Location

All activities at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 201 Sun Valley Rd, Sun Valley, unless otherwise communicated.

Health Policy

If a student is sick, for any reason, please keep them home.

Attendance expectations

This year, choir will be conducted in three sessions:

Session A: Sept 6-Dec 24

Session B: Jan 3-Mar 10

Sessions C: Mar 31-Jun 2

Students are expected to be at most of the rehearsals and services within each session.

Rehearsal days, times, rooms

• Cherubs
  • Wednesdays, 3:00-3:45, in the Parish Hall

Procedure if you have to be gone

Please communicate with me. Let me know your plans, and I will write down when you plan to be away, and/or which rehearsal you plan to come to. My contact information is above.

What happens in a rehearsal?

1. Warmup. We warm up relevant singing muscles, practice good posture, full breaths, and good vocal technique.
2. Music for the next service. The Cherubs are expected to sing one or two songs in the next service.
3. Workbook activity. The Choristers and Cherubs work through “A Young Singer’s Journey” at their own pace. This is a curriculum of graded workbooks that teach about vocal technique, musicianship, and sight singing.
4. Snack. Either parents or the church provides a snack at the end of each rehearsal.

What happens at a service?

1. Call time. For a Sunday morning service, this is usually 9:10. Come wearing nice clothes. Cherubs should wear pants or a skirt, not a dress, so they can wear their choir polos.
2. Vestments. Find your vestments, put them on 9:10-9:15
3. Music. Find your music and your seat for warmup.
4. Warm up. Warm up 9:15-9:20.
5. Go to your next location.
6. Go to your next location:
   1. Go where you are directed by the director or your parents. Sunday School or sanctuary.
7. Sing. Sing the service.
8. You’re done! Enjoy coffee hour or head home!

Vestments

Cherubs

Cherubs will be given a blue polo shirt to wear during the service. It sets them apart as someone who has a special job for the church. Do you see anyone else wearing strange outfits?

Volunteers needed

There are two ways to volunteer. 

1. Room monitor. I am the only staff person in charge of this program, so having another adult in the room for our rehearsals is important for Safeguarding.
2. Snack donation. Donating snacks helps defray the cost of the program, and is a great help.

Summer Camp

St. Thomas is affiliated with the Royal School of Church Music. They are an organization, based in the U.K. but with chapters worldwide, that exists to promote choral music in the church for all ages. They sponsor a series of camps that I strongly encourage choristers to go to. The list of camps will be publicized in the winter. If necessary, there are scholarship funds available from St. Thomas and from the Diocese of Idaho, up to ⅔ of the cost. This camp is an exceptional mountaintop experience for all singers, rising 4th grade and up. For more information, go to rscmamerica.org.

Cherubs

Cherubs are singers in Kindergarten – 3rd grade.

They rehearse weekly on Wednesdays, 3:00-3:45 p.m.
They sing in church about once a month. See schedule below.

SESSION A: Sept 6 – Dec 24

Rehearsals begin Sept 6, 3:00-3:45 p.m.

Sing in church:

Sep 24

Oct 15

Nov 12

Dec 3

Dec 24

No rehearsal:

Nov 22, 20

Rehearsal Dec 20 time TBA

Resources for Nov 12, Dec 3, and Dec 24:

Nov 12

Introit: “Once he came in blessing”

Communion: “Sing joyfully to God”

Dec 3

St. Nick “Nicholas, St. Nicholas”

(No recording is available)

Communion: “Little Hands”

Dec 24 2:00 and 4:00

A stable lamp is lighted

AND/OR Gesu Bambino

SESSION B: Jan 3 – Mar 10

Rehearsals Jan 3 – Mar 6

Sing in church:

Jan 28

Feb 11

Mar 10

SESSION C: Mar 31 – Jun 2

Rehearsals begin Apr 3

** Easter rehearsal Mar 27

Sing in church:

Mar 31

Apr 14

Apr 28

May 19

Jun 2

FINAL SERVICE: June 2, Choir Recognition Sunday