Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra

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Tune Up! 2026 HPYO Summer Intensive

This year, our Tune Up! HPYO Summer Intensive Program is divided into 3 categories:

Tune Up! for Beginners 

A new summer program from the HPYO! This program is available for those who are new to their instrument and want an intensive opportunity to gain knowledge, skills and experience.

Led by seasoned Elementary music educators, students in this program will gain a solid foundation on their instrument. Our HPO musicians will also visit classrooms to provide instrument demonstrations. Throughout their time with us, new players will be mentored side by side with senior musicians from our HPYO Leadership Program.

This half-day program will have your young musician wanting to keep playing when they get home. Complete with an end-of session concert on Thursday evening at LR Wilson Hall, for many young musicians this will be their first chance to play on stage in an orchestra.

Details:

August 17 – 20

Monday – Wednesday, 9:00AM-12:00PM

Thursday, 9:00AM – Concert Time!

8 years and up

0-2 years of experience on their instrument

Beginners and near beginners

Group lessons, ensemble rehearsals, theory lessons, mentoring from Leadership Program Candidates, HPO musician workshops

Final Concert Thursday evening

Pizza Dinner on Concert Day

COSTS

$225 for the session

Optional instrument Rental $25

Before Care $25

Aftercare unavailable

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR BEGINNERS

Tune Up! for Juniors/Intermediate

Our original summer intensive program continues. Take this end-of-summer opportunity to get back in shape on your instrument, meet new friends, and enjoy making music with like-minded peers. 

With a day full of music making, Tune Up! offers young musicians the opportunity to further develop their skills as an orchestral musician.  Players will receive full orchestra rehearsals, sectionals with HPO coaches, enrichment workshops and wellness sessions. The program closes with a concert at McMaster University’s LR Wilson Hall.  

In afternoon rehearsals, senior musicians from our HPYO Leadership Program will join Tune Up! participants side by side to provide mentorship. 

Details:

August 17 – 20

Monday – Wednesday, 9:00AM-3:30PM

  • 10 years old and up 
  • 2+ years experience on their instrument 
  • Full orchestra rehearsals, sectionals, wellness sessions, enrichment workshops, peer mentoring from Leadership Program Candidates 
  • Final Concert Thursday evening 
  • Pizza Dinner on Concert Day 
  • Participation can be used as an audition for the HPYO Concert Orchestra 

COSTS

$275 for the session 

Optional Instrument Rental $25 

Before and After Care $50 
 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR Juniors/intermediate

The Tune Up! Leadership Program 

For senior musicians who are considering a future in music, musical leadership and/or music education, this is the perfect program to gain skills and earn valuable experience as a musical leader. Musicians enrolled in this program will enjoy a combination of leadership training with hands-on mentorship work with musicians enrolled in our Tune Up! programs. 
 
Starting on the Thursday and Friday before Tune Up!, our HPYO Summer Leadership participants will be provided with CPR training, a conducting workshop, and taught music pedagogy and leadership skills. 

The Leadership Program players will then act as mentors for our two Tune Up! programs, putting what they have learned into practice while gaining community involvement hours that they can use towards their Ontario Secondary Diploma. 
 
Leadership Program players then end their day in chamber music rehearsals followed by an advanced chamber orchestra rehearsal with a conductor. They end on Friday, with chamber music coaching, and a final concert in the community. 

Players will receive an HPO leadership certificate, a CPR training certificate and 25 community involvement hours for the work they do with the juniors. 

*Led by HPO Music Director, James Kahane*

Details:

August 13-14, 17-21 

9:00AM – 5:00PM 

Application, audition and interview required 

  • 15 years old and up 
  • 5+ years of experience on their instrument 
  • Must provide own instrument 
  • Leadership and Music Pedagogy Training 
  • CPR Training 
  • Conducting Workshop 
  • 25 Hours of Community Involvement 
  • Chamber Orchestra Rehearsals 
  • Chamber Music Coaching and Rehearsals 
  • Thursday evening performance 
  • Friday afternoon performance 
CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

About Tune Up!

Tune Up! is the HPYO’s annual summer program. It offers young musicians a non-competitive, low-commitment opportunity to gain exposure to orchestral instruments and ensemble playing. 

New this year, we have three programs at different levels, there is a spot for all young musicians to participate and grow.  If you are unsure of where you will find the best fit, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Tune Up! Policies and Procedures 

Before and After Care 

For an additional fee of $50, before and after care can be made available for those who have difficulty with the pick-up and drop of times. There will be no programming offered during this time, but participants will have active supervision from 8:30 – 9:00am and
3:30 – 5:00pm. 

Please note: it is expected that parents drop-off or pick-up their players no more than 15 minutes before or after the programmed day. Players who consistently remain with us beyond the pick-up and drop-off windows will be invoiced for the after-care fee. 

Instruments 

Tune Up! is an orchestral program. Here are the instruments that fall within that category: 

  • Violin
  • Viola
  • Cello
  • Double or Upright Bass
  • Flue
  • Oboe
  • Clarinet 
  • Bassoon  
  • French Horn
  • Trumpet
  • Trombone
  • Tuba
  • Percussion

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate guitar, electric bass, drum kit, keyboards, saxophone players or vocalists. 

Meals and Hydration

There are limited food services open on campus during the summer, so please plan to pack a lunch and snacks for each day of Tune Up! 

There are water bottle refill stations on site, so please pack a refillable water bottle.

Location 

The majority of our programming takes place at Togo Salmon Hall at McMaster University.   

Using the search function, type TSH into this interactive map for directions to McMaster University to our rehearsal space.

Our concert takes place at L.R. Wilson Hall at McMaster University.


L.R. Wilson Hall at McMaster University

Code of Conduct 

The HPYO is committed to providing a safe and happy learning environment. Ensuring that every participant is treated with respect and dignity, free from any form of discrimination or conflict is of the utmost importance to the HPYO. If a participant behaves in a manner that violates this code, the HPYO reserves the right to remove the participant from camp immediately. No refunds (whole or part) will be given for a player who is removed from the program due to a Code of Conduct violation.