First Baptist Church, Montgomery, was the site of a spectacular musical event March 7.
That’s Keith Hibbs’ opinion of the Children’s Honor Choir Tour and 10th Anniversary Reunion anyway.
But wowing the crowd at one church wasn’t enough. The Children’s Honor Choir, minus the alumni who joined in the previous night’s performance, sang twice at First Baptist Church, Opelika, on March 8.
And this type of event can be found only in Alabama, as its state convention is the only one to feature a children’s honor choir, according to Hibbs, director of the office of worship leadership and church music for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM).
“Participation in Children’s Honor Choir gives boys and girls a goal to shoot for — improving musically — and the experience of singing in a large group,” he said.
The choir is an auditioned group of fourth- through sixth-graders from Alabama Baptist churches.
“The competition is stiff and spots are limited,” said Deb Anderson, a member of Elkdale Baptist Church, Selma, who has served as the choir’s accompanist since it was founded by Ray and Jane Burdeshaw.
Ray Burdeshaw preceded Hibbs in his role at the SBOM.
“If a child isn’t selected the first year, he or she should keep on trying,” Anderson added.
Auditions begin in the fall, and selections are made by a group who listens to audio recordings submitted by potential choir members. Rehearsals begin in January for the tour in March.
This year, 400 children auditioned for the choir and 170 were selected.
Anderson said she not only enjoys hearing how the children’s voices improve every year and seeing them grow in their musicianship but also seeing them establish friendships.
“The kids find other kids in the choir who have common interests and keep up with them for years,” Anderson said.
Whitney Head is one example. An alumna of the choir, Head traveled to the reunion with four friends who are also choir alumni.
Head feels blessed to have been part of the group. “I learned musical skills and got exposure to singing with a large group,” she said. “This was important to me because I attended a small church as a kid.”
Now Head is a freshman at Samford University in Birmingham, pursuing a church music degree, and each weekend, she rotates playing bass guitar for children’s worship and singing on the adult praise team at Double Oak Community Church, Mount Laurel.
Like a lot of choir alumni, her participation in the group led to a call to serve God through church music.
“The Children’s Honor Choir develops tomorrow’s worship leaders and grows the children spiritually,” Hibbs said.
For an audition guide and application for next year’s choir, visit www.alsbom.org.
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