State Music Camp
2025 camps
Get excited for State Music Camp in 2025!
MID-YEAR CAMP
Camp week: Monday 7 July to Friday 11 July 2025
Camp venue: Melbourne Grammar School, 355 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004
Audition Day: Sunday 25 May 2025
Audition venue: Melbourne Grammar School, 355 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004
NORTH CAMP
Camp week: Monday 22 September – Friday 26 September 2025
Audition Day: Sunday 31 August 2025
For enquiries, please email [email protected]
SMC JULY CAMP ENSEMBLES
Bishop Symphony Orchestra
Bishop is the senior ensemble, studying major chamber works. Students experience the discipline needed to perform at an advanced level and suitable for musicians at the AMEB Grade 7+.
Jones String Ensemble
Jones is the intermediate string ensemble and is an ideal ensemble for students at AMEB Gr 5-6 level, seeking to widen their music experience and advance their musicianship.
Scott String Ensemble
The Scott String Ensemble is suitable for players at AMEB Grade 3-4.
Thomson String Ensemble
Thomson is a training ensemble suitable for students in the AMEB Preliminary to Grade 2 range.
SMC NORTH CAMP ENSEMBLES
What is state music camp?
Non-residential camps for young orchestral musicians
State Music Camp is a non-residential camp for musicians in primary and secondary school. It hosts two camps each year: State Music Camp in the first week of July, State Music Camp North in the last week of September. The purpose of these camps is to provide students with an unrivalled opportunity to learn the delights and intricacies of orchestral music.
OUR PATRON – MR BENJAMIN NORTHEY
Chief Conductor of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra
Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of Learning and Engagement of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
2025 will be our 63rd year
We estimate around 8,800 young musicians have enjoyed the State Music Camp experience since 1962. The 2025 camps will be special events where we welcome new and past players. Please invite your friends to join you next time!
Find out more about our State Music Camp PROGRAMS
State Music Camp hosts two camps each year in July and September. Each camp provides students with an opportunity to play in an ensemble with other musicians of a similar age and music level and be taught by expert music educators.
Watch some of our excerpts from previous gala concerts
More excerpts can be found on our YouTube page.
SMC Camp
This is hosted during the term 2 school holidays each year. Auditions are scheduled for a Sunday in late May. The camp provides students with an opportunity to play in one of four different ensembles: Bishop Orchestra, Jones String Ensemble, Scott String Ensemble and Thomson String Ensemble.
SMC North Camp
SEPTEMBER 22-26 2025
Auditions are scheduled for a Sunday in late August. Our camp in Melbourne’s northern suburbs returns this year. The camp provides students with the opportunity to play in one of two string ensembles: Johnston String Ensemble and Britton String Ensemble.
