With four talented instrumentalists accompanying the services – playing flute, violin, percussion and keyboard – St. Paul’s Parish finds itself with the nucleus of a Music Academy.  All of the musicans have been brought up in the Anglican Church, and three were educated in an Anglican Church School in Haiti, where they studied classical music through junior and senior high school and in post-secondary settings.

Our belief is that instrumental and choral training in a church setting is in itself probably the best form of musical education for young children.

Singing the extraordinary, timeless poetry of faith contained in the Anglican hymns of Thomas Tallis and John and Charles Wesley, for instance, set to music of J.S. Bach, Orlando Gibbons, Ralph Vaughn Williams and others has the acknowledged capacity to form the spirit and the character of a child.

Indeed, one parishioner with three young boys stated that the words and melodies of his choir training in Nigeria are with him to this day.  He desires the same spiritual resource for his children.  Beyond spiritual formation, the Academy will fill a practical need as public schools eliminate music programs and private music lessons become less and less affordable for families.  The Lord provides us with unimaginable opportunities in His service.

Now in the planning stage, the mission of the Academy will be to provide training in choral music and instruments through having the children sing and play in the Sunday services where they will naturally learn to read music and respond musically.

The training will occur on Saturdays and expand to after-school as interested children join the Academy.  Students will be insrtucted through individual lessons, lessons with a partner, or group lessons depending on the material to be covered and the interest of the child.

We encourage your prayers for this new undertaking for the glory of God through our parish.