Cannon Music Camp

Explore your passion for music at our historic summer music camp, now in its 57th year! 

Saturday, June 21 - Saturday, July 12, 2025

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)

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!

This is a three-week camp from June 21 - July 12, 2025. 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

• 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.

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.

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. (In 2024, we had masterclasses with Chanticleer and the Canadian Brass!) A full lineup of next summer's artists will be formally announced in early Spring. 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.

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.

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.

The complete cost of camp for 2025 is $2,950. This includes all classes, ensembles, housing, dining, concerts, activities, etc. for three weeks. (The only instructional costs not already included are certain optional electives, ranging from $75-150 per elective.)

NEW for 2025: an updated scholarship process with more opportunities for you! Students can apply for a scholarship by sending an audition video or auditioning in person for a camp representative. This year, campers can now apply for an increase to their scholarship, especially if financial need would make it difficult to come to camp. 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.

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.

Camp applications will re-open in December 2024.