I’ve noticed over the years a proliferation of short summer programs for harp students and fewer 6 or 8-week programs. At this point, 3-weeks is longer than most. I was a student at programs that were 5, 6 and 8 weeks long. The eight-week long program changed my life. What was especially good was that it easily divided in half in terms of what repertoire I studied. Being the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Harp Seminar, which was for both teens and adults, it had the added advantage of access to the Tanglewood grounds, and all rehearsals and concerts happening there, as well as master classes. I went to several vocal seminars given by Phyllis Curtin.
Six weeks is enough to learn through some major repertoire, and to build new technical habits. But if one has to increase one’s practice time from say, three hours a day to five, then an eight-week program is better as you have more time to build up gradually.
I don’t see how one-week programs can be very productive. Having bits of input from different teachers in one’s formative years can be very disruptive and distracting.
I hope to see more long-term programs developed. Keeping them affordable is probably very challenging, and to situate them where there are concerts happening is another challenge.
The Tanglewood program afforded teachers and professionals a place to go in the summer to do advanced study, to increase their repertoire and knowledge, which would otherwise be hard to do unless you live near a major teacher.
As a profession, I think we need to look for ways to develop such long-term programs, perhaps at more music camps, or orchestra festivals. The Blossom Music Festival is one that never had any harp program because Alice Chalifoux had her program in Maine.