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No Experience Necessary

Children who like to sing can audition for the Trinity Church on the Green choir. Boys can audition when they are entering grades 3 to 5, and girls from grade 4 up although exceptions can be made. There is no religious requirement. Children from all faith backgrounds—and even no faith—have participated.

According to Music Program Manager Rachel Segger of Madison, no prior musical experience or training is necessary.

“We are looking for children with a natural voice and ear who are able to focus and make the commitment required,” she says.

That commitment includes twice weekly rehearsals as well as Sunday services, community events, and concerts. There are a limited number of openings each year; these can vary based on members leaving the choir for a variety of reasons.

After a brief initial audition, a potential member may called back for a second audition.

“The auditions are brief,” Segger explained.

Auditions may include singing “Happy Birthday,” repeating note patterns, and perhaps reading a passage from the prayer book to ensure the child is at an appropriate reading level. Parents are also interviewed to ensure they are also ready to take on the commitment that is required and whether they believe the child is ready to thrive in the environment that includes travel and overnight excursions.

Each summer the boys and girls spend a week together at choir camp at Camp Incarnation in Ivoryton. They receive musical training in the relaxed environment that also includes a variety of physical activities and sometimes concerts by recent alumni.

“We’ve found that the choir members gain so much more in addition to a fine musical education,” Segger says. “They learn leadership, concentration, responsibility, and cooperation.”

R. Walden Moore has served as director of music and choir director at Trinity for 33 years. In that time, the choirs have performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and with the New Haven Symphony as well as with the Yale Philharmonia and American Classical Orchestra and have made numerous television appearances. Moore is on the faculty of the Yale Institute of Sacred Music/School of Music.

He is assisted by Segger who serves as music program manager. Two of her sons are choir alumni and her youngest has just been accepted into the choir for next year. She coordinates fundraising, plans concerts and tours, recruits choristers, works with choir parents, and connects with the greater community. She hold degrees from Yale School of Music and Yale Divinity School as well as law degree from UConn.

Also working with the choirs are two organ scholars, Janet Yieh and Nicholas Quardokus, from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music master’s program.

For more information or for an audition, contact rsegger@trinitynewhaven.org.