NJ Youth Choir

to view feature article …

amgehm — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:14:43 +0000

Select “One Week to Go” under the pages link. Enjoy.

have a little look ….

amgehm — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:43:56 +0000

Coming up next week I will have a full length feature article on the week before my annual Diocese of NJ Youth Choir Week. It will focus on the different duties held by leadership leading up to the final week before the camp starts. Ranging from the final list of campers, scheduling of activities, and making sure everyone has a room at the hotel. Many things and people are involved in getting the camp together, and the final week is the most hectic. The article will take a look at each individuals own ways of getting everything done and in-order for the camp and if it actually runs as planned. There will be various quotes and hopefully some pictures as well. I’m looking forward to it and I hope you are as well.

why not

amgehm — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:52:24 +0000

I wasn’t going to mention this on here, but I figured why not. As a representative of the Youth Choir Week I recently was awarded a plaque for longevity and service by my church for my help with the camp. St. Stephen’s has sent many children to the camp over the 20 years of it’s existence. This past was actually the first that we had no campers. But they felt it in thier hearts to recognize me for staying all these years and helping out. I see it as jsut a past of my life that I love. This camp has been good to me since I was ten years old. I view my help as just something I should be doing and want to do for as long as I cna imagine. But thanks to my parish and those who gave me this award on behalf of the camp.

Interview …

amgehm — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:47:12 +0000

Hey everyone. Today I am posting an interview that I had Wednesday afternoon with Wade Cooper, keeper and overall watchkeeper of the Youth Choir Week in Cape May, NJ. We focused on the direction of the camp, but did include some brief moments of reflection over years past. Hope you enjoy!

AG: Thank you Wade for doing this interview for my blog. Hopefully everyone will enjoy.
WC: If you have readers who enjoy choir and what it takes to run a camp, then I’m sure they will.

AG: We recently got a new choir director. Can you tell me why and about him?
WC: Yes, Thomas Whittemore. He is the choir director at Trinity Princeton. He is also the organist and has been there for 5 years now. He was originally director at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Philadelphia for 25 years, but went to Trinity to be closer to home.

AG: Why the decision for Tom and not former camper and now director at Glassboro HS Bryan Broughton?
WC: While that was an intriguing choice, I felt that the camp needed a new and fresh idea. Bryan is a very accomplished musician and director, and I hope that he continues to help out … but I just felt this was the best fit for now.

AG: Where do you see the camp going and what can Tom do for it?
WC: Tom has a wealth of experience. He has performed and directed for so many years and has been critically acclaimed for doing so. The camp is headed in a direction of ‘re-birth’ if you will. We need a new vision as many of our campers have gotten older and we need to replenish with young children.

AG: How can that be done?
WC: Well Tom directs from elementary school aged chidlren to adults, so he knows how to handle everyone and motivate them. And with the new marketing and advertising plan that you and Sheen have been working on … with the website, fliers, letters, and overall involvement, I think we are well on our way.

AG: Do you think the turnover will be quick and successful as it was when the camp first started 20 years ago?
WC: Yes and no. I do believe that we can get young children to be interested and want to come here, but how quickly we can do that depends how many we can reach out to. It depends if we can show them that choir camp is more than just singing church music.

AG: In what ways is it more than that and how can that be accomplished?
WC: Again that can be done with the work Sheen and you have been doing tirelessly since camp ended in early August. I must commend you for that.

AG: Thanks.
WC: You’re welcome. Choir camp is not jsut singing because we do so many other activities. From beach trips, the Cape May Zoo, to the scavenger hunt. Every child, counsellor, and chaperone get to interact and become a huge family for that week. It’s unbelievable and such a joy.

AG: Do you think we can go another 20 years?
WC: WOW! That would be quite an acomplishment. I probably won’t be around that long to see it happen if it were to, ha. But that would be great. I think there is a great possibility. With the leadership we’ve had and dedicated help. You have been here 14 years, coming up on 15, and there are many others like you that help. And I can foresee all of you taking this camp into the future.

AG: Well I hope you’ll be there with us too.
WC: I’d love to be, but I know it will grow as I have always hoped it would. It has up to this point, so why not some more!

AG: Wade, I’d like to thank you again for taking the time. I know you’re extremely busy here at the church and have a lot of responsibilities to take care of this evening.
WC: Thanks for aksing me, I’ve actually never been interviewed before. Especially for a blog, that’s what you call it right? You see … this is why I don’t attempt the internet and stuff. That’s your contribution to the camp, I’d reck the whole thing if I tried to do it this way!

ps: if you’re in the area …

amgehm — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:47:13 +0000

Sorry, I forgot to mention that the convention is in Trenton, NJ.

If you’re in the area …

amgehm — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:31:45 +0000

Today was the announcement that the Diocese of NJ Youth Choir Week will be attending and performing at the Diocese Convention this upcoming March. This is truly big news as very few choirs get to perform at this prestigious event. There will be people and choirs from all over NJ attending, and they will get to see what a great choir we have and how much we have attained despite being such a small camp. It’s also great because the Bishop will be attending and our children will have the chance to meet him.

guide us o’waking

amgehm — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:03:15 +0000

Another marketing idea we have added is that of a 3 fold program we are sending to different churches in the south Jersey region. This will encompass much of what the webpage will say, but it becomes an interpersonal view we feel. Along with this, we plan to visit the churches and start a program that brings us into direct communication. The visiting will be during services and youth group events, as we hope to show the common effect of attending the camp and enjoying the company of the many people involved with it. Overall, it’s jsut a new way to jump-start the camp as it has grown stale and campers numbers have dwindled, wish us luck!

.org

amgehm — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:57:40 +0000

A few days ago we recently upgraded our marketing plan for the camp by creating a web domain. It’s nothing special at all yet, as there is only a diocese logo. We haven’t, or I specifically haven’t created any information or images for it yet. The website is in the blogroll, so please check it out soon as we will be getting on it soon. There is going to be pictures form years of the cmap, sign up info, and email to connect to those of us in charge. It’s a new day for the camp as we move into the future. Wish us luck.

A Little Bit of Transition Help

amgehm — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:07:40 +0000

If anyone has been involved with any kind of organization, they usually know that new people come in and others go frequently. In the aspect of our camp, our director of 15 + yrs passed away a few years ago. In was a hard thing to imagine the camp going on without her, but we knew it should and that it would. While it has been a struggle and there are times where it seems almost pointless, we chaperones and leaders realize what this camp means to the children who come yearly and the community of Cape May. I just want to let anyone who is part of a club, organization, and anything of the sort to look at all the positives and acclompishments that have come out of the group you’re involved in. And remember that new leaders coming in are there to help and maintain, not replace anyone. Give them a fair shot and do your best at helping out. As it’s not only a hard transition for you, but for them too.

This Just In …

amgehm — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:02:40 +0000

This morning at work I got a phone call from the head leader of the choir camp, informing me that we have now hired a new director for the camp. It was great news to hear, as we have been waiting for a while to hear when we would have one. Our original director passed a few years ago due to a battle with cancer, which was a tough situation for all involved. Then we had a director who planned on helping us make a transition into a new phase for the camp until we could find a permenant director. And after three years of work, we would like to thank Ms. Elizabeth for her generosity and kindness to help us transition and move forward. Looking forward, hopefully this isthe start of a new and exciting future, as we plan to get the new director acclamated with everyone and us chaperones so that we can proceed in the manner that we see best fit for the camp.