Lawrence University will host the new Lawrence Music Camp in mid-July, adding to a musical summer on campus that will again include the annual Decoda Chamber Music Festival and participation in downtown Appleton’s Mile of Music.
The Lawrence Music Camp is a new week-long camp for high school musicians. Set for July 14-19, it will feature a free concert at 5:30 p.m. July 18 in Lawrence’s Harper Hall. The camp provides a small group of high school pianists and string players the opportunity to hone their classical performance and chamber music skills. It will include chamber rehearsals and coaching, private lessons, symposia, and skills-development workshops led by faculty Clara Lyon, violin; Hannah Collins, cello; Matthew Michelic, viola; and Michael Mizrahi, piano.
Led by world-class instructors and musicians, the Lawrence Summer Music Institute offers an immersive environment that provides the support and inspiration needed for young, high-school-aged musicians to develop their craft.
The Decoda Chamber Music Festival, meanwhile, will be held on the Lawrence campus for the third year, running July 24 to Aug. 5. It brings 28 pre-professional artists from all over the world to Appleton for instruction, collaboration, and a series of public performances. Decoda was founded in 2012 by musicians who first collaborated as members of Ensemble Connect, a two-year fellowship program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the NYC Department of Education.
“We are continuing to expand summer musical programming here at Lawrence, and we are particularly excited to be creating an opportunity for high schoolers with the new Lawrence Music Camp,” said Mizrahi, the Frank C. Shattuck Professor of Piano at Lawrence and director of both summer music programs. “These programs allow us to deepen the ties between Lawrence and Appleton while offering a unique, high-quality musical experience for the young artists participating. These programs will be another way in which Lawrence augments its national profile as a leader in music performance and education.”
This summer program will help advanced students grow their instrumental music skills.
Eight of the students attending the Decoda Chamber Music Festival are from Lawrence. The festival is a two-week music program for college-aged musicians and provides multiple free public concerts in late July and early August. It relocated to Appleton from the East Coast two years ago and will again collaborate with Mile of Music, featuring several public performances.
Mile of Music, an all-original music festival in downtown Appleton, runs Aug. 3-6. In addition to Decoda’s participation, the festival will feature multiple venues on the Lawrence campus and Music Education Team programming that is led by Lawrence faculty, students, and alumni.
In addition to Mizrahi, Decoda faculty include Catherine Gregory, flute; Alicia Lee, clarinet; Brad Balliett, bassoon; Clara Lyon, violin; Dana Kelley, viola; Claire Bryant, cello; and Kris Saebo, double bass.
Support for the Decoda Chamber Music Festival includes grants from the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, Lawrence University, Riverview Gardens, 91.1 The Avenue, and the Menasha Corporation Foundation.
Decoda performances include:
- 7 p.m. July 24: Decoda Concert No. 1, Gibson Community Music Hall
- 5:30 p.m. July 27: Performance class with Decoda artists, Lawrence’s Harper Hall
- 7 p.m. July 28: Decoda in concert, Lawrence Memorial Chapel
- 7 p.m. July 29: Decoda Chamber Music Festival Young Artists Concert No. 1, Lawrence Memorial Chapel
- 1 p.m. July 30: Decoda Chamber Music Festival Young Artists Concert No. 2, Lawrence Memorial Chapel
During Mile of Music, Decoda participants will collaborate with visiting musicians to create original arrangements and compositions, designing 50-minute performance sets. The performances include:
- 11 a.m. Aug. 3: Mile of Music kickoff featuring Decoda, Lawrence Memorial Chapel
- 11 a.m. Aug. 4: Mile of Music DCMF Young Artist Showcase No. 1, Hilton Paper Valley Ballroom
- 2 p.m. Aug. 4: Mile of Music DCMF Young Artist Showcase No. 2, Riverview Gardens
- 10:30 a.m. Aug. 5: Mile of Music DCMF Young Artist Showcase No. 3, Copper Rock Coffee Co.
- 5 p.m. Aug. 5: Mile of Music DCMF Young Artist Showcase No. 4, Fox Valley Performing Arts Center
Sarah Pedlar '25 contributed to this report.
Ed Berthiaume
Ed Berthiaume is director of public information at Lawrence University.