The personal story
: Back in 2000, Beth and I (picture at right!) were in the early stages of developing a free-lancing teaching and performing career, just a few years after completing our graduate degrees at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. We had both become involved in teaching a New Horizons adult string group coordinated by the Eastman Community Music School. The group loved the experience, camaraderie, and music making throughout the academic year, but wished for some summer opportunity for music making.
One evening in February of that year, we went out to get dinner at Pizza Hut and said to eachother... "Well, we'd like to do some summer teaching, and these folks want a summer musical opportunity. Why don't we just start a camp?" Being young, adventuresome, and of course a bit naive, we didn't know that 'just start' and 'a camp' don't really belong in the same sentence together! However we would have plenty of time later to discover that.
Of course it would need a good name that was short and catchy. Already in our brief careers we had seen far too much of musical programs being named with such effective branding as: "The Anytown University School of Music Community Program Adult String Summer Program". You know.. "AUSM CP ASSP" for short! Ahem. So we wanted to create a brand for this camp that was distinctive. After many brainstormed permutations of words such as "strings, camp, adults, rochester, music, etc.", cheesy acronyms, and of course many cheesy pieces of pizza, we hit upon it: SCOR!. An acronym for "String Camp of Rochester!". Plus it had that wonderful ring evoking the thought of a musical "score".
The name being settled then, the rest was just, uhh, a few details! So that wintery evening in Rochester, Scor! was conceived as a unique music camp specifically designed for adult string players.
As Scor! has matured and expanded to 13 locations around the country, and because we set out on a national road tour every year to bring you Scor!, we have changed the Scor! acronym to mean String Camps On the Road, since that is where we are now much more than Rochester!
Mailings!
Just one of the numerous mailings that we printed and prepped (with our collaborating marketing/publishing company we formed, Synkros Inc) to spread the word about Scor!. This mailing was sent to the Northeast region of the U.S., promoting multiple Scor! Camps.
We created and sent out nearly 50,000 flyers and postcards this season--working to find the "needle-in-the-haystack" that just might be you!
"FailureIsImpossible"
Beth modeling a significant quote from Susan B. Anthony, womans' suffrage movement leader: "Failure is Impossible". Susan B. Anthony lived in Rochester much of her life & we finally visited her home, now an inspiring museum this past summer. (Check it out if you come to Rochester Scor! Camp!)
We're inspired by this attitude with Scor! & hope you are too in your passion for playing a stringed instrument!
OnTheRoad
Yes, Scor! really 'hits the road' when we offer camps in 13 cities across the U.S. This rig serves literally as the mobile headquarters of the organization during that time. Thanks to many of you who are helping to fund the bulding & future completion of the Scor!-mobile cargo trailer (white 'box' in left of picture) which enables us to haul all that great music, fun camp merchandise, supplies, instruments and more to a Scor! camp near you!
The Bultmans haul that cargo trailer with their motorhome--all together a 55 foot-long combination, or 10 feet longer than a Greyhound bus! No, it's not the Hyatt, but to settle the question that the curious always want to know: Yes, it really does have a shower... and a 'fridge, sink, stove, microwave, & the other "normal" comforts of home we've come to take for granted. P.S. Beth really does drive this rig--although I guess I end up with the lion's share of parking & backing up! -Kyle
ATypicalWeek
"It looks like you're on vacation. It must be fun to just travel for months at a time!" We hear that a lot. Actually, we're working during most of our travels. While we do try to carve out a couple weeks off in scenic areas during our six-month tour, the Scor! Tour isn't a tourist trip. A typical week for us goes something like this:
Monday: Map out our travel route, do errands on the way (there's no such thing as a 'quick trip to the store' in a 55 foot rig, unless you're already in the parking lot!), check in at the office with customer service & follow-ups, drive part-way to the next camp location.
Tuesday: Office work (catch up from calls/emails/finances from the weekend), drive in the late afternoon. Service the rig (gas, generator gas, water, sometimes propane--it's a house/vehicle/office/powerplant/water supply/sanitary system all-in-one). Then drive some more. It's work to drive this rig! If possible we avoid driving more than 200 miles in a day, especially if roads are rough or traffic is heavy.
Wednesday: Office work--yes we have mobile internet, and all the usual office gizmos, although the 'desk' (dinette) could be larger!. We're still creating promotions, sending e-news, and providing service to clients for numerous other Scor! camps. Last chance to get groceries until Monday. Drive to Scor! venue, unload trailer & set up for Scor!, park & block the rig.
Thursday - Saturday: Scor! Camp energetic teaching, plus keep the office going in the cracks. Saturday late afternoon, camp ends, a quick tear-down with volunteers ensues. Collapse with exhaustion, but with the satisfaction of another great camp accomplished! :)
Sunday: The touring life gives new-found significance to the good 'ol day of rest. The constant changes of life on the road take their toll, so it's necessary to refresh--remember, we need to do this a dozen times. If we're near a scenic nature spot, a walk in the park is great quiet therapy from the otherwise frequent sounds of highways, parking lots, or semi-trucks.
Monday... it all starts again!
CelloPower!
Lots of you cellists call Scor! "Cello Camp"--and seeing this picture one can see why! In all fariness, though, we like to call Scor! a "String Camp"-- after all, rumor has it that there are stringed instruments other than cello. Who knew? :)
Question about Scor!?
Email us or call 877-726-SCOR(7267).
