The Community Vision Fund, a fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, provided a grant to support Lawrence University’s Summer Music programs – the Lawrence Chamber Music Festival and Lawrence Summer Music Institute – which bring talented high school and college-age music education and free performances to the Fox Cities each summer. The unique combination of classical training, leadership development, and public performance benefits both the participating students and our local community.

“We’re excited to support the Lawrence Summer Music Programs again this year to continue to help develop young artists and make classical music more accessible to audiences throughout the area”, said Carolyn Desrosiers, Director of Community Engagement.

 Lawrence Chamber Music Festival

The Chamber Festival is a two-week summer program designed for college-level, pre-professional musicians seeking intensive training and meaningful community engagement. Students refine their chamber music skills, gain performance experience, and participate in workshops covering technique, communication, and artistic leadership. This year, the festival takes place from July 21 to August 2.

Students not only train with experts, but they also perform alongside them. These collaborative concerts are free and open to the public, taking place in venues like the Lawrence University Memorial Chapel, Gibson Community Music Hall, and Riverview Gardens. See the full schedule here: https://www.lawrence.edu/summer-lawrence/lawrence-chamber-music-festival.

Photo Credit: Jenny Kozoroz

The Chamber Festival also provides students with a rare opportunity to collaborate with musicians outside the classical genre. In partnership with Appleton’s Mile of Music, all 42 Lawrence Chamber Music Festival students are collaborating with Mile of Music singer/songwriters to co-create original works that blend classical music with genres such as hip-hop, roots, and Native American folk. The program concludes with a live performance at the Mile of Music festival, where students present both their classical pieces and genre-blended collaborations to a broader audience.

“The unique musical experiences at our summer music programs build more than musical skill. By engaging in peer collaboration, community interaction, and cross-genre exploration, students also develop critical thinking, creativity, and leadership skills,” said Michael Mizrahi, Frank C Shattuck Professor of Music and Director of Summer Music Programs at Lawrence University. “These benefits align with national research, which shows that students involved in the arts tend to perform better academically and socially. Music education, in particular, is linked to improved standardized test scores, higher graduation and attendance rates, and stronger emotional well-being.”

Lawrence Summer Music Institute

In addition to the chamber festival, the Summer Music Institute, which took place last week, brought together high school string players and pianists, including several local students, with

July 10, 2025. Photo by Danny Damiani Photography LLC

students from around the country for a week-long program in Appleton. Approximately 32 high school students participated in this year’s Lawrence Summer Music Institute, including 11 from Wisconsin. The students performed several concerts, both on the Lawrence campus and in the community at locations such as Eagle Point Assisted Living.

Lawrence University’s commitment to high-quality arts education and public engagement supports emerging musicians and enriches the cultural life of the Fox Valley region.