Join the Coolest Summer Rock Camp in Toronto.

Experience the Life of a Musician

Toronto Music Camp (TMC) is a unique summer music camp in Toronto where kids ages 8-11 and 12-16 come to up their game as musicians, learn to play in a rock band, produce a music video, and rub elbows with some of this city’s top music talent. They do this under the guidance of our expert instructors in jam-packed weekly sessions. This is a once in a lifetime experience (unless you come again) where kids can experience what it is like to be a full-time musician. Camp group sizes are small too, so budding rock stars get a real in-depth experience.

Join a Rock Band

Instead of the haphazard summer jam band in your garage, campers will be in a structured environment where they will practice daily with the band and receive mentoring from some of the leading music teachers in Toronto.

Star In a Music Video

This is the climax of the week. All week long, Rock Camp members are hard at work getting ready for the big day. At the end of the week, campers meet with a videographer and professional sound engineer to produce a music video. The videos are immortalised on our YouTube channel where we get thousands of views a year.

Perform Live

The Rock Camp bands will all get the chance to rock the house in their first public appearance at some of this city’s coolest venues. Performances occur every week on Friday in front of a live audience.

Write Music

TMC wants to build the next generation of musicians. Campers are given the opportunity to compose their own tunes as a band during our songwriting sessions and receive feedback from our teachers.

Cover the Greats

Campers pick their favourite covers to rehearse and perform live and in a video. Some of our Rock Camp bands have done renditions of the Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, The Beatles and Nirvana. You know, real rock.

Learn From the Best

TMC is led by professional musicians and experienced teachers. In these 5 days, campers get individual instruction on their instrument, as well as warm-up techniques, maintenance, and music production. We also arrange special workshops on topics ranging from instrument maintenance to stylistic techniques, drawing from a pool of real Toronto rock bands like The Responsables, Ninja Funk Orchestra, Yuka, Will Conquer and other local legends.

About Rock Camp

The Toronto Music Camp was established by Elite Music Academy in 2005 as a way of expanding our students’ music experience. Today, the Rock Camp provides kids with the opportunity to jam, network, and unleash their inner musician through a variety of tailored workshops, clinics and instruction. Groups are very small, so our music teachers can build on existing skills and develop each camper as an individual musician while coaching their work inside a band. Our hands-on teaching style is what makes TMC the best rock camp experience in Toronto – and one of the city’s coolest summer arts camps.

Who It’s For

Rock Camp is a summer music camp in Toronto for kids ages 8-16 who already play the guitar, bass, sax, keyboards, drums or voice. Each summer, we separate campers into two groups: 8-11-year-olds and 12-16-year-olds.

For you parents stuck at work all week, you can cheer from the sidelines by staying up to date with our camper’s daily activities through Elite Music’s Instagram and Facebook profiles where we post snippets of video from the rehearsals.

Locations

Our summer camps run at both Elite Music Academy’s locations: 822 Danforth Ave and 2007 Danforth Ave. We will also utilize the downstairs lounge at Fox & Fiddle for our weekly performances and workshops. We will notify registrants of their location prior to the start of camp. Rock camp runs from 9am to 4pm. For more information call 416-406-5355.

Important Camp Info

• Time: 9am to 4pm daily, Monday to Friday
• 2018 Camp Dates: Jul 9-13, Jul 16th-20, Jul 23-27, Jul 30 – Aug 3, Aug 13-17, Aug 20-24
• Fees: 1 week: $499; 2 weeks: $958, 3 weeks: $1422, 4 weeks: $1876, 5 weeks: $2320, 6 weeks: $2754
• Prerequisites: campers must be between 8-16 and have at least one year of playing & learning experience on guitar, bass, sax, keyboards, drums or voice. Kids are divided into age appropriate groups.
• Refunds: no refunds will be offered after May 15th, 2018. However, you may change the week(s) you wish to attend provided there is availability for the week(s) requested.
• What to bring: instruments, instrument accessories (tuners, picks, drumsticks etc…), and ear plugs. We provide the amps, keyboards, and mics. Don’t forget your lunch or lunch money!
• What to wear: funky outfit for recording day and concert day (Thursday and Friday).
• Locations: All campers meet at 2007 Danforth Ave on Monday morning where bands are divided. Some bands will stay at this location while others are assigned to 822 Danforth Ave for the rest of the week.

Need a music camp closer to home? Try these other music camps in Toronto.
School of Rock Camp, Girl’s Rock Camp, National Music Camp of Canada, Cosmo Music Camps, Interprovincial Music Camp, Toronto Summer Music Camps

Each week at Toronto Music Camp, campers rehearse and work hard on their music skills all in preparation for the climax of the week: a professionally recorded music video. Our professional audio engineer and videographer have produced dozens of professional quality videos for our YouTube Channel so you can look back on the memories, laughter, and fun for years to come. Click the link below to watch our Rock Camp bands give The Beatles, The Kinks and Nirvana a run for their money, or watch the Voice Camp groups perform Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Top Ten Rock Camp Videos from 2017

What do you get when you combine some of the most talented music students in Toronto, and around the world (literally. We had students from Mexico Greece this summer!) with the best music teachers in the city? The best summer at Toronto Music Camp in our 11 years.

Fun fact: The videos this year are incredible and were filmed by Toronto Music Camp and Elite Music Academy alum, Dermott O’Hallahan – while he was preparing for his freshman year at Berklee College of Music (where many of our students wind up, naturally).

If you missed all the action this summer, or if you just want to relive it, these are the 10 videos you don’t want to miss! Remember, these videos are recorded on the fourth day of camp. Everything you see here was rehearsed for three and a half days, tops. Seriously.

1. Don’t Bring Me Down (Electric Light Orchestra) – performed by Pressing Demons

So crisp, with harmonies so sweet – this band has number one locked down. This band had to have snapped together so fast to produce this track. What we love: the vocalist hits a really challenging range here, the keyboardist is versatile, the bassist and drummer hold things tight through the ups and downs of the song and it features one of the tightest guitar solos of the summer.

2. Little Queen (Heart) – performed by Siri’s Revenge

One of Heart’s more obscure songs is covered a little bit faster and more upbeat, with the bassist holding down a funky groove. The band played like pros, even managing the transitions in and out of a slower bridge smoothly. The vocalist is both dynamic and relaxed, and carries the song right along like a little queen.

3. Barracuda (Heart) – performed by Trapped in The Basement with a Dead Chicken

Talk about ferocious! This is what happens when you get trapped in the basement with a dead chicken, apparently. The vocalist in this band took command of a challenging song and blew it out of the water like a barracuda on the line. The saxophone adds a great unexpected twist to this Heart classic.

4. Undone (The Sweater Song) (Weezer) – performed by The Walking Shred

This was completely off the wall – in all the right ways. First, what parent doesn’t get nostalgic about the good ol’ 90s with this song? More to the point, this band covered the song with an easy exactitude that ranks with the pros. With a tight drum and bass, and a groovy guitar solo, this song is everything. The highly entertaining scenes of the singer doing dialogue with himself is just the frosting on the cake!

5. Give it Away (Red Hot Chili Peppers) – performed by Golden Hands & The Double Dipperz

Our jaw is on the floor. We’ve never had rapping like this! Golden Hands & The Double Dipperz is raw, funky and lock-step together. And the vocalist means business, which we love. The saxophone makes the song a bit jazzy, which is an unexpected twist that works surprisingly well.

6. It’s a Long Way to the Top (AC/DC) – performed by The Noise Makers

These are some of the youngest campers we’ve had and they made some great noise. We were blown away by their budding talent! The drummer holds the band together really well, which is half the battle with rock band. Add to that the keyboard and guitar solos and the powerful singing and it’s not going to be such a long way to the top for this band.

7. Come Together (The Beatles) – performed by Error Code 404: (Name Not Found)

Not only was this band covering the song with utter precision, there was a cool little instrument solo from each of the band members during the song, which added their own flair. This band truly had to “come together” to pull off such a feat in under four days.

8. Manic Monday (The Bangles) – performed by The Blue Room Crew

Pop-flavoured to the core, this band gave us the perfect break from the hard rock. We loved the harmonies that the vocalists accomplished here. They just might give The Bangles a run for their money.

9. Hello, Goodbye (The Beatles) – performed by Kick the Bucket

This Beatles’ classic is always a hit at TMC. This band does it right, covering the instrumentation dead on, and giving the vocalist range to add her own unique vocal style. They certainly kicked some bucket on this one.

10. What You’re Doing (Rush) – performed by Five Fries Burgers & Guys

It wouldn’t be Toronto Music Camp without Rush! The groove takes you in like the band lifted it right from the vinyl, added their own vocal stylings to it, and added a funky organ to it. How do they do that in 4 days?

The amount of talent that passes through our doors every summer is astounding. Every year is better than the one before, and this was no exception. We wish we could list all the videos, but instead of reading what we liked, go watch all 24 videos and comment about what you loved.

If you’re missing the action from the summer, it’s not too late to sign up for our Rock Band program this semester. Want something different? Try the Glee Club or Music Theatre programs.
 

Top Ten Music Videos from Rock Camp 2017September 25, 2017

What do you get when you combine some of the most talented music students in Toronto, and around the world (literally. We had students from Mexico Greece this summer!) with the best music teachers in the city? The best summer at Toronto Music Camp in our 11 years. Fun fact: The videos this year are Read More...

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Although the city of Toronto has plenty to occupy kids and teens during the summer months, summer camps offer a number of benefits beyond simply staying busy. Has your kid ever asked you why they can’t go to school and learn only about music, technology or gymnastics? Summer camp answers that question while providing some Read More...