Thank you for your interest in The Walden School
Young Musicians Program (YMP) 2026

The Walden School Young Musicians Program (YMP), for musically inclined students ages 9-18, is a 5-week summer camp (with a 3-week option for students who have not yet completed 8th grade) focused on musicianship training, composition, improvisation, choral singing, outdoor recreation, and creative community-building. This year’s YMP dates are June 27-August 2, 2026, in Dublin, New Hampshire.

How to Apply
In addition to short answer questions about you, your interests, and your musical background, the following items will be requested on the online application. We recommend reviewing the requirements, preparing the applicant essay, parent/guardian statements, and supplementary materials in advance, and then completing the online application.

  • Teacher Recommendation: The recommender should be a teacher, preferably of music, but most importantly a teacher who knows the student well. The teacher recommendation may be submitted up to 10 days after the application deadline. The student will download a form and give it to the teacher, and the teacher will return the form and their recommendation to The Walden School.
  • Applicant Essay: please write a short essay (approximately 200-500 words) that will help the admissions committee develop a broader picture of your personality, talents and interests. Topics for this brief personal statement could be autobiographical in nature, provide more information about your musical and creative interests, and/or can answer questions such as why you want to attend YMP. There is a place to paste the essay into the online application.
  • Parent/Guardian Statements: The applicant’s parents or guardians are asked to submit two statements addressing the student’s ability to live and thrive in a summer camp community away from their home.
  • Supplementary Materials: The Walden School welcomes any additional materials you would like to send with your application. These might include recordings or scores of original music, certificates of merit or awards, samples of non-music related creative projects (poetry, photography, artwork, or any other work). There is a place to upload your files on the online application.
  • Application Fee (non-refundable) If this fee presents a significant financial barrier to your application, please contact us at applicants@waldenschool.org to inquire about a fee waiver.

5-week program/3-week option
YMP is a five-week fully residential program, running from June 27 to August 2, with a regular weekly schedule of classes, concerts, special events, and recreation in the first four weeks and a capstone Festival in week five. The three-week option, which ends on July 19, is available for students who have not yet completed 8th grade in their summer of attendance and there are limited spots available . Younger students who will thrive away from home for five weeks are still welcome to apply for and attend the full five-week program. If your student is in grade 7 or below and you are unsure whether to apply for five or three weeks, please contact us to discuss your considerations and determine the best option for your student.

Financial Aid
Review of financial aid applications will begin no earlier than February 1, 2026, and awards will be made on a rolling basis. If you apply for financial aid, you do not need to make a deposit or pay tuition until you receive your award decision.

To apply for financial aid, families will need documentation of income in the form of each parent’s and/or guardian’s 2025 tax returns, or a combination of 2024 tax returns and end-of-year pay stubs from 2025.

Lance Reddick Scholarship
The Lance Reddick Scholarship grants full tuition scholarships to ten students attending the 5-week program. The scholarship is a need-based scholarship which requires the completion of The Walden School Young Musicians Program financial aid application demonstrating the family’s need for financial support. Each year, five of these scholarships, named in honor of actor, YMP alum, and Baltimorean Lance Reddick, are designated for students residing in the Baltimore area. The other five scholarships may be granted to students from anywhere in the United States.

To apply for the Lance Reddick Scholarship, applicants should complete both a program application (in any of the three admissions rounds) and a financial aid application, which will be reviewed beginning no earlier than February 1.

Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at applicants@waldenschool.org or at (415) 587-8157. You can also stay in touch with Walden by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and hear music from past Walden programs on our Bandcamp page.

Learn about YMP:
YMP Overview
YMP Frequently Asked Questions