For the next week, Eastern will play host to musicians from all over the United States.

The Eastern Music Camp started Sunday, and its appeal has brought students from across the nation to Eastern’s campus.

Danelle Larson, director of the Eastern Music Camp, said middle school and high school students from as far as Texas have flocked to Charleston for the camp.

“We have kids from all over the place,” she said. “This year, we have one student from Texas as well as some from Indiana and Missouri.”

The camp offers seminars in concert band, jazz band, choir, strings and piano.

Larson, who is in her second year as the camp’s director, said about 200 students have enrolled in the program.

“The camp is open to students from sixth grade to those who just graduated high school,” Larson said.

“We offer campers classes and rehearsals from Monday to Friday, and then Saturday is ‘concert day,’” she said.

A typical day for the campers starts with breakfast at Taylor Dining Hall, and includes two class sessions, three rehearsals and free time for private lessons.

Larson said the university’s music department is quite proud of the 45 Eastern faculty members who work with the students, and said those professors and recently graduated students as integral to the camp’s success.

“We are really thankful for the counselors who help out with the camp,” Larson said. “They help out and supervise the kids at night.”

Larson said the camp is a great way to expose young musicians to Eastern’s music program, and that the camp has helped motivate future students to attend Eastern.

“We do use it as a recruiting tool for Eastern, but also as an educational tool for aspiring young students,” she said.

Larson said some of the campers have the opportunity to earn scholarships while attending the camp.

“A lot of Illinois public schools raise money for music students, and this year, Eastern budgeted money to give out scholarships to some of the campers,” she said. “This year, we are giving scholarships to the students who made it to the all-state competition.”

Larson said the camp culminates on Saturday afternoon, when campers come together to perform in a talent show in various parts of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

Students are encouraged to prepare for the show, which is not limited to instrumental performances.

“Saturday is a mixture of fun and goofy performances as well as musical performances,” Larson said. “We encourage the campers to perform, even if it’s something like juggling.”

Larson said while most of the concert’s attendees are parents picking their children up from camp, she hopes more Charleston residents and Eastern students come to watch this year.

Larson said she hopes for a big turn out this summer.

The concert starts at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Dvorak Concert Hall and is free of charge.

John Downen can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected].