Orit Feldman and Yoram Jungerman with the World Youth Symphony.
Refining their sculpting are Stacie Gerstein and Leslie Lezell.
son said. The college preparatory pro-
gram offers intensive training in
music, art, dance, theater, stage
design and production, and creative
writing.
"There are 41 Jewish students at
the academy:' said Dr. Robert R. Luby,
the host for the music camp. A former
Detroit educator, Dr. Luby is a coor-
dinator of health, physical education
and intramural sports at Interlochen
Arts Academy. He also helps coor-
dinate the music camp's Friday night
services, which the participating
Jewish campers plan and lead.
"I like to attend the Friday night
services;' said Debby Rosenberg.
"They're held in the chapel and are
part Hebrew and part English. We
light the candles and have a kiddush
with grape juice and fresh challah.
The kids lead the prayers and it is
nice to see my friends there!"
"All the campers are nice," said
Leslie Lezell, 12, of West Bloomfield.
"I made friends easily and the
teachers are nice. I came to In-
terlochen this year because a friend
told me about it. I want to explore,
learn and have fun!"
Lezell said her schedule filled
quickly. "I'm taking ceramics, ad-
vanced junior drama and junior
chorus. I enjoy theater and watching
all the performances!'
The high school drama students
presented seven fully-costumed pro-
ductions at Grunow Theater this sum-
mer. The intermediate students
presented four, and the junior
students presented two.
"I am in two scenes of William's
Window," said 12-year-old Pamela
Barr of Farmington Hills. In addition
to her drama class, Barr plays the
viola. "I practice once a day and have
a private lesson once a week. I take
an orchestra class daily and have two
hours of recreational classes!'
To balance the day, the groups ,
have cabin activities, known at camp
as "forced fun!' "We have swimming
and sing-song;' said Barr. -
Barr said her mother attended In-
terlochen and encouraged her to go.
"It's wonderful here:" she said.
"Everyone participates. I play in the
junior orchestra and we give four per-
formances a summer. The junior
showcase features dancers, the junior
band and the junior orchestra!"
With all those violinists and tuba
players, isn't Interlochen kind of, well,
you know, nerdy?
"Interlochen is a completely ar-
tistic world;' said 19-year-old Naomi
Gurt of Ypsilanti. "Everyone mixes
and is united by common interests!'
A member of the staff, Gurt works
in the music library and sings in the
staff opera workshop. She is a voice
and Italian major at Indiana Univer-
sity. "I was here as a student. I love
the camp and I wanted to return!'
Gurt is a coloratura soprano and
said she spends as much time as she
can with her music. "We rehearse
three nights a week and I rehearse on
my own when I can. I always think
about music and what I want to do
with it.
"Camp means so much to me. I
want to be the best musician I can be,
and be in a position where my
musical ideas can be communicated.
That could be in singing, coaching,
conducting, teaching or writing
music. It is good to immerse yourself
in art and music, even if you aren't
taking classes!'
Gurt's friend, Adam Wolfensohn
from New York City, divides his time
between photography and music com-
position. He is taking private lessons
in electric music. Wolfensohn attends
the Friday night services and says
religion is not an issue at Interlochen.
"There is no anti-Semitism here," he
said. "But there's a lot of ignorance.
I'm the first Jew that some of these
people met!'
It is difficult for a visitor not to be
in awe of the atmosphere at In-
terlochen, not to mention the talent.
In the late afternoon, the main cam-
pus area is crowded with people.
Campers relax on the grass. Some sit
alone and read on green benches.
Others sit in groups and share
laughter. Bright red flowers flourish
by the paths_. There is music coming
from every direction. Students pass
by with instruments and their music.
Neither skunks nor mosquitoes can
deter them. There are so many peo-
ple and so many classes, one wonders
how they keep track of it all.
"There is a strict set of rules here,"
said Dr. Luby. "Everyone has a
curfew. Anyone caught smoking,
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 25