The Atlantic Music Festival, hosted at Colby College in Waterville, Maine every year since 2009, brings together hundreds of emerging artists in Waterville, Maine to celebrate the work of musical masters from June 27 until July 24.
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The festival is composed of various programs from opera to conducting to composition to piano and more. Musicians come from all over the world, with at least twenty different countries being represented in 2016, to practice and play together.
Whether you’re a participant, an audience member, or a staff member, the AMF is the perfect place to have the time of your life while also being surrounded by some of the best musicians in the world. Here are 10 reasons why you should visit the Atlantic Music Festival this year, or sometime in your life.
1. You’ll make amazing friends.
Music festivals, believe it or not, are not solely about the music. At the AMF, all staff and participants live in dorms on campus. That means all down time can be spent meeting new people, and socializing with friends. Everyone at the AMF is, obviously, a music lover, so being surrounded by nearly 200 people who share your interests can lead to some of the closest friendships of your life.
2. New connections.
Aside from or in addition to your new friends, the AMF provides participants and staff alike with valuable connections. Whether that’s a world renowned musician or a supervisor, having a superior on your side can help greatly in the future.
3. Colby College is beautiful!
Not only is Waterville, Maine an incredible college town, Colby’s campus itself is beautiful. With a gorgeous pond, and plenty of paths to walk on, it’s the perfect place to spend time with your new friends during Maine’s famous summer days.
4. The staff.
Though I may be a bit biased on this one, the staff of the Atlantic Music Festival is some of the best in the world. We are available nearly 24/7 to deal with each and every request from the participants, and are genuinely happy to be working. We love the festival just as much, if not more, than the participants.
5. The music.
Most obviously, everyone should come to the AMF for the music. No matter if you’re a pop, metal, or Bach fan, you can’t help but be in awe of all the talent here. Musicians from all over the world, many wildly successful, gather together to show what they can do, and teach others. It’s impossible to walk anywhere around campus at any time of day without hearing at least one person playing music.
So whether you’re a musician yourself, hoping to one day work for the AMF, or just a music lover looking for a concert to attend, the Atlantic Music Festival is the place to be. No matter which aspect of the festival you are a part of, I can guarantee you will have a good time. If you can’t make it this year, don’t worry, there’s always next! You won’t regret it.
