For more than 12 years, the Kokomo Children’s Choir has provided an opportunity for children to sing great music together, but participants have gained more than that, according to director and founder Laura Swartzendruber.
“Another part of what I see the choir being for children is a window to the world,” she said, because the group sings music from around the world and has performed internationally.
Swartzendruber started the choir for 13 girls at First Presbyterian Church in Kokomo, where she is co-director of music with her husband, Lloyd.
“I had so many singers who were really gifted and capable of singing more advanced music, but they didn’t have the opportunity to do that at school,” she said. “After a couple of years, I thought, ‘This would be great to have for the kids in the community.’”
She left her job as part-time music teacher at Sts. Joan of Arc and Patrick School to begin the Kokomo Children’s Choir, for children ages 7 to 18 with unchanged voices.
Swartzendruber said her previous experience had mostly been in instrumental music, but she and Lloyd had trained in choral music at Westminster Choir College.
The choir’s first event was a summer camp attended by 126 kids. The first season included 76 children, all in one choir.
Her goal was “for children to just experience the joy of making music together, the fun that is, and to learn music that’s worthy for a child to know, to hold in their heart forever,” with the long-term goal that those who stayed with the program would be able to pick up a piece of music, read it and make music.
“I have been frustrated to find that in so many school programs, kids were learning along with tapes and not being taught to read music. I think that’s a crucial part of music education.” she said.
Swartzendruber also wants children to learn about the world from music. They sing songs from many cultures and have traveled to Europe, Hawaii and other places. The choir’s most recent trip was to Canada, and this summer, she plans a trip to New York City.
Swartzendruber said numbers are down, with many more activities available to children now than there were 12 years ago. Currently, she has 42 choir members in three choirs.
“Kids are busier now than they used to be,” she said, adding that the $315 annual tuition is also a reach for some families, even with scholarships.
She is now accepting sponsorships for singers.
Swartzendruber said the choir has provided advanced music education for about 800 children through the years, and gives back to the community through concerts and appearances.
The choir performs three concerts each year — a Christmas concert of sacred music from around the world, an international music concert of folk and classical music and an American folk concert.
Concerts this season are Dec. 13, March 21 and May 15.
For more information about joining the choir, sponsoring a singer or attending a concert, go to www.kokomochildrenschoir.com or call Swartzendruber at 765-457-8201 or 765-455-1298.
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