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. Everything you need to apply is provided below, and complete application instructions can be printed here. A copy of the information on this page will also be emailed to the parent/guardian email address you provided. 

Start your online application: Young Musicians Program 2026 Application

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: Please download a teacher recommendation and give the form to your teacher. The teacher could be a private music teacher, your school music teacher, or a teacher of another subject who knows you well. The teacher cannot be a family member. Your teacher should return the completed form and letter of recommendation to The Walden School. The teacher recommendation may be submitted up to 10 days after the application deadline.
  • Applicant Personal Statement: please write a short personal statement (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 applicant personal statement into the online application.
  • Parent/Guardian Statements: The applicant’s parents or guardians are asked to submit two statements. There is a place to paste the two parent statements into the online application.
    • The Young Musicians Program requires each person to take an active role and interest in the life of the community formed, and we seek to understand how you might see your child supporting a collaborative and respectful community. Please comment on the applicant’s ability to live effectively at Walden.
    • We are particularly interested in your perspective on the applicant’s ability to work both independently and in a group/classroom setting, as well as any relevant background information about your child’s various learning experiences (at school, after school, in music lessons, etc.). Please comment on the applicant’s potential to thrive in The Walden School’s learning environment.
  • 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 ($60, non-refundable) If this fee presents a significant financial barrier to your application, please contact us to inquire about a fee waiver.

Applications are considered in three rounds: Early (December 15, 2025), Winter (February 2, 2026), and Spring (March 30, 2026). Please review the decision and billing schedules for each round: YMP 2026 Fees and Deadlines

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, recreation, and a capstone Festival of concerts and presentations 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. There are limited spots available for this option. Younger students who will thrive away from home for five weeks are 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

If you are applying for financial aid, download and complete the YMP 2026 Financial Aid Application.

Review of financial aid applications will begin no earlier than February 2, 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 selected 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, some 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 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 2.

Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at applicants@waldenschool.org or at (415) 587-8157. You can also view videos, interviews, and performances from Walden at our YouTube channel, and hear music from past Walden programs on our Bandcamp page.

Learn about YMP:
YMP Overview
YMP Frequently Asked Questions