Ryan Leppich, in front, and Ryan Fogarty and Ben Bogle, in back, play the steel drums at the Edmonds School District’s Summer Music School.

Dean Celli isn’t one of those kids who dumps their instrument into a closet come summer, only to pick it up again when school starts. That’s why, ever since the summer before third grade, he’s signed up for the Edmonds School District’s Summer Music School.

“One, you can make new friends and, two, you get to practice your instrument over the summer,” he said, listing off why he likes SMS.  “I just really like playing my instrument.”

Summer Music School, sponsored by the district’s Visual and Performing Arts Department, is a three-week summer camp for students entering into fifth through 12th grade interested in performing and exploring music.

For $325, the program offers students with at least a year of instrumental experience a variety of music courses, including band, orchestra, camp choir, ensembles and several new-instrument labs.

Students in the program sign up for either band or orchestra and three electives, including Jazz I and II, Vocal Jazz, Harp, Congas/Xylophones, Song-Writing and Recording, Steel Drums, Musical Theater, Blues Band, Guitar and Piano. All students sing in the camp choir.

“With their electives, they get to explore,” said Jennifer Schillen, camp director.  “Maybe they’ve always wanted to learn how to play guitar or piano, and they didn’t really know how to start, or they want to learn how to write music, and so they take a three-week class and that get’s them started.”

The camp is staffed by 20 music teachers from the Puget Sound region – many of them from Edmonds schools – and by 26 student mentors from Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds-Woodway, Lynnwood and Meadowdale high schools.

Jane Sahabu and Alec Leonetti play the harp at the district’s Summer Music School.

Student mentor Janie Ummel, a junior at Meadowdale, is busy mentoring Orchestra, Vocal Jazz and Piano students.   She plays the cello and sings.

“I love helping kids, especially with music,” Ummel said.  “I’ve been here since fifth grade, and I think it’s a really fun experience for kids.  It helps them understand the meaning of music, and understand their instruments and voices.”

Students rehearse from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at Mountlake Terrace High School, where they work on skills such as note reading, rhythms, dynamics and how to play together in a group.

“It helps their musical ability,” Schillen said.  “They’ll learn something else in these other classes that they can take back with them to their school that they not necessarily would miss, but it enhances their musical experience.”

About 140 students – 100 in band and 37 in orchestra – some from Edmonds, Mukilteo, Lynnwood, Brier, Mountlake Terrace, Everett and Shoreline – are currently at the camp, which is running from June 28 to July 16.

Jane Sahabu, a freshman at Edmonds-Woodway, is taking the Steel Drums, Harp and Instrumental Ensemble courses at camp.  She’s been going to the camp since the summer before seventh grade.

Sahabu, who plays the flute and piano, said she likes her Steel Drums and Harp labs because the instruments are different and fun to play.

“It was really fun learning how to play the steel drums, because you need to learn where the notes are on the drum,” she said.  “It’s fun because it’s a different kind of instrument for me, because I don’t play any other percussion.”

Celli, a seventh grader at Meadowdale Middle School, started going to the camp when he was just learning to play the trumpet.  He’s now taking Steel Drums, Jazz I and Piano at camp.

He said he likes knowing that he can play the steel drums and piano in addition to his trumpet, but that playing the trumpet in Jazz I is his favorite.

“I like that class because I really like playing the trumpet,” Celli said.  “And the music is challenging, and you’re able to improvise in it.”

In addition to their courses, students in the program marched in the Edmonds Fourth of July Parade, where students performed pep-band music and a flag routine.  They also went on three field trips, including a trip to Lynnwood Bowl & Skate and the local Kennelly Keys.

The students are giving free, public performances at 7 p.m. on July 15 in Mountlake Terrace’s gym and at 10:30 a.m. on July 16 in Edmonds City Park, at Third and Pine Streets.

“All of our kids, whether they’re fifth graders or some of them graduated from high school and came back [to mentor]… they all sit together and make music together,” Schillen said.  “It’s a beautiful thing.”

Registration for the 2011 SMS starts in March.  To register, fill out the form available at www.edmonds.wednet.edu and return it to the district’s Music Office. 

For more information on SMS, e-mail schillenj@edmonds.wednet.edu or call 425-431-5057.