Choirs for Children & Youth
In the Grace Church School Choir Program, children learn musical skills, have fun with friends, and contribute their talents and leadership to our worship services - things that help them feel really good about themselves! The choir program is fun and a challenge our kids enjoy - they learn to sight-read through appropriately challenging rehearsals, by singing services every Sunday, and by meeting one-on-one with Dr. Anne to progress through different musical skill levels certified by the Royal School of Church Music.
The Grace Church School Choirs are trebles in grades 3 (2 with permission) through 12 who sing every week at the 9 am Sunday service. They have performed at Washington National Cathedral and for the National Choral Council in NYC. They have released four CDs: Younger Generations and Gloria! which are available for $5, and Halloween Concert and Angel which are both available for $15.
Grace Church Choristers were selected for the New Jersey Elementary and Junior High All State Choir in spring 2008. Pictured from left: Dr. Anne Matlack, Grace Van Cleef, Patty Doyle, Cecelia Sanborn, Sharlys Leszczuk, Hallie Wilde, Lindsey Kellstrom
and Michael Kellstrom.
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School Choir I: Children in grades 3-5 (2nd graders with permission) rehearse with Dr. Anne. Rehearsals start with a snack in the kitchen and end with a half hour of combined rehearsal with the older singers in School Choir II. In addition to learning service music, anthems, and musical skills, School Choir I plays musical games and ring handbells.
School Choir II: Youth in grades 6 through 12 rehearse with Dr. Anne. School Choir II members learn more advanced music, sing in two and three part harmony, and learn descants, solos, and more complicated bell parts.
High School Choir continues until 5:45 pm. on Fridays to learn more advanced small ensemble music.
Older Youth are welcome at Adult Choir rehearsal on Thursdays when their voices change or if they have a Friday scheduling conflict.
The Gargoyles are a young men's a cappella ensemble based at Grace Church, under the artistic direction of Dr. Anne Matlack and conducted by PJ Livesey, baritone, a 2005 graduate of The College of New Jersey and long-time member of the choir program at Grace. The other seven boys range in age from 8th to 12th grade, and include two American Boychoir School graduates, and represent several schools including Madison High School, Madison Junior School, Newark Academy and Frelingheysen. Their repertoire ranges from spirituals to sacred music, barbershop and popular. In the year and a half since their founding, they have given acclaimed performances at community and diocesan events, and collaborated with Drew University's 36 Madison Ave., and The Hermitage Ensemble of St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Chapel Choir is made up of children ages 4-7 who rehearse weekly. They sing in church six Sundays a year, usually during the 9:00 am service. The Chapel Choir also sings in the annual Christmas Pageant, held on Christmas Eve at 4:30 pm.
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