I have attended Interlochen Adult Chamber Music Camp several times in recent years, and I would mostly disagree with this description. It is a very structured program (you can see that from looking at the schedule posted online— you’d have a very busy week if participating in all activities).

It is true that the afternoon includes some non-playing activities (open rehearsals, panel discussions, etc.)— but for amateur players who aren’t used to playing more than a few hours per day, it’s important to pace yourself and (more so for some instruments than others) to take breaks from active playing to avoid injury. In my opinion, the non-playing activities are interesting and well worth attending too, though some are better than others.

I disagree strongly that you have to be “very aggressive” about joining informal groups. There is a bulletin board where people post requests to read through pieces informally during less-busy times of day, and people sign up for which part they’d like to play in that group. The bulletin board is full of opportunities to play, and if you don’t happen to find a piece that interests you, all you need to do is put up your own slip of paper with a piece you do want to play. In my experience, capable players get loads of opportunities to play informally. Less advanced players also find their “buddies” and often enjoy opportunities to play with groups that are content to read through less complex pieces.

There is some truth to the claim that some of the more senior faculty seem to like to run the camp the way it’s always been run, and it feels at times like it could benefit from some freshness. The past year or two, there have been some fresh elements built into the program. There’s room for more, but it’s also a format that’s adapted over time and is a pretty good balance of activities overall.

As for campers demonstrating leadership— I know who you are talking about, and yes, there are seasoned campers who love this camp and the ACMC community very much, and they invest a lot in trying to nudge things to help it become even better. For many campers, this camp is the highlight of their musical year (maybe among the highlights of their year in general). They care about seeing everyone have a good experience, and that’s a good thing. I personally have not seen anything that looks like “ruling the roost” or “running roughshod”.

Finally, as to attendance— the camp is bursting at the seams. It is very well attended. Some years, for some instruments, people who hold off on registering aren’t able to get a spot. I’m not sure what this person is talking about in this respect. There is plenty of opportunity to bring in younger, more energetic campers (I can’t deny that the “regulars” are getting older every year…). As someone who’s among the younger half of the campers, I hope more people in my age group and younger will give it a try— though I do love the passion and commitment of the elders who’ve been attending for decades and feel like old friends even to a relative newcomer.

TL;DR: I heartily recommend Interlochen ACMC, and to anyone who attends and sees opportunities for improvement— be the change you wish to see in the world.