Dorian Summer Camps

Every summer, around 400 student musicians entering grades 7, 8, and 9, spend a week at Luther College to study, explore, and perform music under the mentorship of Luther’s music faculty.

On a given day at camp, you will take part in ensemble rehearsals for band, choir, and/or orchestra, instrument-specific workshops, a wide variety of classes, and private lessons. In the evenings, you won’t know where the time has gone by participating in evening talent nights, concerts, walks into town, and a variety of sports. The camp ends with a grand concert in Luther’s Center for Faith and Life.

As a camper, you will live in residence halls on campus and eat meals at the college cafeteria. A dedicated, caring group of college-age counselors and Luther College alumni supervise the halls and daily activities.

The total camp fee for Dorian 2025 will be $690 which includes tuition, evening activities, room, and board. Optional private lessons are available at an additional cost of $50 for a pair of 20 minute lessons. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your camp enrollment.

Additional Dorian Details and Regulations

Click the link provided to view our Dorian Summer Camp Map of campus.

Campus Map for Dorian

All campers are required to participate in at least one of the large ensembles. The weekly schedule is set up to accommodate students who want to perform in both an instrumental ensemble (band or orchestra) and choir. The schedule does not allow for a student to participate in both band and orchestra. All ensembles are open to all campers, but there will be chair-placement auditions after registration for instrumentalists involved in orchestra, jazz, and band. Students should bring a short, prepared piece to play for the audition.

• Band: This is open to all who play woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. The full ensemble meets two periods per day. Meets periods 1 and 5.
• Choir: A mixed-voice ensemble open to all which meets two periods per day. Meets periods 2 and 6.
• Orchestra: During the Middle School Camp, this is a string-only ensemble. The full ensemble meets two periods per day, with a third period devoted to sectional rehearsals. All students should enroll in all three periods in order to play in the orchestra. Meets periods 1, 4, and 5.

Classes meet once each day, outside of the ensemble rehearsal times. With the few exceptions noted, there are no prerequisites for any of these classes. Students are encouraged to take one class each class period. Many classes do have enrollment limits, so early enrollment is suggested.

Recognizing that there may be a variety of experiences and abilities among the students in each class, the camp philosophy will be to try to individualize each class so that every student can be challenged, and move a step beyond whatever level they were at at the beginning of the camp week.

You can find all of the class offerings on the enrollment form, as well as on the live class offering document.

Class Offerings and Descriptions: Dorian 2025

Auditions:

• Instrumentalists should come with one prepared piece to play for each audition. Please choose something that showcases the student’s best abilities and demonstrates tone, range, technique, and musicality. An excerpt from a longer work is okay. Percussionists should prepare a snare and mallet etude/solo or an excerpt out of a methods book.
• Accompaniment will not be provided, nor is it necessary.
• Scales may be required as part of the audition to determine the student’s tone and range on their instrument.
• Sight-reading may be required as part of the audition to allow for the most accurate chair placements.
• No auditions are necessary for students registered for Choir, Brass Choir, Keyboard Workshop, Music Theater Workshop, Percussion Ensemble, or Woodwind Choir.
• For Jazz Band:  Click here for instrument specific guidance.
• For Chamber Choir: There is nothing to prepare for the Chamber Choir audition.

Chair Placement:

•  Campers registered for Concert Band or Orchestra are automatically members of these groups, however students will have to perform a chair-placement audition during the Sunday registration process.
• Chair placement auditions for Concert Band and Orchestra are held from approximately noon to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 15.

The 2025 camp fee is $690. The total camp fee will include tuition, evening activities, room, and board. Optional private lessons are available at an additional cost of $50 for a set of two 20 minute lessons.

Luther College is able to offer the following scholarship opportunity for families in need of financial assistance. In addition to this scholarship, we always encourage families to pursue scholarships through local organizations and music booster programs. Many of these places are happy to offer assistance if asked!

The deadline for scholarship applications will be Friday, May 3, 2025. Students should be enrolled in camp as soon as possible to give them the best chance of receiving the class choices that they would like, some of which have limited availability. If the scholarship is not able to be awarded, and the student is unable to attend camp as a result, the $50 deposit will be refunded to the family. 

Erik Hoefer Scholarship

Due: May 3, 2025

Erik Hoefer Scholarship Application

This is a $200 scholarship awarded to students with demonstrated financial need who could not attend Dorian Summer Camp without this assistance. This is a needs-based only scholarship. In order to apply for the scholarship, the camper family must submit a scholarship application, and two letters of reference must be submitted on the camper’s behalf. 

Please note that it is up to the parent or guardian applying for the scholarship to ensure that the application form and letters of support make it to the Dorian office by the deadline of May 3, 2025. We typically receive more scholarships than we are able to grant, so scholarships are given to the families whose support letters demonstrate the most financial need. For this reason, the May 3 deadline is very firm, and late applications are not able to be considered. Thank you for understanding. 

*Subject to minor changes. 

MS Daily Schedule

Every summer, around 400 student musicians entering grades 10, 11, 12, and recent high school graduates spend a week at Luther College to study, explore, and perform music under the mentorship of Luther’s music faculty.

On a given day at camp, you will take part in ensemble rehearsals for band, choir, and/or orchestra, instrument-specific workshops, a wide variety of classes, and private lessons. In the evenings, you won’t know where the time has gone by participating in evening talent nights, concerts, walks into town, and a variety of sports. The camp ends with a grand concert in Luther’s Center for Faith and Life.

As a camper, you will live in residence halls on campus and eat meals at the college cafeteria. A dedicated, caring group of college-age counselors and Luther College alumni supervise the halls and daily activities.

The total camp fee for Dorian 2025 will be $690 which includes tuition, evening activities, room, and board. Optional private lessons are available at an additional cost of $55 for a pair of half-hour lessons. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your camp enrollment.

Additional Dorian Details and Regulations

Click the link provided to view our Dorian Summer Camp Map of campus.

Campus Map

All campers are required to participate in at least one of the large ensembles. The weekly schedule is set up to accommodate students who want to perform in both an instrumental ensemble (band or orchestra) and choir. Woodwind and brass players are able to participate in both the orchestra and the band during high school week. All ensembles are open to all campers, but there will be chair-placement auditions after registration for instrumentalists involved in orchestra, jazz, or band. Students should bring a short, prepared piece to play for the audition.

• Band: This is open to all who play woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. The full ensemble meets two periods per day. Meets periods 1 and 5.
• Choir: A mixed-voice ensemble open to all which meets two periods per day. Meets periods 2 and 6.
• Orchestra: During the High School Camp, this is a string and wind ensemble. The full ensemble meets two periods per day, with a third period devoted to sectional rehearsals. All students should enroll in all three periods in order to play in the orchestra. Meets periods 1, 4, and 5.

Classes meet once each day, outside of the ensemble rehearsal times. With the few exceptions noted, there are no prerequisites for any of these classes. Students are encouraged to take one class each class period. Many classes do have enrollment limits, so early enrollment is suggested.

Recognizing that there may be a variety of experiences and abilities among the students in each class, the camp philosophy will be to try to individualize each class so that every student can be challenged, and move a step beyond whatever level they were at at the beginning of the camp week.

You can find all of the class offerings on the enrollment form, as well as our live document.

Class Offerings and Descriptions: Dorian 2025

Auditions:

• Instrumentalists should come with one prepared piece to play for each audition. Please choose something that showcases the student’s best abilities and demonstrates tone, range, technique, and musicality. An excerpt from a longer work is okay. Percussionists should prepare a snare and mallet etude/solo or an excerpt out of a methods book.
• Accompaniment will not be provided, nor is it necessary.
• Scales may be required as part of the audition to determine the student’s tone and range on their instrument.
• Sight-reading may be required as part of the audition to allow for the most accurate chair placements.
• No auditions are necessary for students registered for Choir, Brass Choir, Keyboard Workshop, Music Theater Workshop, Percussion Ensemble, or Woodwind Choir.
• For Jazz Band: Click here for instrument specific guidance.
• For Chamber Choir: There is nothing to prepare for the Chamber Choir audition.

Chair Placement:

•  Campers registered for Concert Band or Orchestra are automatically members of these groups, however students will have to perform a chair-placement audition during the Sunday registration process.
• Chair placement auditions for Concert Band and Orchestra are held from approximately noon to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 22.

The 2025 camp fee is $690. The total camp fee will include tuition, evening activities, room, and board. Optional private lessons are available at an additional cost of $55 for a set of two 30-minute lessons.

Luther College is able to offer the following scholarship opportunity for families in need of financial assistance. In addition to this scholarship, we always encourage families to pursue scholarships through local organizations and music booster programs. Many of these places are happy to offer assistance if asked!

The deadline for scholarship applications is May 3, 2025. Students should be enrolled in camp as soon as possible to give them the best chance of receiving the class choices that they would like, some of which have limited availability. If the scholarship is not able to be awarded, and the student is unable to attend camp as a result, the $50 deposit will be refunded to the family. 

Erik Hoefer Scholarship

Due: May 3, 2025

Erik Hoefer Scholarship Application

This is a $200 scholarship awarded to students with demonstrated financial need who could not attend Dorian Summer Camp without this assistance. This is a needs-based only scholarship. In order to apply for the scholarship, the camper family must submit a scholarship application, and two letters of reference must be submitted on the camper’s behalf. 

Please note that it is up to the parent or guardian applying for the scholarship to ensure that the application form and letters of support make it to the Dorian office by the deadline of May 3. We typically receive more scholarships than we are able to grant, so scholarships are given to the families whose support letters demonstrate the most financial need. For this reason, the May 3 deadline is very firm, and late applications are not able to be considered. Thank you for understanding. 

The Dorian Summer Music Camp Scholarship for Advancing Passion for the Performing Arts

Due: May 3, 2025

Passion Scholarship Application

This fund is intended to provide a full camp scholarship for one student entering grade 11 or 12, with demonstrated financial need, who show a deep passion for pursuing the performing arts, with preference given to qualified US students who bring diversity to the Dorian Summer Music Program. In order to apply for the scholarship, the camper must submit a scholarship application and an essay, and two letters of reference must be submitted on the camper’s behalf. 

*Subject to minor changes. 

HS Daily Schedule