The Chorister Program at St Margaret’s provides a fun and transformational experience for youth in kindergarten through high school, regardless of religious affiliation or background. ALL ARE WELCOME! Choristers sing in three ensembles, Spirit Singers Cherubim (grades K-2), Spirit Singers Seraphim (grades 3-5) and Youth Chorale (grades 6-12). Graded choral curriculums focusing on age-appropriate vocal training, sight-singing, and music theory are offered in a professional and nurturing setting, including the acclaimed RSCM Voice for Life scheme. Fun and challenging repertoire is then employed to put into practice the musical skills that are taught. Choristers receive a fine musical education taught by a team of dedicated and accomplished professional musicians in a nurturing setting. They gain leadership, time management, commitment and teamwork skills while creating lifelong friendships along the way.
Research shows that being in a choir is one of the best team activities that children can take part in. Encouraging them to take up such an activity leads not only to enhanced memory but also improved attention, motivation and self-confidence. They learn significant skills such as patience, self-discipline and organization, and acquire the ability to listen carefully and follow detailed instructions, all of which have a positive impact on academic performance. In the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities report Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning, research found that learners “attain higher levels of achievement through their engagement with the arts…when well taught, the arts provide young people with an authentic learning experience that engages their minds, hearts and bodies. Engagement in the arts...nurtures the development of cognitive, social and personal competencies.” Learning and discovery in other areas of discipline often focus on a specific talent or skill, whereas children regularly active in the arts like a chorister program develop numerous talents and skills.
If you have a child who loves to sing, please contact Director of Music Jim Douglas at music@st-margarets.org to arrange an informal meeting.
Research shows that being in a choir is one of the best team activities that children can take part in. Encouraging them to take up such an activity leads not only to enhanced memory but also improved attention, motivation and self-confidence. They learn significant skills such as patience, self-discipline and organization, and acquire the ability to listen carefully and follow detailed instructions, all of which have a positive impact on academic performance. In the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities report Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning, research found that learners “attain higher levels of achievement through their engagement with the arts…when well taught, the arts provide young people with an authentic learning experience that engages their minds, hearts and bodies. Engagement in the arts...nurtures the development of cognitive, social and personal competencies.” Learning and discovery in other areas of discipline often focus on a specific talent or skill, whereas children regularly active in the arts like a chorister program develop numerous talents and skills.
If you have a child who loves to sing, please contact Director of Music Jim Douglas at music@st-margarets.org to arrange an informal meeting.
(photo: Chorister Festival, Washington National Cathedral)