all, John cannot wait for another year of band camp.
Erica Winston (Flute/Piccolo) is a graduate of Pascack Hills High School in Montvale, New Jersey. She is an incoming freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, where she will be a member of the Penn Band. She has played the flute for eight years and has played the piccolo for 5 years. She was only a Penn Band camper for one summer but she had a lot of fun and hopes that her campers will have a similar experience.
Nora Lueth (Alto Sax) is 2016 graduate from Penn's nursing program, originally hailing from Sioux Falls, SD— yes people live in South Dakota! In her free time, she enjoys singing, musical theatre, reading good books, drinking iced coffee, watching copious amounts of television, and of course, playing the saxophone in the Penn Band. During her time at Penn, she served as president of the Penn Sirens (an all-female singing group), was the coordinator of the PennArts pre-orientation program, and was involved in multiple Stimulus Children's Theatre Productions. Nora starts her job as "a real nurse" at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania this summer, just days after band camp is over, and her hope is to one day become a Family Nurse Practitioner. Last but not least, she is SUPER jazzed to be a part of camp again this year and can’t wait to welcome you to the Penn Band family!
Linnea Phillips (Percussion) is also a 2016 graduate from Penn's nursing program. She will be working as nurse this year, and then returning to Penn to pursue a masters degree to become a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Midwife. Linnea joined the Penn Band as a sophomore, and abandoned her upper-woodwind ways in favor of the Drumline, where she was primarily a cymbal player. Linnea was co-section leader of the drumline, and the Secretary of the Penn Band Honor Society, Fanfare. Linnea hails from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and is in Philly for the summer working for Residential Services. This is her second year being involved in Band Camp, and she is excited to be back!
Brooke Yanovich (Trombone and Flute) is a rising senior in the College of Arts and Sciences from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. As a Music major, she has set out to learn all of the instruments; so far, she knows flute, trombone, trumpet and clarinet. At Penn she is involved with PennFlutes, Penn Baroque Ensemble, the Christian Association and the Harrison Anime Club, the latter of which she leads as president. When she graduates, she plans to perform and compose. She can't wait to meet this year's talented students!
Emily Smith (Alto Sax) - 'counselor-in-training,'just graduated from Friends Select School and she will be attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the fall. She has been playing the alto saxophone for 8 years and the tenor saxophone for 2 years. She has been to Penn Band Camp for the last 5 summers. She cannot wait to be a CIT this summer and is looking forward to having another great week at band camp!
Natalia Grosso (Trumpet) - 'counselor-in-training,' is a rising freshman at Philadelphia University with continuing study at Thomas Jefferson University to secure a BSN in nursing. She has been playing trumpet for eight years in various school bands under the direction of Joe Gehring who also conducts the West Chester Band, the Chesco Pops Orchestre and the Immaculata Symphony. Natalia participated in the Penn Honors Band for three years at the suggestion of her private trumpet instructor, Ron Durbin. She attended Penn Band Camp last year. Loved it! Wants to feel the spirit again! Great music! Great people! Great fun! Natalia is a certified First Responder, Lifeguard and volunteers with her local ambulance corps and cat shelter. She enjoys going to concerts (especially alternative rock) and making any kind of music. Loves her cat (Milo), the beach and playing rugby. Meow!!!.
Nora Lueth (Alto Sax) is a incoming senior in the Penn Nursing, originally hailing from Sioux Falls, SD— yes people live in South Dakota! In her free time, she enjoys singing, musical theatre, reading good books, drinking iced coffee, watching copious amounts of television and movies, and of course, playing the saxophone in the Penn Band. At Penn, she serves as president of the Penn Sirens (an all-female singing group), is the coordinator of the PennArts pre-orientation program, and is a general member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. Nora hopes to one day become a Family Nurse Practitioner and plans to work in the emergency department of any major city when she graduates (ah!) next year. And last but not least, she is SUPER jazzed to be a part of the Penn Band Summer Camp this year and can’t wait to give back to a group who has given so much to her. Welcome to the Penn Band family!
Linnea Phillips (Percussion) is a rising senior at Penn, pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing. After graduation she hopes to further her education to specialize in maternal/newborn health and midwifery. Linnea joined the Penn Band as a sophomore, and abandoned her upper-woodwind ways in favor of the Drumline, where she is primarily a cymbal player. Linnea is a co-section leader of the drumline, and a member of the Penn Band Council. Though she has lived in several states, Linnea currently resides in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and is in Philly for the summer doing research on a Lung Resuce ECMO program and working in the School of Nursing. This is her first year being involved in Band Camp, and she is excited to be involved!
Brooke Yanovich (Flute and Trombone) is a rising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania planning to major in Architecture and minor in Jazz. She has played flute for 9 years, trombone for 5 years, the ocarina for 3 months and the sitar for one weekend. She has been able to take part in the Pennsylvania All-State Wind Ensemble and other ensembles. She looks forward to being a counselor at the camp!
Matthew Buchberg (Trombone) - 'counselor-in-training,' is starting a Nuclear Energy Technology program at Salem Community College after transferring from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He has played trombone for 9 years in various groups including ensembles, bands, and marching bands. He has been attending Penn Band Camp for 5 years. Some of his favorite activities at Band Camp are playing games, cooking, reading, and of course playing music. He wants to wish everyone a happy band camp.
Amy Kaiser-Jones (Trombone) is a rising sophomore at Gettysburg College. She has played trombone for 9 years, participating in marching band and wind ensemble in high school and in college. Amy is majoring in Computer Science with a minor in piano performance. Originally from Columbia, Maryland, Amy was introduced to the Penn Band (and Penn Band Camp) by her brother and band member David, and quickly grew to love the Penn Band Camp. In order to make sure that she never had to leave her week of summer fun, Amy decided to be a counselor and hopes to be one for as long as she can
Brooke Yanovich (Flute and Trombone) is a rising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania planning to major in Architecture and minor in Jazz. She has played flute for 9 years, trombone for 5 years, the ocarina for 3 months and the sitar for one weekend. She has been able to take part in the Pennsylvania All-State Wind Ensemble and other ensembles. She looks forward to being a counselor at the camp!
Joe Becker (Tuba) is a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania. He has been playing the tuba for 8 years and has been part of prestigious groups such as the All-South Jersey Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. Joe is from Voorhees, New Jersey which is a half hour away from Penn. He was part of marching band and wind ensemble at his high school. As a student, Joe majors in Biology and minors in Music with the hopes of eventually finding something to do with these degrees. He is a dedicated member of the Penn Band and its tuba section acting (pretending?) as the Low Brass Section Leader!
Danielle Greenwald (Percussion) is a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in bioengineering. With that degree, she hopes to make something that changes the world…or something. She played violin for nine years before starting college, and in high school she decided to join marching band where she drum majored and hit stuff in the pit. At Penn, Danielle ditched the violin and focused on hitting stuff in the Penn Band drumline. She’s extremely excited to be a counselor at PBHSSMS and teach Penn’s love of acronyms (among other things).
Samantha Rehrig (Flute) is a rising junior at Misericordia University. She studies occupational therapy with a minor in psychology. When not at school, Sam loves to watch movies, listen to music, and randomly drop in to Philadelphia to spend time with her friends in the Penn Band. Starting out as a camper herself, Sam grew a love for the Penn Band Camp and over the years decided she would stay for as long as possible. Sam has been playing the flute for 10 years now in Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Pit Orchestra in high school and college. She hopes for yet another amazing week of Penn Band Camp and can't wait to meet everyone!
Joe Becker (Tuba) is a rising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania. He has been playing the tuba for 6 years and has been part of prestigious groups such as the All-South Jersey Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. Joe is from Voorhees, New Jersey which is a half hour away from Penn. He was part of marching band and wind ensemble at his high school. As a student, Joe plans to major in Biology and possibly minor in Music with the hopes of eventually becoming a doctor. He is a dedicated member of the Penn Band and its tuba section!
Ari Bray (Clarinet) is a rising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania.
Samantha Rehrig (Flute) just graduated from Camden Catholic High School and will be attending Misericordia University in the fall. Misericordia has a great academic program, but it's Band Camp is sorely lacking, so Sam decided to return to Penn and harass the trumpet players for yet another summer. The fate of the newly instituted "junior counselor" concept at camp rests in her hands, and quite frankly, she is reveling in the power this fact grants to her. When she's not in camp, Sam can be found watching movies (mostly about vampires and wizards), learning an audible instrument (the alto saxophone), and reviewing the Benajmin Moore color wheel in search of shades she has not yet colored her hair.
Robin Acker (Flute) is a rising Senior at the University of Pennsylvania. She finds herself with a full schedule of classes and work between majoring in Nursing and minoring in Music, but she spends all of her free time with the Penn Band. She is one of the current Drum Majors of the Penn Band, and when not conducting she generally dances and sings until she either can't move anymore or doesn't have a voice. Robin is from Hamden, Connecticut, and is super excited to be a counselor for the first time, and can't wait to have an awesome time in Philly with everyone!
Joe Becker (Tuba) is a rising Sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania. He has been playing the tuba for 6 years and has been part of prestigious groups such as the All-South Jersey Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. Joe is from Voorhees, New Jersey which is a half hour away from Penn. He was part of marching band and wind ensemble at his high school. As a student, Joe plans to major in Biology and possibly minor in Music with the hopes of eventually becoming a doctor. He is a dedicated member of the Penn Band and its tuba section!
Jen Sackowski (Alto Sax) Jen Sackowski is a rising Junior at the University of Pennsylvania. After two years of being tormented by the School of Engineering and Applied Science, she has recently transferred to the School of Arts and Sciences and is a Biology major and a Math minor. Along with her whirlwind love affair with the Penn Band, Jen also enjoys being on the Synchronized Swimming team and running various Newman Catholic Center events. She plays the alto saxophone and is crazy super excited for this summer's Band Camp!
Emily Dunay (Oboe) is a rising Freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. She has played the oboe for 7 years and also plays the piano. Emily is from Nashville, Tennessee, and plans to major in Biochemistry and minor in Music. In the future she hopes to become a wildlife veterinarian. She also plays tennis and plans to play on the campus tennis team at Penn.
Samantha Rehrig (Flute) just graduated from Camden Catholic High School and will be attending Misericordia University in the fall. Misericordia has a great academic program, but it's Band Camp is sorely lacking, so Sam decided to return to Penn and harass the trumpet players for yet another summer. The fate of the newly instituted "junior counselor" concept at camp rests in her hands, and quite frankly, she is reveling in the power this fact grants to her. When she's not in camp, Sam can be found watching movies (mostly about vampires and wizards), learning an audible instrument (the alto saxophone), and reviewing the Benajmin Moore color wheel in search of shades she has not yet colored her hair.
Joe Becker (Tuba) is a rising Freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. He has been playing the tuba for 5 years and has been part of prestigious groups such as the All-South Jersey Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. Joe is from Voorhees, New Jersey which is a half hour away from Penn. He was part of marching band and wind ensemble at his high school. As a student, Joe plans to major in Biology and possibly minor in Music with the hopes of eventually becoming a doctor. He is eager to join the Penn Band and become part of the Penn community and all it has to offer.
Joe Coyne (Trumpet) is a Masters Student at the University of Pennsylvania, studying to become an Electrical Engineer. This Past President and Secretary of the Penn Band hails from the desolate streets of Audubon NJ (856- Represent). Entering his 14th year of Trumpeting, Joe has performed with musical acts such as The Hold Steady and Broken Social Scene at concert venues along the East Coast. Generally he and Dr. G will disagree about all topics of administration and rule following... so get excited.
Jen Sackowski (Alto Sax) is a rising sophomore at Penn. Along with playing the best instrument in the world, her other hobbies include synchronized swimming, volunteering in New Orleans (saving the world, and playing with dogs). She majors in Bioengineering and plans to graduate fluent in sign language. From the city that never sleeps, Jen also never sleeps, and can be found late at night studying (but really playing Anagram Magic). She is very excited to be a counselor for the first time and hopes that everyone else is excited too!
Jaci Rifkin (Percussion) is a rising junior at University of Pennsylvania. She majors in Psychology and plans to minor in French. In the Band, she is a member of the eternally-good-looking, ever-foxy Drumline. This year, she played a more nomadic role in the Band, dabbling not only in snare drum, but also in the bells, cowbell, tamborine, and even trying her hand[s] at conducting. Besides being in the Band, she is also a tour guide, where she claims her job is to encourage students to go to UPenn; in reality, however, it is an opportunity to gush about/recruit more kids to the Band. She is looking forward to (read: completely terrified about) this year's experience as the only female (read: only sane) counselor.
Michael Wojcik (Trumpet) is a rising senior at Penn. He is majoring in Philosophy and minoring in German. Michael got bored with his Philosophy major (because Socrates kept asking too many annoying questions), so he decided to learn German (because Spanish had also gotten boring). Unfortunately, Michael started his minor a bit late (He’s already a senior now!). So, to help complete his German minor, he had to fly all the way to Germany this summer, to study for 6 weeks at the Freie Universität Berlin. When not studying in Berlin (i.e., partying in techno-clubs with crazy German people), he spends a lot of time playing music at Penn. He plays trumpet in both Penn Band and Penn Jazz (The former, for fun. The latter, for serious!) He’s been playing trumpet for almost 12 years now (at his peak, reaching #57 on the Mexican charts for his 2002 cover of Herb Alpert’s classic hit “Spanish Flea”).
Gordon Watkins (Percussion) is a rising junior at Penn and, as a pre-med student, plans on majoring in Biology with minors in Chemistry and the Biological Basis of Behavior. Gordon hails from the City of Champions, Pittsburgh, PA, and insists that he is a champion of the bells, as well. In addition to playing percussion, he also has played the piano for 10 years and plays the organ every week for his church. Gordon is also treasurer of the Penn Band serves as the official Penn Band meteorologist. Outside band, Gordon is a member of the Alpha Phi Omega community service fraternity and a volunteer at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He will get his geekiness on while working in a CORE tissue lab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the fall.
Rebecca Aaberg's (Clarinet) love affair with the clarinet began her senior year of high school when she put aside the oboe to try a crazy little thing called marching band. She and the single reed were quickly attached at the lips (one of "those" couples), and now she's rarely seen on the field without it. Rebecca has been in the Penn Band since Fall 2006 and section leader since Spring 2007. In the coming fall, she'll continue on as head clarinet and start as Assistant Drum Major. Aside from band (there's life outside of band?), Rebecca swing dances in the West Philly Swingers and works in Harnwell College House as the Office Manager. Oh, and in her spare time she's a rising junior studying International Relations and Hispanic Studies (though she's been too lazy to declare that second major so far).
Tory Gobat (clarinet) cannot believe she will be a junior at Penn already. Majoring in Digital Media Design, she also hopes to complete minors in Music and Psychology (with the help of a few petitions). A member of the Penn Band and the Penn Wind Ensemble over the past two years, in her spare time she enjoys all-nighters of programming homework...wait, what? Tory has played the clarinet for 11 years (and dabbled with the alto saxophone in high school jazz band for a year) and is excited to help out at a band camp for the first time since her high school marching band.
Sandra Mazlagic (French Horn) is halfway done with college at Penn, and feels pretty strange about it. She has at times been known to be a devoted band member, but also sometimes not, because she is too passionate about mathematics, Romance languages, and swing dancing. She has had a blooming romance with the French horn for ten years, a continuing affair with mellophone for the past six, with a four-year fling with jazz trumpet in high school. She's also had a pretty boring relationship with piano for thirteen years or so, but it's not her favorite. Although her life sounds like all music and dance and flowers, it is also a lot about exploring the world. She was born in former Yugoslavia, and she is going to study abroad in Cuba (!!!) in the fall. So you can probably ask her about like socialism or being Slavic, if you'd like!
Jaci Rifkin (Percussion) is a rising sophomore at University of Pennsylvania, and she plans on majoring in Psychology. Besides playing the snare drum on the Penn Band Drumline, she loves to play anything that involves hitting, plucking, or crashing, including the drums, piano, guitar, and various other percussion instruments. Besides the band, Jaci is involved with a few neuroscience labs on campus, giving her the official Drumline title "The Brain". In the future, she hopes to somehow find to a way to incorporate music (and hitting things) into her research of the many mysteries of the brain.
Michael Wojcik (Trumpet) is a rising junior at Penn. He plans to major in philosophy, while minoring in unemployment. Currently, he is working at the Adolescent Risk Communication Institute of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. He enjoys this job because the name sounds impressive. More importantly, Michael plays trumpet in Penn Jazz and Penn Band. However, Michael often must deflect insults, from fellow Penn Jazz members, concerning his membership in the Penn Band. He usually mumbles something about "musical community service" to avoid embarrassment. Michael is in his 10th year of playing the trumpet, but has recently picked up the guitar, claiming that "girls dig guitar, man."
Noah Becker (Trombone) is an enthusiastic junior-to-be at the University of Pennsylvania and he someday hopes to decide on a major, maybe even this year! Along with playing trombone with the Penn Band, Noah is also a brother in the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, a member of the Pennsylvania Six-5000 a cappella group and a founding brother of Penn’s mysterious and exclusive FabFive™. Noah is entering his 12th year of trombone playing.
Mel Foreman (Trombone) - Mel is a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania, double majoring in Political Science and American History. Back from a one year hiatus from the Penn Band Camp, she is excited to be once again being able to share her love of music with high school students. She has been a "bonehead" for the past twelve years and looks forward to contributing to the shenanigans of the Penn Band during her final year at Penn.
Carly Weiss (Percussion) is a rising sophomore in the College, hoping to major in both political science and economics, but who knows at this point. She is a percussionist through and through, having played for five years now. Carly mostly monopolizes the quad toms, but occassionally dabbles in some snare, bass, and whatever else needs filling in. Penn Band percussion is all fun and games, but her main interest is writing her own music, for piano. She is also a member of Penn's Club Ice Hockey team.
Michael Wojcik (Trumpet) is a rising sophomore at Penn. He plans to major in philosophy, while minoring in unemployment. Currently, he is working at the Adolescent Risk Communication Institute of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. He enjoys this job because the name sounds impressive. More importantly, Michael plays trumpet in Penn Jazz and Penn Band. However, Michael often must deflect insults, from fellow Penn Jazz members, concerning his membership in the Penn Band. He usually mumbles something about "musical community service" to avoid embarrassment. Michael is in his 10th year of playing the trumpet, but has recently picked up the guitar, claiming that "girls dig guitar, man."
Noah Becker (trombone) is an enthusiastic sophomore-to-be at the University of Pennsylvania and he someday hopes to decide on a major, maybe even this year! Along with playing trombone with the Penn Band, Noah is also a brother in the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, a member of the Pennsylvania Six-5000 a cappella group and a founding brother of Penn’s mysterious and exclusive FabFive™. Noah is entering his 11th year of trombone playing.
Brooke Prashker (flute) - Brooke is entering her junior year at the University of Pennsylvania, where she is majoring in Biological Basis of Behavior with a minor in Health Care Management. She is the flute section leader of the Penn Band, but when needed, she plays the alto saxophone as well. She works in a Psychiatry laboratory that studies the genetics of mental disorders and is also a Big Sister in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. Brooke has been playing the flute for eleven years, piccolo for nine years, and the saxophone for three years.
John Palusci (trombone) – John is entering his sophomore year at the University of Pennsylvania with a major in chemistry and a minor in music. Over the summer he will be playing with lasers, oops, he means researching with lasers. Although John has only been playing trombone for 4 years, don’t let that fool you: he participates in many University ensembles such as the Penn Symphony Orchestra, Penn Wind Ensemble, and of course the Penn Band.
deMauri Mackie (french horn) -- deMauri is entering her senior year at the University of Pennsylvania where she is a biochemistry major and German and psychology minor. Her on-campus activities include the Penn Band and Sigma Kappa Sorority. Next year deMauri will serve as the Drum Major and CD production manager for the Penn Band. The rest of her 'free' time is spent doing research in Childrens' Hospital of Philadelphia's Departement of Immunology. deMauri has played French horn for eleven years and this is her second summer with UPSMI.
Jacqueline Scena (clarinet) - Jackie is entering her senior year at the University of Pennsylvania, and is earning a major in Psychology and minors in English and Chemistry. In addition to playing clarinet and bass clarinet with the Penn Band, she works in a Psychiatry laboratory that studies the genetics of mental illnesses and tutors high school students. Jackie has played the clarinet for twelve years.
Mel Foreman (trombone) -- Mel is entering her sophomore year at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Political Science and minoring in History. Over the summer she is working at Van Pelt Library and the Penn Fund. She has been a "bonehead" for the past ten years and looks forward to contributing to the shenanigans of the Penn Band over her remaining years at Penn.
Jessica Neiterman (trumpet) -- Jessica is entering her junior year in the College of Arts and Sciences where she is majoring in History and Sociology of Science. She has played the trumpet for the past eleven years, and enjoys contributing to the antics of the Penn Band.
deMauri Mackie (french horn) -- deMauri is currently a junior studying Biochemistry and German at the University of Pennsylvania. Her on-campus activities include the Penn Band and Sigma Kappa Sorority, as well as being a research assistant in the Penn Medical School's Division of Rheumatology where she studies the genetics of auto-immune diseases. deMauri has played French horn for ten years.
Allison Fandl (percussion) -- Allison is entering her second year at the University of Pennsylvania's College of Arts and Sciences. She is majoring in Classical Studies, with a concentration in the languages, Classical Greek and Latin. On campus she plays with the Penn Band, and off campus she teaches as the pit instructor for the Penn’s Grove High School Marching Band in South Jersey. Allison has been playing percussion for eight years and plans to continue playing well into her nursing-home years.
Jason Beiger (trumpet) -- Jason is a rising junior in the College ('06) from Kings Park, NY. He has been playing trumpet for eleven years, and is a member of the Penn Band, Brass Choir, and Quadramics Pit Orchestra. Jason is both a Vagelos Scholar and University Scholar, and is a chemistry and biochemistry double major. This summer, he will be working as an organic chemistry researcher.
Enrollment Materials and Deposit due July 3rd, 2025 Director Evaluations Due July 3rd, 2024 Counselor Applications Due March 15th, 2025 Counselor Decisions Mailed April 1st, 2025 Scholarship Applications Due June 1st, 2025 Scholarship Decisions Mailed starting May 15th, 2025, on a rolling basis
2023 Camp Forms
2023 Director's Evaluation Form
2023 Scholarship Application Form
2023 Counselor Application Form
**Application deadline is June 1st, 2025. Awardees will be notified starting June 15th, 2025, on a rolling basis**
Your application should consist of an audition recording – 32 bars of from a piece of your choice which best demonstrates your talents. Please include your name, the name of the work being performed, and the date with the digital audio or video recording submitted.
The application, linked below.
Email Applications to:
Kushol Gupta, Ph.D.- Summer Music Camp
The University of Pennsylvania Band
kgupta@upenn.edu
High School Band Camp
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