The Church Street Choral Academy is an entirely free choral and music education program for kids, coming to Greenville, SC this fall! The program at Christ Church Episcopal happens after school and is accepting kids in 3rd through 5th grade. We have all the details on this amazing new opportunity and the people behind it. Plus, we’ll tell you how to register and set up an audition for your kids.
Few things in life are free, and extra educational opportunities rarely are one of them. But, that’s not the case at the Church Street Choral Academy.
About the Church Street Choral Academy
“The Church Street Choral Academy (CSCA) was formed with a mission to inspire and positively influence
the lives of young people through arts enrichment and academic support.”
No student or family will pay any tuition or fees to participate in the Choral Street Academy. In fact, students will actually be able to earn money through attendance in rehearsals and performances.
Why? Donald Duncan, Director of Liturgy & Music at Christ Church and CSCA Choirmaster, explains:
“Often the students who would benefit the most from extra support or arts enrichment are the students whose families can’t afford the costly price tag associated with those activities. We don’t want money to get in the way for anybody. We’ve worked hard to eliminate this barrier to participation so that any interested student could join us, not just those who could afford it.”
The Church Street Choral Academy is housed at Christ Church Episcopal on Church Street, and is funded through community support.
Typical Rehearsal and Performance Schedules
What will rehearsal days look like at the Church Street Choral Academy?
Mondays:
- 3:45 pm Arrival and Snack
- 4:00 pm Rehearsal
- 5:00 pm Small group piano lesson
- 5:30 pm Homework and tutoring
- 6:40 pm – 7 pm Dinner and Pick-up
Wednesdays:
- 3:45 pm Arrival and Snack
- 4:00 pm Rehearsal
- 5:00 pm Theory or Voice class
- 5:30 pm Homework and tutoring
- 6:40 pm – 7 pm Dinner and Pick-up
Performances are the first Sunday of each month at a service of Evensong at Christ Church Episcopal, plus additional performances as announced.
Sundays:
- 3:00 pm Arrival and Snack
- 3:30 pm Warm-ups and rehearsal
- 4:30 pm Uniform change and final rehearsal
- 5:00 pm Evensong
- 6:15 pm Pick-up
Want to Get Involved?
Spaces in the first year’s program are limited to 30 choristers in 3rd through 5th grades. If your family is interested in participating, you should visit Choral Academy Website as soon as possible to schedule an audition. No musical training is necessary to audition. According to the Church Street Choral Academy, the only requirements are that students “should possess a love of music and a commitment to attendance.”
“We will teach children to sing, no doubt, but that may be the least important thing this organization does,” said Duncan. “This program is unlike anything in Greenville and will have a tremendous impact on kids and families in this city.”
The program is currently auditioning 3rd through 5th grade students. The first rehearsal date is on Monday, October 16th, 2023.
For more information or to schedule an audition, visit the Choral Academy Website.
