Greetings, Plymouth Church families! Summer at Plymouth is always a busy time of visioning and planning for the next program year. We have lots of exciting changes and improvements to the program going into this year – there has never been a better time to get involved in music at Plymouth, or to invite your friends and neighbors to join us!

Check out the reminders, changes, and announcements below.

If you have questions, please contact us!

 

Wednesday Music Schedule | Begins September 7

• 5:15-6:00 p.m.
  • PK Music Makers Class
  • K-5 Choirs 6-12
  • Youth Handbells
• 6:10-6:50 p.m.
  • 3-5 Children’s Handchimes
  • 6-8 Choir
  • 9-12 Youth Supper
• 7:00-8:00/30 p.m.
  • 9-12 Matins Choir
  • (Adults) Plymouth Bells
• 8:00-9:00 p.m.
  • (HS to Adult) Instrumental Ensembles (dates TBD)

 

Program & Staffing Changes

Going into the 2022-2023 program year, we have made some key structural adjustments to better support and strengthen the PK-12 music program.

• The grade structure of the elementary choirs has been realigned to match DMPS grade structures: K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 are grouped together. The major change is grouping grade 6 with the other middle school grades, which also changes their rehearsal time.
  • Grades K-2 and 3-5 will each have two assigned collaborative teachers, which offers the opportunity to rehearse together and separately in a variety of configurations.
    • K-2 (Cherub Choir) | Jade Fox & Linda McFarlane (Carol Stratemeyer, accompanist)
    • 3-5 (Treble Choir) | Kelli Stoa & Bri Magel (Elaine Wedeking, accompanist)
  • Grades 6-8 will have a single director, Brandon Record, with support from Christopher Goodson and Susan Waller, as needed. (Elaine Wedeking, accompanist)
• Handbells and Handchimes
  • The Children’s Handchime Choir will have a new director, Kate McLean, and serve children in grades 3-5.
  • The Youth Handbells Choir will serve grades 6-12.
  • We expect to add an assistant handbell director to support both ensembles.
• The popular Music Makers Class (PK, ages 3-4) with Ms. Lydia Schettler will continue in the Greenwood Room as it has since Fall 2019.

 

New Programs

Instrumental Ensembles
We are making plans to relaunch the instrumental ensemble program, which we began in fall 2019, but went on hiatus due to COVID. We expect to offer programming for strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion separately and together. Watch for more information about this exciting new program at Plymouth Church!

Snack Supper for Middle Schoolers
It can be a long evening for middle schoolers to arrive at church for handbells at 5:15, go to choir at 6:10, and then Confirmation at 7:00 until 8:30, so we will begin offering a snack supper for the Middle School choir members available at 6:00 p.m. Initially, we will offer pizza, but we hope this will expand in time.

 

K-5 Choir “Meet the Director” Opportunity

Hello K-5 Plymouth Music Families:

The K-5 music staff would like to take some time before rehearsals begin on Sept. 7 to get to know you, your child and their voice. Please sign up for a 10 minute time slot to “Meet the Director” on August 31 by clicking the link and entering your child’s name into one of the slots. Directors will get to know a little bit about your singer and do a little vocalizing to help prepare for our first rehearsal.

We look forward to a great year of worship and making music!

Sincerely,
The K-5 Plymouth Music Staff (Brianne Magel, Kelli Stoa, Linda Ashby-McFarlane, Jade Fox)

 

Registration

If you haven’t already, register your family using the links below.

• Children & Youth Choir Registration (Pre-K thru 8th)
• Kick-off Dinner Sign-up (Pre-K thru 8th)
• Matins Choir Registration (9th thru 12th)

 

Communication

Children’s Choir Directors will communicate with families through the Church Center Groups module. The messages come in through the app and via email. You are automatically placed in a Group for your child’s choir when you complete registration.