Singing is a great way to bring people together, forming a strong home schooling community ethos. Our goal is a homeschool choir community with its members meeting, making new friends and developing their singing enjoyment through active participation with others. We are passionate about sharing our professional music teaching skills with the Ave Maria Homeschool Community. Each class applies what it has learned to the joy of singing together as a choir. Students learn how to properly use their God-given voice and sing to the best of their abilities. The sequential building blocks of learning basic music elements opens doors to a lifetime of skills and enjoyment, whether consumers, listeners or performers.The homeschool choirs and general music experience is framed, rooted and presented from the perspective of Catholicism, learning the history and musical literature from Gregorian Chant to the 21st century music. The people of God created music from the earliest recorded times in human history, from David's psalms to the development of Gregorian Chant and the progression of music throughout history, celebrating and acknowledging every aspect of Catholic life.

No experience is required. A willing student who has the desire to become part of a group shared experience of learning, studying, performing and making music together will succeed. Music is a language. Ability and prior experience whether vocal or instrumental is always appreciated.

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

Here in the beautiful town of Ave Maria, we will begin every music class with a prayer, the Hail Mary. Each student is expected to act respectfully towards each other, the music teacher and the entire class. Respect for others is reinforced in the context of how God wants us to live, respecting ourselves, each other and especially God. Each student is encouraged to do his or her best to participate and grow in the understanding and study of music.

All students will be taught age-appropriate lessons of general music in Solfege/Pitch, Listening, Dynamics, Melody, Harmony, Unison, Chords, Patterns in music, Creating music, Timbre, Form, Expression, and Learning to read iconic music notation and singing Catholic and American songs. We are striving to teach and develop over time, the fundamental rubrics of melody, harmony, rhythm and reading of notation in the sequential building of a choral program. Each group by age/grade level matures year by year so after 2 years and easily by 3 years the performance quality capability of the groups will have grown noticeably in tone, in quality and overall musicianship.

“The one who sings,” St. Augustine of Hippo (+430) said, “prays twice!”

As Catholic music educators we believe that through the study of music and song, we can inspire reverence in the Eucharistic Lord and His Blessed Mother "twice as much.”

SING and make music from your HEART to the LORD!

Ephesians 5:19

Rejoice in the LORD Always, again I say Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

Mozart gave us God’s Laughter!

Beethoven gave us God’s Fire!

Bach gave us God’s Word!

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

Composer of some of the most magnificent and beautiful Catholic Mass settings, said it best:

"The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the Glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.”

Philip Nelson has bachelor’s and master's degrees in music education, certified K-12, and has taught music for over 25 years, grades 7-12, in public and Catholic schools. Cheryl Nelson has a bachelor's degree in music education and a law degree, has taught music K-12 for 5 years in both public and Catholic schools, and served as a church accompanist throughout her professional career.

The Nelsons were drawn to Ave Maria because of its emphasis on building Catholic community and moved here in August of 2021. They are passionate about offering their combined music teaching skills, experience and love of the Lord Jesus Christ, to all the youth of the Ave Maria Home School community.

We teach all ages and grade levels from Kindergarten through 12th grade.

K-12 grouped by appropriate age and development, i.e., K-2nd; 3rd-5th; 6th-8th; 9th-12th grades. Facilitated, presented and instructed by professional, experienced music educators, the highly interactive music sessions are custom designed to the meet individual student levels of understanding.

Ave Maria Homeschool Student CHOIRS & GENERAL MUSIC class sessions meet in the morning, once weekly. The time schedule and location is to be announced. Classes will be grouped as K-2nd (45 min); 3rd-5th (60 min); 6th-8th (60 min); 9th-12th (90 min).  By request of the parents, classes may be scheduled more frequently than one time per week.

The class sessions span the full academic year. There are 9 sessions per quarter, 18 sessions per semester, and a total of 36 sessions per academic year. Students are welcome to join the class at any time, and are asked to attend throughout the term to optimize their learning and their overall choir participation.

Catholic centered homeschool choirs will develop natural God-given voices to sing to the best of their abilities with a song repertoire coordinating with the Catholic liturgical seasons: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, including patriotic songs and more! These lively musical sessions create a CHOIR singing experience for homeschool families, students K-12, as students learn the joy of singing together. From the simple fun of campfire singing to large congregational hymns of praise and thanksgiving at Mass, students will learn lifetime skills and understanding of the beauty and fine art of music making together.

The general music curriculum is educationally certified according to the National Core Arts Standards, teaching with highly interactive sessions the basic rudiments of music history, theory, harmony, melody and rhythm, all from the Catholic perspective, noting the great contributions of Catholic musicians over all of the ages.

We are “Step Up for Students” tutor providers. For more information, go to stepupforstudents.org. If you choose to pay us directly by cash or check, we'll give you a receipt and an invoice.

COST: Ave Maria Homeschool Choirs & General Music sessions once weekly cost

K-2nd, $25 (45 min)

3rd-5th, $30 (60 min)

6th-8th, $30 (60 min)

9th-12th, $35 (90 min).