Half Day Camps

Community Music School
302-831-1548

Mary Margaret Wilson​
Director


Emme Whisner
Administrative Assistant

Two young women with ukeleles for creative composition camp

August Half-Day Camps

 

Try one of our flexible scheduling camps! Join us for a half-day or all day long! Morning-only or afternoon-only is $165 per camp. Sign up for all-day and save $50 at just $280 for the week! To redeem the $50 discount, use code “Half Day Combo” when registering*.

*Note: High School string camp participants are not eligible for the “Half Day Combo” because there is no morning camp for their age range.

Before and After Care note: there is no Before Care for the afternoon-only camps and there is no After Care for the morning-only camps. Campers enrolled in both a morning and an afternoon camp may utilize both Before and After Care!

Families and friends are welcome to join us on the last day of camp for camper presentations! (Times to be announced when the date draws nearer.)

Creative Composing for Kids (A.M. rising 3rd - rising 8th graders)


Composing music simply means creating an original musical thought - anyone can learn to do it! In this camp, students will have agency in how they create music while being guided by teachers who help them organize and arrange their ideas into a final piece. Students will also learn from visiting composers and professional musicians who will demonstrate that how one composes can vary as much as what one composes!

Whether your child is a budding singer-songwriter, a digital music enthusiast, an instrumentalist, or they're brand new to composing, our teachers will customize the camp to meet their interests! We welcome all levels of musicians, rising 3rd - rising 8th grades; those with formal training and those who have never yet read or written a note. 

  • 8/11 - 8/14/25
  • 9 a.m. - noon
  • Camp will be held in the Amy E du Pont Music Building but drop-off and pick-up will be at the South Entrance of the Roselle Center for the Arts
  • Campers may be dropped off and picked up within 15 minutes of their camp start/end times. Any camper who is dropped off earlier/later than the 15-minute window will be charged $15/hour or part of an hour.
  • Rising 3rd - rising 8th graders
  • $165 for morning-only
  • $280 if you sign up for this camp and the afternoon “Singing Superstars” camp! Use coupon code “Half Day Combo” when registering!
  • Refunds will only be issued if written notification of withdrawal is received 4 weeks prior to the start of camp.

Singing Superstars! (P.M. rising 3rd - rising 8th graders)

 

​Calling all singers: those who sing at the top of their lungs and those who sing quietly to themselves! No experience needed for this fun camp that will include singing, games, music arranging, and more! We'll sing songs in a variety of styles that span the decades. Who knows…maybe we'll sing the next big hit composed by one of our “Creative Composing for Kids!" campers! Not only will the camp counselors be trained musicians, but guest artists throughout the week will highlight just how diverse vocal repertoire can be. Bring a friend and make new ones while we sing the afternoon away!

  • 8/11 - 8/14/25
  • 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Camp will be held in the Amy E du Pont Music Building but drop-off and pick-up will be at the South Entrance of the Roselle Center for the Arts.
  • Campers may be dropped off and picked up within 15 minutes of their camp start/end times. Any camper who is dropped off earlier/later than the 15-minute window will be charged $15/hour or part of an hour.
 
  • Rising 3rd - rising 8th graders
  • $165 for morning-only
  • $280 if you sign up for this camp and either the morning “Creative Composing” or “Strings in Harmony: Middle School Edition” camps. Use coupon code “Half Day Combo” when registering.
  • Refunds will only be issued if written notification of withdrawal is received 4 weeks prior to the start of camp.

Strings in Harmony: Middle School Edition (A.M. rising 6th - rising 8th graders)

 

Join us for CMS's newest camp, Strings in Harmony: Middle School Edition! During this half-day, morning camp, middle school violin, viola, cello, and upright bass students will gain confidence in their own playing while feeling the joy of creating harmonies with others. Pending enrollment numbers and instrumentation, students may play in chamber ensembles (small groups) and/or in a larger string ensemble. Throughout the four-day week, students will receive coaching sessions to hone technical & musical skills, attend guest performances, and participate in music enrichment sessions. Campers will learn from, and play alongside, local professionals and UD Music Majors. This side-by-side experience will provide unique inspiration for students as they head back into their school year! Visit the website for more information on prerequisites and registration information.

  • 8/11 - 8/14/25
  • 9 a.m. - noon
  • Camp will be held in the Amy E du Pont Music Building but drop-off and pick-up will be at the South Entrance of the Roselle Center for the Arts
  • Campers may be dropped off and picked up within 15 minutes of their camp start/end times. Any camper who is dropped off earlier/later than the 15-minute window will be charged the rate of $15/hour or part of an hour.
  • Rising 6th - rising 8th graders
  • Students must have at least 2 years of playing experience on their instrument or seek approval from CMS Director, Mary Margaret Wilson, mmbw@udel.edu
  • $165 for morning-only
  • $280 if you sign up for this camp and the afternoon “Singing Superstars” camp! Use coupon code “Half Day Combo” when registering!
  • Refunds will only be issued if written notification of withdrawal is received 4 weeks prior to the start of camp.

Strings in Harmony: High School Edition (P.M. rising 9th - rising 12th graders)

 

Join us for CMS's newest camp, Strings in Harmony: High School Edition! During this half-day camp, high school violin, viola, cello, and upright bass students will gain confidence in their own playing while feeling the joy of creating harmonies with others. Pending enrollment numbers and instrumentation, students may play in chamber ensembles (small groups) and/or in a larger string ensemble. Throughout the four-day week, students will receive coaching sessions to hone technical & musical skills, attend guest performances, and participate in music enrichment sessions. Campers will learn from, and play alongside, local professionals and UD Music Majors. This side-by-side experience will provide unique inspiration for students as they head back into their school year! Visit the website for more information on prerequisites and registration information.

  • 8/11 - 8/14/25
  • 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Camp will be held in the Amy E du Pont Music Building but drop-off and pick-up will be at the South Entrance of the Roselle Center for the Arts
  • Campers may be dropped off and picked up within 15 minutes of their camp start/end times. Any camper who is dropped off earlier/later than the 15-minute window will be charged the rate of $15/hour or part of an hour.
  • Rising 9th - rising 12th graders
  • Students must have at least 3 years of playing experience on their instrument or seek approval from CMS Director, Mary Margaret Wilson, mmbw@udel.edu
  • $165 tuition
  • This camp is not eligible for the “Half Day Combo” rate.
  • Refunds will only be issued if written notification of withdrawal is received 4 weeks prior to the start of camp.

Additional information

Before Care & After Care

​Do you need child care beyond camp hours? We’ve got you covered! Before Care and After Care are available in the Roselle Center for the Arts. Bring your breakfast and an afternoon snack and we’ll provide the smiles, crafts, and games!

Hours:

Before Care: 8 a.m. until start of camp

After Care: end of camp until 6 p.m.

Cost:

  • Before Care: $60 for the week, if registered prior to the start of camp
  • After Care: billed at the end of camp week at a rate of $15/hour or part of an hour

Drop-In: We know that sometimes schedules are unpredictable and every now and then you may find yourself unexpectedly needing Before and/or After Care. No problem! Families are welcome to “drop-in” as needed and will be charged the After Care rate. The After Care rate will be applied to all drop-ins, both morning and afternoon.​

Half-Day Camp Note: There is no Before Care for the afternoon-only camps and there is no After Care for the morning-only camps. Campers enrolled in both a morning camp and an afternoon camp may utilize both Before and After Care!

Registration/Enrollment

Registration and Payment is a 2-part process. Please refer to the Registration page for details. A student is not enrolled until registration is submitted, full tuition has been paid, and you have received a confirmation of enrollment email.​

​Classes and camps for which enrollment is limited will be filled in the order payments are completed.​

The UDCMS reserves the right to modify or cancel any class, lesson, or camp due to insufficient enrollment or extenuating circumstances.

We do not prorate tuition for group classes and summer camps. Full tuition is due for the scheduled number of classes/dates.​

 

Closures

If the University of Delaware closes, for inclement weather or other reasons, all UDCMS classes, lessons, and/or camps are canceled. In the case of inclement weather, private study students will be contacted by their individual teacher to reschedule lessons. Group classes and camps will be contacted via email.

Discounts

Sibling Discount: A five percent (5%) discount may be taken when two or more siblings are registered in separate classes, camps, or lessons per session.

Multiple Class Discount: A five percent (5%) may be taken if a student registers for more than one class or series of lessons per session.

UD Faculty/Staff/Student Discount: A five percent (5%) discount may be taken for current UD faculty, staff, their children, and UD students. The UD ID number must be entered on the registration form.

Senior Citizen Discount: A five percent (5%) discount may be taken by senior citizens aged 65 or older enrolled in classes or lessons.

Summer Camp Early Bird Discount: A ten percent (10%) discount may be taken if registered and paid by April 15. Musical Theatre Camps are not eligible for discounts.

NOTE: Only one discount per student can be applied. Discounts cannot be combined with any other discount, coupon, or special rate. Discounts are not applied to Musical Theatre Camps.​​

Financial Aid

UDCMS will provide sliding-scale scholarships if financial need is present. Scholarships will only be provided for no more than one activity per child.

Aid funds are limited, so please be sure to apply early. For more information, visit the Financial Aid page.

Withdrawals and Refunds

Full refunds will be made if the UDCMS cancels any class/camp/lesson due to insufficient enrollment or teacher illness (for private study).

Any request to withdraw from classes or lessons must be made in writing to the UD Community Music School office via communitymusicschool@udel.edu. Nonattendance or verbal withdrawal to a CMS faculty or staff member does not constitute an official withdrawal. The date of withdrawal will be considered to be the date when written notice is received in the UDCMS office. Upon withdrawal, a full refund will be made only if written notification is received at least one week prior to the start of the first class or lesson, and four weeks prior to the start of summer camps. Note: Due to the cost of running the camps, refunds are not given​ for the Musical Theatre Camps.​

Once a CMS session has begun, refunds will only be made at the discretion of the CMS Director in extreme cases involving serious illness, death, or relocation.

A ten dollar ($10) processing fee will be charged for all refunds.

Missed Classes and Lessons

Student Absence:

Summer Camps: No refund is granted for missed days.

 

Safety

All UDCMS programs will take place on the University of Delaware campus typically in the Amy E. du Pont Music Building and the Roselle Center for the Arts. UDCMS may withdraw or refuse a student’s enrollment if they do not abide by safety or behavior expectations.

To ensure your child’s safety, please be sure to pick them up promptly after class/lesson time. All minors must be dropped off and picked up directly to CMS Staff.

UDCMS faculty and staff do not supervise children waiting in hallways before and/or after classes/lessons. Children are under supervision during their instruction time only. Neither instructors nor administrators are responsible for supervising children outside of teaching time.

To continue to ensure your child’s safety, our policy is not to have teachers alone with students; however, in private study lessons, one teacher will be alone with one student in a music practice room. We ask parents to be involved in keeping their children safe in these situations. All practice rooms have windows in the doors, and parents are encouraged to peek in on lessons at random intervals and monitor your child’s behavior and comfort level with their teacher.

All CMS employees have completed the University's Protection of Minors compliances including a Criminal Background Check, Child Protection Registry clearance, and best-practice training.
 

Non-Discrimination Policy

UDCMS complies with all laws prohibiting discrimination in the conduct of its operations and programs. UDCMS admits students of any religion, race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship programs or other school administered programs.
 

Receipts for Child Care Tax Credit

It is the responsibility of the participating family to maintain documentation for end-of-year tax records. UDCMS does not provide yearly itemized accounts of payments received. The University of Delaware Federal Tax ID is # 51-6000297.