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Comments
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7/20/23 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
PIMF has been a terrible experience for my child. First of all, the staff is poor. Aside from a few staff members the others have been nasty to my child. My daughter told me that one of the staff members hunted her down to her dorm and sneered at her to leave early because she and her friends were always late and had to leave now even though they were late one time because she lost one of her belongings and had to look for it. The bathroom stall doors would also not lock in the girls dorms and only 2 stalls could be used for the whole dorm. Same problem with the showers. The food trays and utensils also smelled extremely disgusting and the food staff only power wash there dishes as far as we know. Most of the dishes have leftover stains and dirty food from the last meal. My child also felt like she was constantly pressured to become a child prodigy day after day since Mrs. Marcucci kept mentioning students going to Juilliard and other prestigious music schools during camp meetings.
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7/20/23 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
This review is coming from my 13 year old camper that has attended PIMF for 2 years. There are so many things to say. First off, their staff’s attitudes are truly unpleasant. They are disrespectful towards the campers and they target certain kids and make them feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. My daughter’s experience with the staff has left me shocked and unpleased. Allegedly, according to her, she had been late to a morning meeting on one day. Then, on the following days, one specific councilor kept on picking on her and her friends, saying that they were “always late” and were being very “disrespectful”. There were multiple incidents like this. To add to this poor review, during morning meetings, their camp director would only talk about other people’s achievements instead of encouraging them to be proactive. Another problem was telling them to practice, even though quiet hours in the dorms were from 9pm to 7 am and their schedule filled the rest of the day. I was honestly appalled.
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7/20/23 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
My child attended PIMF in 2022 and 2023 and I have several complaints, first being the lack of regard the counselors hold for the campers. Blatant disrespect towards the children is often displayed several times a day, according to many campers who have attended, including my young camper. The counselors are practically campers themselves, a large amount of them still in their late teens. Many counselors often make campers feel uncomfortable and unwanted and even engage in unpleasant facial expressions toward these young children who are still learning how to react in the world. Certain groups are often targets for this behavior as well. My second complaint is the facilities in use during the camp, which takes place at Valley Forge Military Academy. Approximately 80% of buildings either have no air conditioning or minimum/broken systems. Yet despite this, campers are made to sit in these conditions in church pews for hours at a time watching others perform until very late at night.
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6/19/20 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
I attended this camp last year. The food was terrible, and the dorms were really bad. The practice rooms were terrible, the activities were not great either. The faculty was just okay. I would not recommend attending this festival.
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7/18/19 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Camp is focused on competitions and practice hours, yes hours not productive, smart practice routines -- just hours. There are not sectionals to help grow students. Rehearsal is constant playing (beyond physical capabilities of students) with (1) 5-min break. Students do this 10 days in a row. Students look like unhappy robots. Students forced to practice in dorm room, counselors knock on door to verify. Counselors knock on doors at 11PM verifying campers are in bed; camper must wake up (if sleeping), open the door, and attempt to return to sleep -- really for high school students? Philadelphia Orch members are not available for all instruments and only attend (1) evening master master class. Save your $$ and attend focused camps at Eastman, Oberlin, Courtis, Interlochen and others. This is very bad value for the funds paid. My child will be returning to the alternatives listed above.
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*
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9/21/18 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
PIMF is an incredible experience that you and your child will not soon forget! This camp is constantly evolving, getting better, and growing. There are hundreds of kids there every summer of all ages and skill levels, from 7 year olds learning to play, all the way up to Juilliard bound performers. I grew up with my friends coming here; and I decided I wanted to work here as soon as I could because I loved the festival that much! I am not too sure where all of the negative reviews come from. Every experience I have had with PIMF has been professional, organized, fun, and highly educational! I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone looking to learn more about music and experience world class music every day!
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*
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9/20/18 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I would like to say thank you to all the staff and especially Sandy Marcuchi for this wonderful experince. I was in the opera and musical theater program and our director Ms. Palmour was absolutely amazing, i made so many friends and i am lost for words, i can not thank the pimf staff and Sandy Marcuchi for making this amazing experince happen.
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8/14/17 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
The Symphony Orchestra program is fair, 3/5. The whole operation is very poorly organized. Wrong private lesson assigned, wrong dorm assigned (mistaken about age), last minute communication about where/when events were happening both for the students during the week and for parents drop off/pick up. Our student "forgotten" from final program. Name not included. Corrected program promised but never delivered. The chamber elective 2/5, choir elective 1/5, ear training 1/5. Private lessons with Philly Orchestra members are the highlight, but that is only one small part of the overall. Would not do this again and would not recommend to others. For the price, many better programs available. Ants crawling all over shower area in one of the dorms but facilities otherwise OK.
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SYSTEM: 2 positive duplicate or disallowed ratings automatically removed |
*
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10/6/16 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
PIMF was a great experience and I believe I grew as a musician. I made friends; friends I STILL talk to almost daily and I made really good connections through the camp. Before this camp I knew I wanted to pursue in music as a career but after it, I realized what exactly I wanted to do. That was all thanks to this camp. I stayed in the Radnor dorms and the Camp Counselors were absolutely great and the campers even more so. For me, this camp is something I will always remember. Sandy and her family is great and they are so sweet. The activities we were able to participate in were a great experience. (The music theory class could have been a little bit better for beginners) but otherwise I wouldn't change a thing. We got see the Philadelphia Orchestra preform FireBird and I can honestly say, that was amazing. I would have never seen that if it weren't for PIMF. Overall it was a great experience and I'd recommend this program especially if music is something you want to pursue in.
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*
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9/12/16 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
PIMF was the camp I spent 2 weeks of every summer for almost 10 years. The reason I kept going back was for the unique and rare opportunity to study with members of the Philadelphia orchestra, the high level of talent in my program, the beautiful campus, and the lasting memories that were made. Not only did I drastically improve my technique and strength more in 2 weeks than I could have ever imagined, I was able to meet some of my closest friends. I would highly recommend this camp to any musicians looking to spend 2 weeks of their summer in a musically enriching, competitive, and fun environment.
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*
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9/3/16 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
My son grew as a musician, learned responsibility and made friends across the globe over the four years he attended this festival. It was a wonderful experience for him and we enjoyed the annual summer concerts and the gorgeous campus atmosphere at Bryn Mawr College.
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*
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8/24/16 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
This camp was life changing for me, not only did I make lasting friendships, but being surrounded by classical music for 2 weeks of world class quality motivated me to be an even better musician. The private lessons are all with Philadelphia Orchestra members and one of the conductors was the conductor for the Philadelphia Orchestra too. With chamber music, orchestra, private lessons, classes, and concerts every evening, I was always challenged and enjoying my time immersed in beautiful music.
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8/1/16 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
The worst camp ever. Totally garbage and that's being nice about it.
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7/7/16 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Please do not send your child here if they are interested in a serious, well run music camp. Upon arrival, June 18, 2016, my daughter was not assigned a room, I paid an extra $200 for chamber music. There was no teacher the first day, the woman in charge of the chamber program didn't email the music and accused the students of deleting it. The "Dr" in charge of the chamber group entered the room and started to scream at the students because they didn't have a teacher and were not playing the right piece of music. The orchestra groups are mixed with beginning players so anyone with experience will be bored and un-challenged. The only positive experience with this camp is the faculty that provide the private lessons. Please stay away from this group that is only out for your money.
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6/27/16 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Wish I'd seen these reviews before sending our son this year. I can attest to the disorganization and the poor attention to detail. Student placement was inaccurate (and that is the kindest word I can use); "orientation" consisted of a brisk walk around campus (would it have killed anyone to create some signage so that parents and students could find their way around?); private lesson schedule had to be constantly checked by the students in order not to miss their appointments. The last straw for us was the "Optional" activities: our son had listed two options, as instructed, and one of them was Chamber Orchestra. We received an email requesting an additional $200 for Chamber a week or two before the festival started. Not a problem - except that after we paid for the activity, PIMF didn't put him in Chamber. Overall, our son is glad to have made some new friends but sorely disappointed in the waste of his time. And we're out nearly $2K. My advice to parents: Choose another camp.
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*
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6/26/16 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
Just finished up a one week session. Great time. Great staff. Would recommend to young musicians.
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6/22/16 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Currently about halfway through a two week program at pimf and i was ready to leave about a week ago. IT IS SO DISORGANIZED. I will lost all of the things that have happened to me or friends. 1st day, we were early arrivals, and they didn't plan adequately so some people didn't get food. 3rd and 4th day, soloist ensemble conductor dr Lindsay is absolutely terrible. Not only does she make it not fun but she also does not improve the ensemble at all through rehearsals because she is just a poor teacher. 3rd and 4th day, string portion of chamber group didn't receive movement number before the camp, violins weren't told 1st or second, pianist in group didn't receive part until the first day of camp so he couldn't play it so we had to get a new piece and no one could tell us our rehearsal room. I'm running out of characters so I will listed more in a continued review.
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SYSTEM: 2 positive duplicate or disallowed ratings automatically removed |
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11/27/15 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
PIMF provides an incredibly diverse and inclusive musical community to its campers. Whether your child is just learning how to play his/her instrument, is a casual (if reluctant) practicer, or a Juilliard-bound wunderkind, there is a "place" for him or her here. (I was, myself, somewhere between the second and third options.) No matter what the musician's level, she will feel at once self-affirmed and encouraged in her interest in classical music--after all, it's not such a "cool thing" during the school year. But she will also feel inspired to take the "next step" (whatever that might be) in her playing, galvanized by the passion of her peers (who will be at higher and lower levels than her) and her teachers (i.e. masters of the craft). Finally, with the dizzying array of personally crafted plans offered, she will feel liberated to express the full extent of her creativity (she can even sing opera, for heaven's sake!). PIMF is what you make it, but what a thing it can be! #happyalum
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9/10/15 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
I cannot recommend this camp to anyone. This was a terrible experiemce and a complete waste of our valuable and hard earned money and time. We were told we would receive things which we did not. When we attempted to be sure they followed thru, we were treated poorly and with suspicion and contempt. We were given the run around. The members of the Philadelphia Orchestra are wonderful musicoans but I do not think they realize how the organizers run things and the Philadelphia Orchestra should not attach their me to this, in our opinion. Nor shpuld Bryn Mawr. Personally, I would be very wary of any good reviews because of how we felt deceived and scammed into applying and registering. Buyer beware.
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9/3/15 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
PIMF is the reason I decided to become a professional violinist. I began attending at the early age of 10. The teachers and faculty at this festival are some of the best musicians in the world and the training one can receive at the festival is, in my opinion, unbeatable. I've studied with various violinists from the Philadelphia Orchestra throughout my years attending the festival, have performed in solo performance hours, chamber music performances, won multiple competitions, and have met lifelong friends. As a result of the competitions at PIMF, I performed for my very first time with a professional orchestra and soloed on stage with a member of the Pholadelphia Orchestra. These experiences truly changed my life. This camp, in huge part, prepared me for my 4 years of undergraduate study at The Juilliard School and for my professional life thus far and I am forever thankful!
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6/30/15 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Do NOT send any students to this thing that calls itself a music festival! It is a disgrace. There are some excellent faculty, but it is atrociously disorganized. The so-called "chamber music" program is run by a couple of total bully charlatans, the Lindsays, who have literally ruined the experience of music for many of the 300 children. Application fee is $250 (!!), 2.5 times the cost to apply to an Ivy-League school or a reputable festival. It's all about $$$$$$$ for the evangelical owners of the camp, who know zip about music and hire good people by mistake and bad people that they don't recognize as the harmful bullies they are. Definitely not worth the money. Nothing student-centric. Schedule is actually harmful for children. Campus (B Mawr) is hostile and not responsive. Food is barely edible. During a 2-day+ power outage, no one even cared enough to provide flashlights to the children (some of whom were too frightened to use bathrooms). Not worth $$$$$$$. Go anyplace else!
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8/16/14 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
My child attended PIMF for 2 weeks in the summer of 2014. While the musical experience was quite good, I could never recommend this camp to anyone. The level of disorganization was jaw dropping. I met several parents who stayed with their children throughout the day because they knew this to be true. When the steep cost of the camp is considered, there is absolutely no justification for the lack of organization. My guess is that in an effort to accommodate all kinds of musicians, the camp offers too many options and in doing so many things fall through the cracks. My recommendation would be to research this camp thoroughly before considering. I would ask about changes they are making to improve organization. I don't think this is a new issue for the camp, particularly looking at some of these older reviews. I wish I had seen them prior to signing up!
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6/28/14 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
The staff is friendly but the organization as a whole is not for the advanced musician. Our student is high school age and the complaints mentioned in previous ratings are very accurate. The camp is still very disorganized and communication is still lacking. Our 17 yr old student was told after the fact, that the rehearsal time had changed and they had missed the rehearsal. There were several who fell into this situation. Our musician is all ready looking for a different camp for next year. The faculty is always performing but very little time is devoted for the students to have performing experience which is why many devoted musicians attend camps. Facilities are very nice. Faculty is talented, we would have rated monetary value at 0 but was not an option. Food rates a 0 as well.
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6/23/14 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
If a student enjoys playing an instrument, there are few better opportunities than this camp. World class instructors and a caring staff mean the experience can be phenomenal, but students must work if they wish to achieve. I highly recommend this camp.
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2/10/14 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
This music festival changed my life. If I hadn't had the chance to work with the top-tier faculty and fellow students, I never would have gotten to where I am today. No less important, I met people who became my lifelong friends. I cannot imagine what my life or career would look like without having experienced this inspiring music festival, and all that it has to offer. I'm truly grateful.
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1/30/14 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
We really had a good time at this camp the past 2 years. The teachers are amazing, and everyone is so very nice and helpful. They do accept students of all different ages, which was nice for us, but I think it sometimes doesn't even out on all ends musically as a result. There are some 250 kids at the camp, and they are always busy and involved in something amazing.
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9/21/13 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
This festival introduced me to world class faculty members where I ultimately met my private teacher of three years who prepared me to enter The Juilliard School. This program is unlike other festivals in that while changes are often made on the fly, this is in order to give each individual student the best experience possible. Whether that means changes in ensembles, private teacher arrangements, or other personal concerns, it was always to benefit the student. The other beauty of this program is that there really is a place for any student at any level, and the opportunity to be exposed to students that were playing at a higher level than myself, was invaluable to my progress.
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7/6/13 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
Poorly run. Do not recommend day program. Only appropriate for the most advanced students. Disappointed with how little attention our student received.
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7/3/13 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
Musically, this program is good. But it is so disorganized. Instead of having an idea of the schedule in the beginning, they do not let parents and kids know the schedule until each morning. Kids scramble around trying to find practice areas and placement in orchestras is not accurate. The Director is very nice and always treats everyone with respect and some of the other staff are very good. However, the organization is very poor and really needs someone (or multiple people) to actually run the camp. And, it is very expensive so it should be better organized. Parents complain every day about the lack of communication and organization.
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7/1/13 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Very disorganized! Found out later from other people that this is a common complaint in the past. If your child is musically talented, this is not the camp you want to send them to.
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*
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3/13/13 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Great for musicians who want to learn orchestral music.
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