Summertime, if not a break, often brings a more relaxed schedule. It’s the perfect time to spend a little more time on making your a cappella better. Here are a few ways you can put the free(er) time to use and get a jumpstart on the fall:

Listen
No matter what aspect of a cappella you want to improve on, you can get there by doing more listening. Listen to a cappella and non-a cappella. Both can give you ideas on better arranging techniques, better singing, better songwriting, better recording—the list goes on. The more listening you do, the more your creative world opens and the more tools you’ll add to your own kit. Explore Spotify and YouTube, exchange playlists with friends and co-workers, and get your hands on compilations like BOCA/BOHSA, sing, and Voices Only.

Write
When the season is on, sometimes it’s all about creating on a deadline. Sometimes great things come from deadlines, but you may find that you work best without the stress and pressure. Take the time to write or sing for yourself. You may discover something great.

Save
Some pretty amazing opportunities happen during the school year: festivals, competitions, concerts, and more. Don’t wait for a life-changing opportunity to pop up to worry about how you’ll pay for it. Start planning for it now and then the finances won’t be as big of a hurdle later. Whether it’s setting aside a small percentage of your income, picking up a part-time job, or making a little money with your existing skills, the reward will be worth the effort.

Plan
There are a lot of events that now happen on an annual basis—often in the same location and around the same time of year. Take a look at your calendar and see which events you’d like to fit in on your calendar. Once you prioritize, it’s easier to plan out the rest of your schedule to prepare to get the most out of the events you’ve chosen.

Set Goals
Where would you like to be at this time next year? Take some time to think about the end game and then break it down into reasonable action items to help you get there.

Retreat
If your group has the opportunity to meet for a few days over the summer, a couple of days away from the real world can be both restorative and productive. Book a cabin or a beach house and spend some time getting to know each other better and getting a jump start on your fall rep.

Get Intense
Summertime means summer camp and the good news is that there are more and more options for not only kids but also adults. Here are just a few of the events happening this summer—some are still accepting registrations.

Camp A Cappella
When: June 24-29
Where: Dayton, OH
Ages: All
No audition required.

A Cappella Academy
When: Early July
Where: Los Angeles, CA
Ages: High School
Audition required. Auditions occur in mid-winter.

A Cappella University
When: July 9-14
Where: Parkside, WI
Ages: Students & Educators
No audition required.

Sing Out Loud
When: July 23-27
Where: Oakland, CA
Ages: 8-13 & 13-18
Audition only required for advanced section.

Mouth Music (Whole Body Singing)
When: July 30-Aug 3
Where: Boulder, CO
Ages: Teens, Adults
No audition required.

How will you spend your summer?