Summer Music Clinic
Registration closed on May 15. Please contact SMC at smc@wisc.edu or 608-263-2242 if still interested!
We invite young musicians, music lovers and those who enjoy all forms of music and creativity for a week of music and memory-making on the UW–Madison campus. There is a creative artistic path for everyone! With sessions for both middle and high school students, Summer Music Clinic offers the opportunity to:
- Learn from experienced educators and music and arts professionals from around the country, locally, and UW–Madison
- Learn and grow in a challenging, fast paced, supportive atmosphere
- Develop and discover new music and artistic skills and enhance existing ones
- Meet and collaborate with those who share your interests and connect your life and academics with the arts
- Develop and express your unique, creative style. Learn to tell your story in multiple ways through the arts
- Enjoy new experiences in a welcoming, supportive community on the UW-Madison campus
- Learn about UW-Madison and college life
Junior Session 2026
June 21-27, 2026
For students completing 6th-8th grades
Senior Session 2026
June 28-July 4, 2026
For students completing 9th-12th grades
Summer Music Clinic registration
- Registration opens January 12, 2026 and is open through May 15, 2026.
Interested in more arts options? Join us at the Summer Arts Clinic, a 1 week experience for high school students in Dance, Design, Theatre/Drama, and Visual Art.
Questions?
Contact SMC at smc@wisc.edu or 608-263-2242
Summer Music Clinic is in partnership with the UW–Madison Mead Witter School of Music
Our history
Starting in 1929, Summer Music Clinic is the second oldest music camp in the USA by one year to Interlochen Center for the Arts. Encompassing the Wisconsin Idea, the mission of SMC is to be a true “clinic” for teachers, students, community, pre-service educators, and all to come and learn and grow together during the summer in an immersive arts experience.
Teachers and counselors
Our highly qualified teachers are chosen for their excellence, diverse perspectives and backgrounds, creativity and care as music educators and are drawn from the Madison area as well as greater Wisconsin and the U.S. Instructors bring their own unique style of teaching and musical experiences to their classes, offering current, wide-ranging opportunities for students.
Experienced and caring counselors are part of what makes Summer Music Clinic so special. Several were campers themselves and know the value of having a friendly and reliable support system while away from home. These supervisors — usually college students or young educators — ensure campus life is fun and safe for all who attend, resulting in a welcoming and inclusive community.
As a music educator and 30+ year veteran of Summer Music Clinic, I have firsthand experience and have seen the arts and SMC transform and empower lives and voices of our youth. Students, faculty, and staff find an energy, acceptance, and encouragement for their creative lives to connect their artistic ambitions with their future lives in every possible way. SMC is also where many music educators, myself included, find their path. We want to give back because someone gave to us.
Carrie Backman
Program Director, Summer Music Clinic
smcscholarships
Scholarship Information
We have limited full and partial need-based only scholarships available to students who participate in Summer Music Clinic. Funds available for scholarships are limited and are distributed in April. At this time no scholarship assistance is available to international students.
Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch in Wisconsin can contact smc@wisc.edu if they are unable to pay the required registration fee during the registration process.
All materials supporting your application for scholarship award and your SMC program registration must be submitted no later than April 1, 2026.
Please visit our financial information page for more information and to review the full scholarship policy.
Scholarship Application Process
For Students ELIGIBLE for Free or Reduced Lunch in Wisconsin
Step 1: Register for SMC.
- Please contact SMC at smc@wisc.edu if the $75 registration fee is a concern.
Step 2: Complete the Badger Precollege Scholarship Application Form.
- You may qualify for a full scholarship. Please be sure to complete both sections of the form and have an authorized representative from your student’s school (counselor or administrator) complete and sign Section 2.
Step 3: Submit the completed Scholarship Application Form to SMC by April 1.
- Email to: smc@wisc.edu
- PDF or JPG file formats accepted
- OR Mail to: Summer Music Clinic, 21 North Park Street, 7th Floor, Madison, WI 53715
Step 4: Complete a Scholarship Award Acceptance survey upon receiving your award letter from SMC in April.
For Students NOT ELIGIBLE for Free or Reduced Lunch in Wisconsin
Step 1: Register for SMC.
- Confirm that you DO NOT qualify for free and reduced lunch status during the registration process.
Step 2: Submit the FIRST PAGE of your most recently completed U.S. 1040 Tax Form to SMC by April 1.
- Email to: smc@wisc.edu
- PDF or JPG file formats accepted
- OR Mail to: Summer Music Clinic, 21 North Park Street, 7th Floor, Madison, WI 53715
- Please note:
- PLEASE REDACT SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS before submitting.
- We specifically require Line 11 (Adjusted Gross Income) to be visible on the form.
- You may qualify for a full or partial scholarship. If extenuating circumstances (i.e. loans, loss of employment, medical expenses) are not reflected on your tax return but are affecting your family’s finances, please also submit your financial need story along with the 1040 Tax Form.
Step 3: Complete a Scholarship Award Acceptance survey upon receiving your award letter from SMC in April
Additional information (essay, interview, phone conversation, etc.) may be requested from students and/or families prior to notification of aid.
Notification of Scholarship Awards
Families will be notified of decisions via email prior to the program fee payment due date. Summer Music Clinic is committed to making an allocation of scholarship funds to allow the largest possible number of students to attend our programs. Families will be required to submit their intent to accept a scholarship award. Failure to do so by the deadline posted in your award letter may result in a loss of partial or scholarship award.
Commitment
Summer Music Clinic is committed to providing access to any student who wants to participate. We uphold the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s commitment to fostering belonging in an inclusive community of students, faculty and staff.
International participants
Support for international participants
At Summer Music Clinic, we provide international students with engaging coursework and programming while offering different levels of support to ensure the best experience possible. In addition to the traditional program opportunities, international students have access to:
- A Summer Music Clinic staff person will work closely with international students to create a fun and educational atmosphere while in the program. They will be available for students to communicate any ideas, concerns or issues relevant to the programs.
- An orientation session that covers all relevant information for the program and any questions that students or their families may have. It will cover technologies used in the program, what to expect within the program, expectations for the program and work done outside of course time, time zone set up and many other topics.
English proficiency recommendations
To be successful in Summer Music Clinic, we suggest that students demonstrate at least intermediate-level English through a minimum TOEFL score of 80 or IELTS score of 6.5 or Duolingo English Test score of 105. If you do not have a test score available but would like to see if your English is proficient for Summer Music Clinic, you may request a phone or video interview with Summer Music Clinic program staff.
Learn MoreJunior Session (Grades 6-8)
June 21-27, 2026
Learn MoreSenior Session (Grades 9-12)
June 28-July 4, 2026