About Cannon Music Camp
Explore your passion for music at our historic summer music camp, now in its 56th year!
Saturday, June 22 - Saturday, July 13, 2024
Cannon Music Camp is open to dedicated musicians who are current eighth graders (rising ninth graders) through graduating high school seniors.
- Ensemble performances (band, orchestra, choir, jazz, and small groups)
- Music theory instruction
- Weekly lessons and masterclasses
- College campus experience
- Open to vocalists and instrumentalists (woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion, piano, harp, guitar)
NEW! Camper Packet and Handbooks
NEW! Campers and families, please read and bookmark the Camper Packet below as an essential reference for your 2024 camp experience. These documents have been updated with 2024 dates and policies. Returning campers will find that most of the content is the same except for some changes to the elective signup process. We're excited for campers to enjoy their meals in the newly renovated Rivers Street Café!
2024 Camper Packet
A few key items from the packet include...
Don't forget to turn in these last two forms at registration/check-in!
(Unlike previous forms, do not email these to the camp office - please bring the signed forms to check-in instead.)
Experience Appalachian State University
Cannon Music Camp is a preview of the music major college experience, although with more structure and supervision since campers range from 14 to 18. Many campers go on to enroll at App State! Campers travel in small to large groups with counselors (all musicians) and fellow campers.
Much like App State students, campers will eat in the dining hall, stay in a dorm, and attend music classes, lessons, and rehearsals in the same classrooms used by music students during the school year - often taught by Hayes School of Music professors. It is a fantastic way to prepare for college auditions or ensemble placement auditions!
Camp Schedule
This is a three-week camp from June 22 - July 13, 2024. Each camper has their own schedule with plenty of opportunities to focus or to try something new! Regular tuition includes ensembles (including secondary ensembles), music theory classes, and 3 lessons on the camper’s primary instrument/voice with a college-level instructor. See typical activities for each instrument area or see sample schedules per instrument.
For an extra charge ($75-150 per elective), campers can choose to add these optional electives:
3 lessons on a secondary instrument/voice
Piano Class - develop essential keyboard skills and artistry
Alexander Technique - build confidence and address performance anxiety
Auditions
No audition is needed to apply to camp! Instead, we collect recommendations for each camper from their music teacher and school administrator.
If a camper wishes to apply for a scholarship, an audition is required in the scholarship application process.
After arriving on campus, all campers audition the first weekend of camp to determine their placement in ensembles. Placement audition information can be found here.
Activities and Entertainment
Camp “counselors” (typically upper level music education majors or current public school music teachers) lead a variety of activities throughout the camp, such as going out to eat, shopping on King Street, running club, concerts, game nights, pie fights, yard games, etc. The Talent Show always showcases some surprising talents and entertaining skits. A cookout and a formal banquet mark the 4th of July and the last week of camp.
An Appalachian Summer Festival
The Cannon Music Camp experience includes tickets to select performances by world-class artists at An Appalachian Summer Festival! Visit appsummer.org for examples of musicians who have performed at past festivals. A full lineup of next summer's artists will be formally announced in early Spring, but will include exciting performances by an award-winning vocal ensemble, a world-renowned brass quintet, and the nationally recognized Eastern Music Festival Orchestra! The specific concerts campers will have access to are to be determined, but campers can look forward to making fantastic musical memories with acclaimed artists visiting App State's campus.
Dining
Campers will have their meals at the newly renovated Rivers Street Café, an all-you-care-to-eat college dining hall where one swipe offers access to a variety of self-serve stations such as pizza, chicken tenders and fries, build-your-own salad bar, vegetarian and vegan selections, drink fountain, desserts, and a rotating menu of creative entrees and sides to try. New this year, campers can check details of the week’s menu (including several dietary concerns and preferences) through NutriSlice.
Campus
Campers will live in a dorm on App State’s Boone campus. The campus boasts beautiful mountain views, especially from the Broyhill Music Center and Rivers Street! Campers can expect about an hour of walking a day between dorm, meals, and classes, including several trips up and down hills. The camp is fully residential, with students remaining on campus the entire time unless checked out by family members for a visit. Campers’ halls are organized by age group and gender, so campers will be living with others close to their age.
Cost and Scholarships
The complete cost of camp for 2024 is $2,700. This includes all classes, ensembles, housing, dining, concerts, activities, etc. for three weeks. (The only costs not already included are additional optional electives, ranging from $75-150 per elective.)
Campers can apply for a scholarship by sending an audition video or auditioning in person for a camp representative. Find complete scholarship information at cannon.appstate.edu/scholarships.
If you are interested in supporting scholarships for campers, please visit our Giving page to give online or learn more.
Applying to Camp
Ready to apply or want to learn more? See our application process and policies (including payment policies, waitlist and withdrawal information, and required forms) at cannon.appstate.edu/apply.