In 1945, Elizabeth “Ma” Sonier, choral director at the Gilbert school in Winsted, sought to create a place where students could work with a high quality conductor during the summer.  Joining with music educators from across the state, Ma rented cottages along Highland Lake.  High school students biked in each day for what was an intensive week of vocal rehearsals with Noble Cain, the 1945 All-State Choral Director.  This was the start of what would later be named Laurel Music Camp.

The following summer, Laurel Music Camp, as we know it today, made it’s debut at Camp Workcoeman on West Hill pond in New Hartford.  Students from around Connecticut met there for a week of music and fellowship.  Now, many years later, campers and staff come from the New England area and across the country to gather in the very same place and continue the traditions.

Ma’s dream and vision for the people around her continue to be realized.  Although today’s campers have never met her, they will leave camp, and return in summers to come, with the benefits of Ma’s love and devotion to “Fellowship through Music.”

Commencing from June 23 of 1945, when Gilbert (Winsted) Choir students bicycled to and from the rehearsals at Carey Point, Highland Lake, the site of the first camp session, until June 21st of 2008, music has brought together many individuals who have shared their musical talents within the hills of Northwest Connecticut.

On a cold March day in 1946, three Connecticut music educators (G. Albert Pearson, Doris Rayner, and Betty Sonier), together with three members of Tunxis, now Connecticut Rivers, Council of Boy Scouts (Prosper Lavieri, Walter Davey, and Merle Hildreth) stood on a barren hillside at Camp Workcoeman and chose it to be the site of Laurel Music Camp.  For 67 years music has drifted across West Hill Pond  and hundreds of young and old have relived Joe Soifer’s motto -- FELLOWSHIP THROUGH MUSIC.