Building on a long tradition of excellent music, St. Paul’s offers a number of places to be involved in music ministry. These include:

 

Chancel Choir - is our large service choir, performing a variety of music from classical to contemporary. We always welcome new singers! Music reading is helpful but not required. Rehearsals during the year are on Wednesdays, 7 - 8 p,m, in the choir room, plus mini-rehearsals 45 minutes ahead of the services. Our organist/assistant director, Diane Schutz, accompanies the choir and soloists. Our choir is also enriched by the participation of choral scholars, college students who sing with us in return for scholarship help. YOU can help support these young musicians with donations to our Music Ministry dedicated fund.

 

Sunrise Singers - was a smaller volunteer choir for the early service which only rehearsed ahead of that service. As we flesh out our service schedule for fall, we will decide whether this group is essential or whether it becomes a Praise Choir singing with our Praise Team at the contemporary service. Stay tuned!

 

Praise Team / Praise Band - is the ensemble that leads music at our contemporary service (currently 10:30 a.m.). They prepare Praise and Worship music utilizing select contemporary singers and instrumentalists. Call Doug (644-6999) for details, or to volunteer your talents!

 

Concert Ensemble is a select choir made up of community members as well as our own singers. They prepare 2-3 major classical works each year. This August they will begin rehearsals of the Brahms Requiem for a November 11 performance for the community. See Doug for details.

 

Bells of the Valley is a select handbell choir open to both church and community that meets on Tuesdays at 6:00 pm during the school year. They have a long tradition at St. Paul’s, one that has included tours to Germany and Greece in previous years.

 

St. Paul’s Orchestra is a small ensemble of instrumentalists, youth through adult, who prepare fun music for performance monthly at services. Their rehearsals are usually early Wednesday evenings. Volunteer by calling Doug, 644-6999

 

Youth Choir/Ensemble  will reassemble this fall after a recent hiatus, providing a fun, learning environment for mid-high and high school students to prepare music for worship and special occasions. Day and times TBA.

 

Children’s Choirs (Kidz for Christ) are fun learning and singing experiences that provide elementary students an opportunity to prepare music and drama for services and for special seasonal occasions. They will begin with a Music Day Camp August 2-5 preparing the cowboy musical “SHOWDOWN!” daily, 9 am - noon. During the school year, choir times are normally 6-7 pm onWednesdays. We also anticipate forming a new Sacred Dance Team led by dance teacher, Noelia de la Rosa, day and times TBA.

 

Cherub Choir is our preschool music experience group which during the school year normally meets on Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m.

Music at St. Paul’s sponsors concerts by area musicians and groups throughout the year, often on Sunday afternoons, taking advantage of the beautiful space provided by our sanctuary. We also host regular rehearsals by the Mesilla Valley Chorale and the New Desert Harmony Singers, as well as occasional rehearsals by the New Horizons Symphony Orchestra. This year we will also host performances by Camarata del Sol, a local chamber music group,

 

All these opportunities are supported by our general church budget, by designated gifts to the Music Ministry fund, by proceeds from our endowment, by our biannual Enchilada Suppers, and by your generous gifts! But all we do depends on Volunteers like YOU who choose to participate in a great ministry dedicated to our Lord!