LPS summer music clinic creates choral foundations for students

July 2, 2025

Singing, dancing and smiling were all on the list of lyrical achievements for nearly three dozen Lincoln Public Schools fifth graders this summer.

Students from 15 elementary schools formed a cheerful choir during the 2025 LPS Summer Choral Music Camp. The weeklong vocal clinic took place at Irving Middle School and focused on many types of musical topics. The group learned about various singing techniques, how to create harmonies and melodies and how to work together on choreography.

Joviella and Claire were two of the 35 singers who completed fifth grade this spring. Both said they had enjoyed the rehearsals leading up to the camp’s final concert. Many family members filled seats in Irving’s auditorium to watch students fill the air with noteworthy numbers.

“I decided to come to camp because I love to sing and I love to dance, and that’s what this camp is all about,” Claire said. “I’m really glad I came.”

“I decided to come because I’m going to this school this year, and I love to sing,” Joviella said. “It’s fun singing in a group.”

Those types of enthusiastic responses are why Mike Robb founded the fifth grade camp 16 years ago. Robb, the 2024 Scottish Rite Educator of the Year, has taught general music and choir at Irving since 2001. He wanted to give young singers a place to build strong foundations for their future vocal careers.

“The fifth grade choir camp is very important for our LPS students because it allows them to experience what choir can be like if they participate at the middle school level,” Robb said. “We learn about how the voice works, talk about healthy vocal techniques, sing different parts and do lots of choreography.”

Students spent three hours each day preparing for the concert in large and small groups. They memorized two standalone songs and a full medley of tunes from the Disney musical “The Lion King.” They added many choreographic elements to “The Lion King” portion of their recital, which included popular songs such as “Hakuna Matata.”

Joviella and Claire said it was exciting to learn how to blend a wide range of voices together for the final presentation.

“I really like singing in a group like this,” Joviella said. “It’s fun singing with harmonies and melodies.”

“We learned a little bit on how there’s different sections when you sing, and how to focus on making music with others and not just with yourself,” Claire said. “Being able to make your sounds match with other people’s sounds around you is fun.”

Middle school students Violet, Zoe, CeCe and Joslyn assisted Robb throughout the week. They developed the sequence of steps and hand motions that fifth graders used on stage for the songs and medleys. They also led musical games with singers and served as encouraging role models for everyone there.

“I really liked doing the choreography and helping with that,” Zoe said. “It was fun to watch the kids learn it and get better at it.”

“I’ve loved talking with the kids,” Violet said. “They’ve been a lot of fun to be around.”

Robb said he enjoys leading students from across the city each year at the clinic. The camp gives singers a chance to meet new friends who share the same musical interests. It also serves as a springboard to a larger middle school vocal camp that takes place each summer. More than 80 singers in grades 6-8 came together for activities at Irving the previous week.

“I love it when we have the opportunity to work with these singers through the fifth grade camp and into our LPS middle school summer choir camp for sixth, seventh and eighth grade,” Robb said. “This year we had a ton of eighth graders who participated in our LPS summer choir camps for all four years.”

Claire said her camp experience reinforced how much pure joy can come from singing together. She was happy that she had chosen to spend time with new friends in their cheerful LPS choir.

“I think you can make really beautiful music when you’re singing,” Claire said. “I think it’s fun to make it with a group where there’s all these different sounds and all different types of voices.”

Want to learn more about music programs at LPS? Visit home.lps.org/music to explore information about music curriculum, citywide performing groups and a fine arts calendar.

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