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A New Chorister Program Begins This Fall

A new program that offers musical training and education to Rochester-area children in preschool through 5th grade begins this Fall. Through a partnership with the Royal School of Church Music America (RMSCA), Rochester’s Third Presbyterian Church will offer high-level music instruction to children in the community, regardless of religious affiliation.

James Kealey is the Associate Director of Music and Organist at Third Church. He says children benefit from this kind of musical training in many different ways. A number athletes and others in high level professions in England have said how the experiences they had as cathedral choristers have taken them into their professional life in other ways. They learned to work alone, and to work as part of a team.

Kealey 1 - Teamwork.mp3

Third Church Choristers will rehearse in person, weekly on Wednesday afternoons throughout the school year. In addition to musical training, the children will have opportunities to interact in other ways. Kealey says that in the warmer months they can play soccer or some other outside activities. And they will spend some time learning the music and learning about music.

Kealey 2 - Curriculum.mp3

James Kealy earned his undergraduate degree from Royal Holloway of the University of London, where he served as Senior Organ Scholar, and his Master of Music degree from the Eastman School. He is currently working on a Doctor of Music Arts degree at Eastman in the studio of David Higgs.

A native of Wallasey, England, he brings his experience as a cathedral chorister and organist to the new program, which is similar to programs in Buffalo, Seattle, Dallas and New York City. Each week, children in grades 2 through 5 receive instruction as Choristers, and preschool through 1st grade children get an introduction to music that prepares them to be Choristers.

Kealey 3 - Singing.mp3

Thanks to a generous financial gift, the Third Church Chorister program is offered free of charge to all participants. Children in grades 2 through 5 will receive instruction as Choristers, and preschool through 1st grade children, along with their caregivers, will receive an introduction to music that prepares them to be a Chorister. Whether they aspire to be musicians, or go into another career the children will learn many transferable skills to apply to whatever they do next.

Kealey 4 - Skills.mp3

The Third Church Chorister program begins in the Fall of 2022, is open to all children in the community in preschool through 5th grade. There is more information about the program and upcoming preview events at www.thirdpresbyterian.org/chorister.