Throughout the history of The First Church, the music program has played a central role for children and youth.
Typically, the year starts out with a fully staged, full length musical with a cast made up of all three of our children’s choirs.
The youngest children form small choruses that perform throughout the show, and children in grades 5 and up have the opportunity to audition for solo and lead roles.
This is an all-inclusive show, so everyone is given a part, no matter what! Performances are usually in the middle of November. After Thanksgiving, the regular choir season begins, in which all cast members of the musical must participate. The three children’s choirs present music four times in services throughout the year, and play a central role in the Christmas Eve services.
The Junior Choir
Pre-lindergarten through 1st Grade
The Junior Choir is for singers from Pre-Kindergarten through 1st Grade. After the musical, rehearsals are Monday evenings from 5:30 - 6:10pm. Singers learn about healthy singing, how to match pitch, and they begin to learn to read music
The Chancel Choir
2nd - 4th Grade
The Chancel Choir is for singers in 2nd through 4th Grades. After the musical, rehearsals are Monday evenings from 6:15-7:00pm. Singers continue to practice reading music singing in parts. They also learn to sing in numerous other languages, including German, Latin, Spanish, Hebrew, and others.
The Youth Choir
5th - 12th Grade
The Youth Choir is for singers in 5th through 12th Grades. Rehearsals after the musical are Monday evenings from 7:00-8:30pm. Youth Choir members further their understanding of musical concepts, and learn to sing mixed chorus pieces in three, four, and sometimes even more parts.
The Alumni Choir
Young Adult Alumni
The Alumni Choir is formed of former Youth Choir members who return to sing at the 11pm Christmas Eve service. This is a wonderful opportunity for singers to reconnect with old friends, as well as to once again make music together.