CHOIR
TCHA offers several choir classes each semester for a variety of ages ranging from Kindergarten through 12th grade.
Helpful Links
Music Explorers
Grades:
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Through singing, games, movement, and more, students in Music Explorers will build a strong musical foundation, including keeping a steady beat, creating simple rhythms, and singing in a healthy and artful way. All Music Explorers will perform in TCHA’s Choir Concert at the end of the semester.
Music Makers
Grades:
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Music Makers will continue to develop their musical abilities through singing, movement, and other activities. They will build on their knowledge of rhythm reading and playing, learn about and utilize expressive elements of music such as dynamics and tempo, and challenge themselves by singing more complex music, including rounds and partner songs. All Music Makers will perform in TCHA’s Choir Concert at the end of the semester.
Cantabile
Grades:
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Students in Cantabile Choir will learn to work together as an ensemble of singers. As they do so, they will learn and practice healthy vocal techniques, learn to use various expressive elements in their performances, and find the fun and joy in creating something beautiful. Song selections will vary in genre and style. The Cantabile Choir will perform in TCHA’s Choir Concert at the end of the semester.
Gloria Voce – Junior High Mixed Choir
Grades:
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Gloria Voce is a mixed choral group for students to grow together in learning to read music, sing harmonies, and apply vocal techniques of breath, blend, pitch, and resonance at the junior high level. In this season, students will find their voices are changing and we will adapt to their new “instrument” as that occurs. Along with two concerts in December and May, Gloria Voce may also perform at the Mall of America during the Christmas season.
No audition is required but students will need to complete entrance materials (found here) beforehand to determine vocal ranges.
Divino Voce – Senior High Mixed Choir
Grades:
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Divino Voce is a mixed choral group for students who desire to continue growing their vocal and musical skills while singing exciting and increasingly challenging choral works at the high school level. Along with two concerts in December and May, Divino Voce may also perform at the Mall of America during the Christmas season, and participate in a high school choral festival in January.
An audition* is required to participate in this ensemble (registration will be opened to those who are selected to participate). Click here for more information on the audition process.
*If a student is not vocally prepared to sing in this choir but would like to grow in their singing skills, we encourage vocal instruction from one of the many voice coaches connected to TCHA.
Auria – Girls Select Ensemble
Grades:
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Auria is an ensemble of the most vocally skilled female participants drawn from Gloria and Divino Voce choirs. An audition is required to participate in this ensemble (registration will be opened to those who are selected to participate). Click here for more information on the audition process.
Concordia – Boys Select Ensemble
Grades:
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Concordia is an ensemble of the most vocally skilled male participants drawn from Gloria and Divino Voce choirs. An audition is required to participate in this ensemble (registration will be opened to those who are selected to participate). Click here for more information on the audition process.
Instructors
Michelle Whalen
Gloria Voce, Divino Voce, Auria
Michelle has been a seeker of creativity & wonderment since childhood. Raised in Madagascar and Minnesota, as a young girl Michelle fell in love with the internal landscape of books and story, and the external narrative of nature and the outdoors, with music woven throughout both worlds. As a teenager she filled her days with theater, choir, speech, and music and found in those spaces both her strengths and gifting, as well as her people and belonging.
Michelle received a BA in Music Performance with a vocal emphasis from Colorado Christian University, and spent the following years touring with various groups and working as a studio musician and vocalist for commercial and corporate events. Michelle has also led worship for over 25 years, recorded on various worship albums featuring her original music, and released two solo albums as a singer-songwriter.
Teaching voice and piano from her home studio, Michelle has also taught and mentored songwriting for several summers at The Junior Composer’s Institute, and directed four years of Christmas choir and orchestra performances of Handel’s Messiah.
In 2013 Michelle joined the founding board of Twin Cities Homeschoolers for the Arts and is passionate about providing faith-based quality performing arts opportunities to the homeschooling community. Michelle has a special love for working with teens, enjoying the role of music director for TCHA musical productions since 2018, and is now thrilled to be directing the TCHA teen mixed choirs and female select ensemble. She has two college-age children, Kenoy and Paris, and lives in Eagan, MN.
Dylan Sauder
Music Explorers, Music Makers, Cantabile
Dylan Sauder is a Twin Cities music educator and performer. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education in Vocal and Classroom Music from University of Northwestern-St. Paul, as well as a major in Bible and a Spanish minor. While much of his teaching experience has been PK-8th grade General Music, he has also taught choir for grades 4-12, beginning band and strings, piano and voice lessons, and musical theater classes, in addition to music directing and choreographing several elementary and middle school musicals.
When not teaching, Dylan enjoys performing, especially on-stage in musical theater productions and singing in any number of genres. In his free time, he enjoys being outside in nature, spending time with friends and family, reading, and traveling. He is so excited to create and explore with the elementary singers of TCHA this school year!
Michael Hunt
Concordia
With 30+ years as a professional singer with the Christian a cappella quartet The Penny Loafers, and 30+ years as a professional actor & director, Michael is no stranger to the performing arts. His singing career took him across the U.S. and Canada sharing the stage with Southern Gospel music greats like The Gaither Vocal Band, Sandi Patty, Larnel Harris, Mark Lowry, Greater Vision, The Martins, The Hoppers, and Contemporary Christian artists like DC Talk, Audio Adrenaline, Todd Agnew, Cindy Morgan, and many more. But his favorite celebrity to work with was actor/comedian Tim Conway.
Michael has sung with and directed numerous choirs in schools and churches, sung with several church praise & worship teams, taught private voice lessons, recorded several albums, sung on local and national radio and television, and traveled as a solo artist doing music & drama. His love for acting started in the 3rd grade as the Irish Tenor in the St. Patrick’s Day play, and has led him to professional theater, commercials, and film work.
Michael has a BA in Vocal Music from Berea College (KY) and an AS in Physical Therapy from Vincennes University (IN). He & his wife Carol and their 4 children (Joanna, Jaben, Jocelyn, and Josiah) are MN transplants from KY, now making their home in Savage since 2016.
Michael is excited to make his TCHA debut this year (2023) as the Assistant Director of the Fall musical “Hello, Dolly”, and as the Director of the Boy’s Select Choir (Concordia).
