About the Minnetonka Cappella Choir

The Minnetonka Cappella Choir invites girls and boys in grades 3 - 5 to join this introductory choir which presents choral music at an age appropriate level.

The Cappella Choir lays the foundation for progress and development in MAM's Youth Choirs. Attention span and quiet concentration are a point of focus, as well as practice and development in vocal technique and theory. Working goals are aimed toward both areas: the need to learn important musical basics and the need to work together as a group.

This choir performs four concerts with the Chamber and Concert Choir. The Cappella Choir rehearses on Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. - 6:55 p.m. (with an extended rehearsal to 7:30 p.m. every other week) at the Arts Center on 7, 18285 Highway 7, Minnetonka (adjacent to Minnetonka High School) from September to May. Auditions are arranged at a mutually agreeable time in August and September or January.

To learn more about our Youth Choirs, click here to enjoy our 12-minute video presentation featuring Roger Hoel and Leanne Kampfe, the music directors of the Chamber and Concert Choirs, past and present choir managers, parents and members.

Specific Objectives

To sing with correct physical concepts of breath support and management; dropped, relaxed jaw on correct vowels; articulated, clear and precise consonants, distinct and correct diction
To listen to and match correct pitches on scales and intervals
To sustain an average phrase in one breath
To read from a musical score
To understand basic music terminology and concepts
To understand and interpret text of the music
To understand and practice basic concepts of performance etiquette
To begin 2-part singing rounds or canons
To be exposed to and study many types of music
To memorize 15-20 minutes of music for the winter and spring concerts
To perform in a least three concerts a year
To develop the concept of head voice and activate muscles of support
To be supportive of fellow choir members
Minimum of two extra performances (one in December/one in May)

Music Theory Objectives

Treble clef note names

Major scale in different theory constructs
(i.e. on numbers -- scale degrees, and with note names)

Notation skills: introduction

Rhythmic values: whole, half, quarter, eighth, dotted half, dotted quarter, and equivalent rests

Meters: simple and compound

Beat placement in relation to meter signatures

Introduction of accidentals

Sight singing step-wise based on C major scale

Vocabulary

Rhythmic dictation and interval name comprehension

About the Director

Kristina Guiffre received her A.A.degree from St. Petersburg College and in 2008 earned her B.A. in 2008 from Concordia University, St. Paul where she double majored in K-12 Vocal and Classroom Music and Music Vocal Performance. In August 2011, she was certified as an Orff Schulwerk Teacher/Practitioner through the Music Graduate department at the University of St. Thomas. She is currently a Music Teacher Substitute/Reserve in local school districts. Kristina sings with VocalEssence and with her church choir at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Minneapolis. In addition to her vocal background, she plays flute, guitar, percussion, piano, handbells, and several kinds of recorders.