YES, WE WANT YOUR CHILDREN to join the choir!

Please consider encouraging your children to join one of our choirs.

Chalice Sparks

Grades pre-K through 2
The younger group (grades K-2/3) meets right after the Sunday service, in the Chapel, from 11:45-12:15 twice per month, although students may leave early when necessary.
WHEN DO THEY SING? This group currently has 9 members. In 2007-08, they performed six times: Oct. 29 (Intergenerational Holiday Service), the Alliance Holiday Party (Monday, Dec 11th), Dec. 17 (Intergenerational Holiday Service), Mardi Gras service, Easter, and Mother's Day. 
WHAT DO THEY DO? The Sparks learn songs, play handbells to accompany simple hymns, and learn about very basic elements of the science of sound (how instruments work, how we hear) and music notation (note values, simple rhythms, and basic pitches). Students do not need to be able to read yet, and all instruments are provided. We have new bells and fun percussion instruments (some are animal shaped). :) 
This is a free service of First Parish, and we would love to include more of you!

Chalice Singers

Grades 2 through 9

Teen Music Group

Middle and High School

Some ways parents can help with the children's choir program:

• Children should be in church by 9:15am on Sundays when they will be singing.
• Make certain your child understands that anyone who is wearing a choir robe must take it off before lighting the chalice or a candle.

Contact music director, Laura Prichard, with questions about the children's choirs.

• by email -- laura@firstparish.info
• by phone
  • home 978-369-7329
  • cell 508-423-1423

CHILDREN'S CHOIRS and BELLS

1. The Chalice Sparks (ages 4-8) have been rehearsing regularly after the Sunday services in the Children's Chapel and performed once per month with the older singers, including three selections for the Alliance Holiday Party.

2. The Chalice Singers (grades 2-7) have incorporated bell ringing of hymns into 2 services per month, and have accompanied the Adult Choir for anthems, most notably on Dec. 24, where they played 11 hymns in two services. They have contributed at least one anthem each month (Sept.-June), and performed every week in December: September (singing 2 hymns in the Yom Kippur service, playing handbells in the Shaker service); October (Intergenerational Hallowe'en service); November (bells/singing in 2 services and field trip to Happy Feet); December (Intergenerational Holiday Service, Alliance Party, and Christmas Eve); January (2 snow anthems with the adult choir women); February (Mardi Gras service and field trip to From the Top!); March (Pirates of Penzance and excerpts from Oliver); April (Palm Sunday Bells and Easter Bells/Orchestra); May (Mother's Day & May 20 Service honoring High School Seniors); June (bells for Flower Communion).

3. COLLABORATIONS: The Chalice Singers also hosted the Yale University Whim 'n' Rhythm a cappella group in November and shared a lunch with them afterwards at Not Your Average Joe's. They performed 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and six other selections for the Alliance Christmas Party and combined with the women of the Adult Choir for the anthem Velvet Shoes in January. They rehearse weekly on Thursdays (60-150 minutes, depending upon needs).

4. ENRICHMENT: Sixteen children's choir members and seven adults participated in a field trip to see the IMAX musical movie Happy Feet. Students heard live performances of Gilbert & Sullivan's Princess Ida at MIT (May) and attended a live taping of NPR's From the Top! at Jordan Hall. This group was the most active of the Children's Choirs in 2006-07, and they will be featured in the First Parish Musicale (March 2008, "The Muusic Man").

5. The Chalice Flames group chose a new name, as it now consists of ten members (grades 7-10) who focus on social justice songs and contemporary musical theatre - this year they are called the Teen Musical Group. Members of this group performed for the Dec. 17 Intergenerational Service, the Solstice Service, and the Dec. 31 Sunday service. Part of the group went with the Youth Group to New Orleans in Feb. 2007, and attended a service there. This group rehearses every other week for an hour.

6. ENRICHMENT: Ten students (grades 7-10) and five chaperones traveled to New York City for a three-day enrichment and service trip. They attended the Broadway musical The Color Purple, participated in an Earth Day fair at NYU and an Earth Day evening jazz/rock service at All Soul's Unitarian in Manhattan, and toured several museums and historic sites. These students rehearsed several hymns and selections from their trip and presented them at two services in May.

7. SERVICE TRIP: The Adult Choir and members of the Children's Choirs and Flute Loops Ensemble made their 2nd Annual Service Trip on Memorial Day weekend. 33 musicians (including 6 students) travelled to Martha's Vineyard to provide music for the UU Society of MV and to lead a benefit concert for three worthy student musical groups in New Orleans (two high school music programs in the devastated ninth ward, and the New Orleans' Children's Choirs). The collaborative concert at the historic Whaling Church in Edgartown included the Island Community Chorus led by Peter Boak, the Vintage Voices led by Philip Dietterich, the NAACP Spirituals Choir led by Jim Thomas with local soloist Kate Taylor, songwriter Diane Taraz, and First Parish Musicians.

1. The Chalice Sparks (ages 3-8) rehearsed twice per month until Spring after the Sunday services in the Children's Chapel and performed once per month with the older singers, including (in costume) on Oct. 28, bell ringing and carol singing for the Alliance Christmas Party on Monday, Dec. 3, and participating as dancing shepherds in Amahl & the Night Visitors on Dec. 16.

2. The Chalice Singers (grades 2-7) provided solo cantors for half of the congregational hymns in September-November, 2007. They rang bells for most opening hymns in September and October, and provided all the music for the 5pm (earlier) Christmas Eve service, in which they played six hymns and sang two anthems. They have contributed at least one anthem each month (Sept.-Nov.), and performed every week in December.

3. COLLABORATIONS: The Chalice Singers also performed a staged version of Lemony Snicket's new holiday story The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming and six other selections for the Alliance Christmas Party. They combined with a quartet from the Adult Choir for the Renaissance anthem Riu riu chiu twice in December. They rehearse weekly on Thursdays (60-150 minutes, depending upon needs).

4. ENRICHMENT: A large group of thirty-two adults, students, and staff, including our new Interim Minister John Marsh, attended a Boston performance of the Broadway show Wicked! in October, during its extended run. A total of twelve students and five adults heard a live performance of Gilbert & Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore at MIT (November) and visited the Musical Instruments collection at the MFA and the Boston Aquarium (September) and attended a live taping of NPR's From the Top! at Jordan Hall. They were featured in the First Parish Musicale (April 6, 2008, "The Muusic Man") and saw Gillbert & Sullivan's Yeoman of the Guard (Sudbury Savoyards) and Ruddigore at MIT in the Spring.

5. FALL SERVICE TRIP: Fourteen children's choir members and six adults traveled to Plimoth Plantation on a field trip to donate their voices to support the 17th Annual Cranberry Hospice fundraiser in November. Our group sang for a full hour in the entrance hall for over 100 attendees and staff. We saw over 50 beautiful hand-decorated trees and enjoyed refreshments before visiting the Plantation's animals in their winter quarters.

6. The Teen Musical group has been busy with social justice projects and welcomed a new Youth Advisor this Fall. Members of this group led one Summer Service (speaking and providing music), performed in the Harvest Moon Fair Cafe, played in the December music service orchestra, sang, danced, and choreographed for the Pageant (Amahl & the Night Visitors) and sang in the Solstice Service. The students chose and presented all the music for the Youth-led Sunday service on March 31, 2008.

8. SPRING SERVICE TRIP: The Adult Choir and members of the Children's Choirs and Flute Loops Ensemble made their 3rd Annual Service Trip on Memorial Day weekend. 40 musicians (including 11 students) travelled to Martha's Vineyard to provide music for the UU Society of MV and to lead a benefit concert with the U.S. Slave Song Project (conducted by Jim Thomas) for a student musical group in New Orleans (a middle school music program in the devastated ninth ward). Our organist, Sarah Haera Tocco also performed a solo recital in the historic Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs featuring piano improvisations and concert music of Rachmaninoff. Musicians from First Parish appeared on two morning shows at Plum TV in Vineyard Haven.