Summer in LA: Sun, Study & Jazz

By Yoshi Kato I Feb. 28, 2023

A Gordon Goodwin studio session during Summer at Los Angeles College of Music.
(Photo: Courtesy LACM)

When researching Los Angeles College of Music’s (LACM) faculty members and curriculum, one is reminded that the Southland is very much a company town. Located in the pleasant Los Angeles County suburb of Pasadena, LACM features educators who split their time between the classroom and the bandstand, recording studio and music label conference room, and the academic offerings draw on their specific insights.

“It’s really the heartbeat of our school, and it’s been the same since it was founded 26 years ago,” said Braden Pontoli, LACM admissions counselor and Summer at LACM director. “All of our faculty work in the music industry, and a lot of our staff as well.”

The school’s trademark mix of teaching book-smarts and street-smarts extends to its Summer at LACM program, which runs in three one-week blocks starting on June 19. According to the school’s promotional material, students age 12 and older can participate in one, two or three weeks of summer programming “with emphasis on bass, guitar, drum, piano, vocal or jazz performance, rap and hip-hop, songwriting, music production, composing for visual media or music entrepreneurship.”

Bandwidth: Jazz & The Journey is run by Bryan Lipps, LACM’s Brass and Woodwind department chair and a veteran of drummer Joe LaBarbara’s quintet. He has also gigged with vocalist Michael Bublé and singer/songwriter/guitarist John Mayer. It’s offered June 19–23 and targets high school-age students, Pontoli said.

For those wishing to continue into the second and even third week, there are Songwriting, Advanced Production or Rap & Hip-Hop Change the World programs June 26–30 and Music Entrepreneurship, Composing for Visual Media or Pro Artist tracks July 3–7.

“Some students stay for all three weeks,” Pontoli said. “I had a student who did the jazz band one week, advanced production the next week and then scoring the final one. So it’s really cool to see how the students approach the summer programming.

“Students in the jazz program focus on ensemble playing and their studio techniques,” he continued. “But then we also do throw in some industry aspects, too. So they get to meet producers, and they get to learn a little bit about the music business.”

While this year’s schedule was still being fine-tuned at press time, Pontoli used last year’s as an example of what participants — and their parents and guardians — can expect. After an initial orientation session, the rest of the week revolves around a standard schedule with variations in afternoon. “But we’re not offering a classic summer jazz camp,” Pontoli noted. “We’re offering something very different.”

In years past, from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, there was a composition workshop for instrumentalists. (Last year, Friday offered a half-hour recording session in that 9 a.m. slot.) A two-hour ensemble rehearsal was held each day from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, with an hour lunch break followed by various lectures including Music Business 101, Studio Techniques and A&R/Management in the afternoon. There was a musicianship seminar from 3 to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and a final performance on Friday afternoon.

After hours, participants can use the same facilities as LACM students working towards their associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. “They have access to both our recording studios and all the MIDI labs and performance spaces,” Pontoli said.

Since LACM undergraduate and graduate students aren’t on campus for the first two weeks of summer session, “Our young students have pretty much free access to the whole campus from 5 to 8 p.m.,” he said. “And it’s supervised. We keep it staffed, and we have people that are able to record the students.”

Though largely drawing students from greater Los Angeles and San Diego, Summer at LACM reflects the international nature of its regular student body. “We do bring in students globally as well as just from the U.S.,” he shared. “Last year I students from Mexico, Ukraine and Portugal come in. We’re expecting a great deal of students from around the world this year, as well.”

Though atypical in its course offerings, Summer at LACM does have a housing option — albeit with an industry twist. Instead of living on campus in a dorm, out-of-area students can stay at a nearby hotel as they might if they were in town for a locally based production or recording session.

“We do have a whole housing package that includes room and transit,” Pontoli said. “We work with the Hilton Hotel in Pasadena, so students get to stay there and have breakfast at the hotel before being driven over to campus.” LACM also has transportation to and from LAX for those flying in. There’s also a meal plan for all summer students that includes lunch on campus and the option for dinner, too.

Further encompassing camp traditions, weekend excursions for overnight students have included trips to the Santa Monica Pier and also the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles’ L.A. Live entertainment complex. This year, there’s talk of a visit to Universal Studios.

Founded in 1996, LACM launched its summer offerings the following summer. Alumni from the college include bass guitarist Tal Wilkenfeld (Jeff Beck, Chick Corea) and drummer Nate Wood (Kneebody).

“From an admissions standpoint, it’s promoting our college,” Pontoli said. “So students who do come to this program may want to audition to come to our school.” DB

For more information about Summer at LACM, click here.

To view DownBeat’s complete 2023 International Jazz Camp Guide, click here.