June 22-27
Middle School Choir Camp
Whether you’ve been singing in choir for years or just starting out- this camp is for you.
Residential Tuition…………..$895
Commuter Tuition…………..$695
MS Choir Camp Fee………….$30
- For Students grades 6-12
- Adult registration as Commuter and only with instructor consent
About
The Middle School Choir Camp is an exciting Shell Lake Arts Center opportunity to sing in choir. Students in this camp will learn diverse music from all around the world, develop music literacy skills, explore various interests such as classroom instruments and movement activities, all while singing with other students who REALLY want to sing!
The main goals of this camp are to develop vocal range, refine part singing abilities and improve tone by applying appropriate pedagogical techniques within the choral environment. Students who attend camp will grow, learn and have a blast! No experience is necessary to attend this camp.
Sample Schedule
Wake-up
7:15 a.m.
Breakfast
8:00 a.m.
Full Choir Rehearsal
9:00 a.m.
Sectionals
10:00 a.m.
Special Interest Sessions
11:00 a.m.
Lunch
12:00 p.m.
Sectionals
1:00 p.m.
Large Group Vocal Rehearsal
1:45 p.m.
Free Time / Small Group Enrichment
3:00 p.m.
Dinner
5:00 p.m.
Evening Concerts / Camp Activities
7:00 p.m.
Free Time
Lights-out
10:00 p.m.
Meet the Instructors
About the Program Director
Cera Babb is the Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where she conducts the Chamber Singers, Concert Choir, and Treble Choir, and teaches courses in Conducting and Music Education. An active clinician with honor choirs and festivals around the country, Babb’s work focuses on fostering enriching, meaningful, and musically excellent experiences with musicians and their communities. Babb’s research interests include assessing the impact of choral music on communities, investigating the work of underrepresented musicians, and fostering student success at the post-secondary level. She holds a D.M.A. in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Oregon, and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Delaware. Babb is the recipient of the Robert A. Harris Award for Excellence in Choral Performance, the Charles K. Smith Endowed Fellowship in Graduate Choral
Conducting, the Graduate Employee Award of Excellence in Ensemble Teaching, and the Johns Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Faculty Member: Tamara Smith
Tamara Smith, Shell Lake Arts Center Collaborative Accompanist, maintains an active schedule in Northwest Wisconsin with a variety of things related to piano and as a free-lance musician. Private piano lessons are provided at her Studio in Shell Lake, and she serves as accompanist for area schools including Barron 7-12, Bloomer 7-12, Cameron K-4, Cumberland 5-12, Hayward 9-12, Shell Lake 7-12, and Spooner high school musicals. As Trinity Lutheran Church Minister of Music in Spooner, she directs the Celebration Choir and plays for services with other talented musicians. Tamara recently began tuning pianos after an apprenticeship with Steve Carlson and working through the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology coursework. She graduated from UW-Eau Claire with a BME-Instrumental degree, taught for three years in northwestern Wisconsin, and after 17 years in Metropolitan Denver, returned to her native Shell Lake with her wonderful husband and two outstanding daughters.
As the Shell Lake Collaborative Accompanist, Tamara accompanies all camps and programs as required. She has been a faculty member at the Shell Lake Arts Center Show Choir Accompanist and other high school and college-level camps since 1978; administrative staff person for 12 years; and a camper for nearly ten years with middle and high school camps and college-level courses.
Additional Information
Questions? Feel free to contact us for any additional information.
Accommodations
Lodges are available for the duration of the camp session. They are supervised by a professional counseling staff on duty 24 hours each day and meals are prepared under the supervision of a state-approved dietitian.
Commuter Expectations
Commuter students are expected to remain at camp until the day’s activities are completed (Typically 9:am-8pm).
Registrations
Online registrations are accepted until the camp is full. Students may be placed on a waiting list if desired. A camp registration form is sent after payment is received. All cancellations must be made in writing and received 3 weeks in advance of the start of camp for a full refund. A $100.00 fee will be deducted from your refund. Refunds less than three weeks before camp will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Residential Tuition
Our student tuition is $895 per student and includes instructional fees, room and board and a camp t shirt which will be worn at the final performance. Please refer to the registration materials found on our registration site at Ultracamp for complete details. A $100 down payment is due at the time of registration. The remaining balance can be paid at the time of registration or in equal monthly installments. All Tuition must be paid before arrival at camp.
Commuter Tuition
This option is for campers that want to attend our camps but not stay in our dorms, The $695 tuition covers instructional fees, a camp T-Shirt which will be worn at the final performance, meals, and evening activities. Commuters arrive for their first class by 9AM, and can be picked up any time after evening activities conclude (usually around 8pm).
Check-in / Check-out
Check in begins at 2pm on Sunday of the week your camp begins. All medical, dietary, and consent forms must be completed in UltraCamp before arriving at camp. Additional information will be emailed to you approximately 4 weeks before camp begins.
Scholarships
Each year, the Arts Center raises funds for the scholarship program. If you are interested in applying for an Arts Center scholarship, please visit our website
Additional Information
To request disability accommodations, or other special requests, please contact the Arts Center at least two weeks in advance of camp. More information about camp and all of the opportunities available at the Shell Lake Arts Center can be found on our website.
Participants are admitted without regard to race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. The Shell Lake Arts Center is an inclusive organization, and we accept all artists and musicians.