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What does it take to go from teen camper to owner and director of a beloved summer music camp? In this inspiring episode, Kate sits down with violist and music educator Cara Bergantino, who now leads Camp Encore Coda in Maine. Cara shares her journey from reluctant day camper to passionate overnight camper—and how her love for the program led her to buy the camp she once attended.

They dive into:

The unexpected lessons of arts camp leadership

How to create a non-competitive, nurturing space for young artists

The impact of COVID on music education and teen development

What today’s kids really need—and how parents can support their growth

How to market meaningfully to both kids and their families

The business aspects that came naturally to Cara as an artist, and those that proved challenging.  How changing their approach to email marketing has made a world of difference. 

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or artist dreaming of launching something big, this episode is full of heart, practical insight, and inspiration.

My guest, Cara Bergantino, is a violist and music educator who has taught for over a decade in the Greater Boston area. At age 13, Cara began attending Camp Encore/Coda, an overnight music camp in Maine, and fell in love with it. Over the course of the next 20 summers, Cara worked her way up at Encore/Coda and took over as Owner and Director in 2022.

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education with a concentration in viola performance from New York University, and a Master’s Degree in Arts Administration from Boston University.

Learn more about Camp Encore Coda

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