|
"Only the best is good enough for a child." — Zoltan Kodaly
The Youth Choir was formed in 1990, and continues a tradition that dates back to at least the 4th Century, from which dates the earliest records of children singing during worship. The participation of young people in worship leadership serves as an important reminder that we are all children of God and that God has blessed the youngest among us with gifts for ministry. The Youth Choir is the earliest opportunity for the young people of St. Andrew's to become involved in a worship leadership ministry.
The Youth Choir is not just about learning to sing well, nor is it just about learning to sing well for the glory of God. In its rehearsals, the Youth Choir learns about the central tenets of the Christian faith as well as about the relationship between what they are singing and the themes of the service at which they are singing. Thus Youth Choir offers an opportunity to reinforce the spiritual truths that the singers learn elsewhere at St. Andrew's through scriptural texts and sacred peotry. Moreover, studies have indicated that those who sing in a church choir as a child are substantially more likely to continue involvement in the life of the church as teenagers and adults than those who have not had such an experience. So, for parents, Youth Choir is an investment not only in the present, but in the future, spiritual life of a child.
Who can join:
The Youth Choir is open to girls and boys with unchanged voices beginning with those in first grade. No prior music education is required. If a child is not yet a reader, his or her participation can be greatly assisted by parents taking the music home and reviewing the words with the singer.
When we meet:
At the present time, the Youth Choir meets on Sundays from 12:15 p.m. (immediately after the conclusion of Sunday School) until 12:45 p.m. The Choir usually sings one or two times a month on Sunday mornings during the school year, and leads the music at the 5:00 p.m. service on Christmas Eve.
What we sing:
The Youth Choir sings a wide range of music, from African songs to anthems from Native American cultures, and from contemporary gospel to more traditional settings. One of the highlights of the past several years was singing an anthem in Swahili for a visiting African bishop—who could actually understand our pronunciation of the words! On the classical side, the singers particularly enjoyed singing Bach's Kyrie, BWV 233a, with the Adult Choir; it was wonderful hearing them sing Bach in the hallway after rehearsal! During the past several years, the Youth Choir has been accompanied by recorders, guitar, trumpet, flute, oboe, violin, string bass, and even a klezmer clarinetist, in addition to piano and organ |
Ministries 
