Though he recently retired from Eureka College as professor of music Dr. Joseph Henry remains heavily involved in music and recently hosted the annual Eureka College Summer Choral Camp. Henry also serves as the artistic director and conductor of the Peoria Area Civic Chorale and has plans to open a voice and piano studio. (Photo courtesy of Peoria Civic Chorale)

Eureka College Professor of Music, Dr. Joseph Henry was playing it by ear when he began hosting a summer choral camp.

Nearly two decades later, the popular summer program has continued annually, with campers singing its praises year after year. On June 13, the curtain dropped on the college’s 19th choral camp.

“When we started, I didn’t know how long this would go on,” Henry, now retired from Eureka College, said, “but it’s gone on each year, without a hitch.”

The week-long program hosts up to 60 students from eighth grade to graduating high school seniors, and exposes campers to small ensemble and large group instruction.

Groups are led by professional vocalists from whom the students can gain individual instruction, while socializing with peers who share the same musical interests.

Tuition ranges from $370 to $470, and private 30-minute studio voice lessons are available for $15 each. During the week, campers join in on advanced singing instruction and rehearsals, square dancing to a live country band, an all-camp talent show and a public grand finale concert performance.

“This year we had 42 students, and no more than 60 is what we can handle,” Henry said. “I never wanted it to be so big that I didn’t get the chance to meet all of the students.”

Learning experiences are comprehensive and accelerated, he said, and campers study and perform Illinois Music Education Association pieces to prepare them for IMEA auditions.

A standard choral camp repertoire includes work by George Frideric Handel, Felix Mendelssohn, Stephen Foster, and Richard Rogers. Most of the activities are held on the second level of the historic McCallister Hall Chapel.

In his 41-year teaching career, Henry served as the college’s professor of music for 27 years, until his recent retirement. He currently is the artistic director of the Peoria Area Civic Chorale, and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and the Helen Cleaver Award for Excellence in Teaching at Eureka College.

This year, instructors included Dunlap High School Director of Choral Activities Jennifer Reece, Midland High School Music Director Beth Rock. Holy Family Organist and Assistant Director John Clark served as accompanist.

Former Choral Camp student and Eureka College voice studio instructor Libby Moore also instructed. Most of the instructors have participated in the camp since its start in 2000. Moore is a former choral camper.

“Libby was in the first cohort in the year 2000, and has been an adjunct voice instructor at the college,” Henry said. “It’s wonderful to see these students go on to do some really great things.”

Chrys and Jessica Wilson met at the 2007 Choral Camp and later married. The couple visited the campus to share their story and talents with this year’s campers.

The Wilsons both studied music in college, and perform as singers and songwriters in their musical group, Projekts.

“We did something incredibly surreal yesterday, we went back to where it all began,” Jessica posted to Facebook July 12. “We are so fortunate to return to this campus and perform for all of the camp goers … what an unbelievable feeling singing in McCallister Hall again, with my love, and reminiscing on that life changing week.”

A life-changing week for many, Henry said, because not all participants have developed a particular passion for music, until becoming exposed to the fundamentals that lead them to a more fulfilling experience.

“I was a musically-inclined student, but I was a student athlete and a state javelin champ,” Henry said of his upbringing in Maine. “It’s very natural for athletes to become interested when they are introduced to music. When I first started teaching, I would play basketball with varsity, then I invited them to be in ‘South Pacific.’ It was a great musical, they really loved it, and they joined the high school choir.”

Chrys and Jessica Wilson met at the 2007 Eureka College Summer Choral Camp, and later married. The couple perform original music as a duet, and returned to campus this year to visit the 2018 campers. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Wilson)

Musical skills are practiced, he said, and worked at through repetition. “We take a block of marble and keep chipping away at things in the music, things that don’t belong for the individual, until we get our final result.”

Despite his recent retirement, Henry’s career is still humming along with the Peoria Civic Chorale, with which he has presented performances in Germany, Switzerland and Australia. He also has collaborated with the Peoria Symphony, Central Illinois Jazz and Heartland Festival orchestras, the Peoria Ballet, Opera Peoria and the Heritage Ensemble.

“I just stepped down as professor of music after 27 years, but I still have a lot of energy left in my tank,” Henry said, adding that he may soon open a voice and piano studio.

—-  Singers soar at annual Eureka Choral Camp  —-