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Post by Hart Kennedy on Jan 27, 2009 19:59:41 GMT
Welcome to Camp Euterpe! This place of music is built on the island of Skantzoura, a tiny Greek island in the Sporades archipelago. Until recently Skantzoura’s only features were a derelict old farm house and an ancient monastery and was only visited by a few people for the sea caves. In 2002, the seven square kilometre island was bought by Jo Blogs, a man who made his fortune in the second-hand instrument industry. He had a vision, and his vision was made a reality when planning permission to build a state of the art music centre was accepted by the Greek authorities. But as building reached the half way stage, Jo digressed. He had a sudden, spur of the moment decision to turn the island into a band camp for teens from all over the world. And thus, Camp Euterpe was born, named after the Greek muse of music.
There are four teams at Camp Euterpe, let’s look at them now!
Brooklyn Academy–Team America
The students of Brooklyn Academy, a boarding school in New York, are well known for being party animals. They tend to spend a lot more time talking about who is having sex, who’s best dressed and who looks a mess than they do with their school work. However, these students sure love their music! In an effort to raise school moral, every year the keenest musicians are sent to Camp Euterpe to show the other teams that Team America rocks out loud!
The Elms–Team United Kingdom
Set in the beautiful South Downs, in the south of England, The Elms boarding school is a private school but recently started a scholarship program for outstanding musicians due to the prestige of its music department. Only The Elms’ best music students get the privilege of attending Camp Euterpe. The Elms boasts it’s outstanding results in all subjects and their students’ excellent conduct...although, some people have been known to really let their hair down at Camp Euterpe. Team United Kingdom is here to show the other teams that paying for education really pays.
Melbourne High–Team Australia
Victoria’s most well known boarding school, Melbourne High, is famous for didgeridoo lessons, surfing clubs after school and most importantly – it’s said to be the most laid back school in Australia! Surprisingly, this laid back attitude to education churns out some pretty good results, and most of the students spend just enough time sober to get their work done. Every year, any student who wishes to attend can sign up for Camp Euterpe and their names are literally pulled out of a hat! Because of this, Team Australia has the widest range of skill levels, but their team spirit is immense! To be honest, Team Australia’s just here to have fun and if the other teams wanna join in, that’s just awesome!
Blogs' Society of Musical Youths–Team Blogs
Unlike the other teams, the members of Team Blogs are from lots of different schools and countries. Blogs is a very rich man, and loves music, and he doesn’t really know what to spend his money on most of the time so he set up this association for great musicians between the ages of 14 and 18 (the ages that Team Euterpe cater for). Basically, the association will fund the young peoples’ music lessons and every year they can upgrade their instrument if they so wish. The association also offers some of its members the chance to attend Camp Euterpe. Because of the wide background and cultural differences of the members of Team Blogs, tensions within the team are high but they always end up enjoying themselves in the end.
Camp Euterpe is run by a team of dedicated staff specialising in teaching young adults in instruments and vocals, and excellent maintenance and catering teams.
The teams are made up of solo performers who play their instrument and/or sing on their own, and bands. Bands only qualify if they have their own songs. Camp Euterpe has an excellent recording facility however Jo Blogs doesn’t have a record label (probably one of the few things Camp Euterpe lacks!).
Over the course of three months, the team members of Camp Euterpe compete against each other for various awards;
- Best instrumentalist, there’s a prize for the best of each instrument
- Best vocalist, including best male, best female and several style categories such as best screamer
- Best band
- Best new comer, for camp rookies only!
- Best veteran, for those who are on their last year at the camp
- Best Team, baised on the points built up over the three months by the achievements of individual team members, or taken away as punishment.
Competition is fierce, and rivalry between teams can have the kids literally at each other’s throats. Can they ever put their differences and thirsts to win aside for long enough to make friends and lovers with people from the other teams or will they be too stubborn and selfish to care about anyone other than their own kind?
Welcome to Camp Euterpe, the island of the music makers!
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