The Bell Choir member names in order from left to right are:
Karen Barrow, Carol Weinhardt, Judith Glen, Joy Stouder, Dee Carr, Bonnie McKeon, Linda Westlin, Joyce Bethune, Penny Beers, Debbie Wych
CHANCEL CHOIR & HANDBELL CHOIR
The emotional power of music is a vital and moving aid to our worship. Music, quite apart from an associated text, is capable of evoking powerful emotions. Hearts are stirred and feet set to tapping by a rousing gospel number, while another melody can move people to tears. Singing lends dignity and grace to sacred actions and has the greatest value in kindling in our hearts an eagerness to pray. From joyful organ music, beautiful choral music comprised of members of the congregation and choral music interns from Northern Arizona University, and the ringing of the handbells and chimes, opportunities for all ages abound! The Church of the Red Rocks is blessed to have a Steinway concert grand piano and a Moller and Rodgers pipe organ with 89 ranks and a computer for additional voicings.
The Chancel Choir has approximately 30 members and 8 NAU Choral Music Interns. This choir rehearses on Sunday mornings from 8:30 am to 9:15 am throughout the year prior to the 9:30 am worship service.
The Church of the Red Rocks is fortunate to have a Handbell Choir which consists of five octaves of hand bells and chimes. The choir performs once a month for church services, plus special music at Christmas and Easter. The ensemble rehearses every Thursday (September through May) from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm.
We hope that you will prayerfully consider joining one of our ensembles, which are open to all!
Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, The Church of the Red Rocks is fortunate to be able to hire choral music interns from Northern Arizona University to help support the church's weekly musical activities. These undergraduate students provide musical leadership and occasionally sing solos during the worship services.
2022-2023 Choral Music Interns
Heather Drusedum is senior Choral Music Education major at NAU. Originally from Henderson, Nevada, Heather comes from a musical family and has been involved in music her whole life. During her time at NAU, she has participated in Shrine of the Ages, Vox Astra, Chamber Choir, and University Singers. Heather currently serves as President of Shrine of the Ages, President of the NAU American Choral Directors Association Student Chapter, and as the Jazz Madrigal Festival Student Coordinator. When she isn’t singing or at school, Heather enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. Heather is looking forward to making beautiful music every week at Church of the Red Rocks!
Back Row Logan Willson, Dakota Warren, Evan Braun, Alexander Kaus
Front Row Grace Andersen, Heather Drusedum, Osanah Manzo, Katelyn Mason
Grace Andersen loves her time as an intern here at Church of the Red Rocks. She is a passionate musician and former four-year All-State Choir participant from Anthem, Arizona. She is currently studying Choral Music Education at NAU where she is proud to be a part of several ensembles including High Altitude Vocal Jazz, Shrine of the Ages, Vox Astra, and Elevation. She loves to share her love of music and recharge in nature.
Osanah Manzo is a senior music education major with a choral emphasis at NAU! She is involved with the Shrine of the Ages Leadership Council as the head of social media, with the ACDA student chapter as head of fundraising committee and the music director for the NAU Axecidentals, an all soprano/alto a cappella group. Outside of school some of her favorite hobbies include reading and hanging out with her dog, Frankie. Her dream for the future is to become a general elementary school music teacher, allowing all of her students the right and the joy to have music education a part of their lives.
Katelyn Mason (who will start in January 2023) is a junior choral music education major at Northern Arizona University. Mason grew up in Las Cruces, NM where she participated in community and school orchestras and choirs throughout her childhood. She enjoys being an active member of the NAU Choral Program, having previously participated in Women’s Chorale and University Singers and various leadership positions. Currently, she studies voice with Christine Graham, is a member of The Shrine of the Ages Choir, and serves as the Shrine of the Ages/Choral Union Secretary, NAU ACDA Student Chapter President-Elect and Secretary, and Jazz Madrigal Assistant Student Coordinator.
Alexander Kaus is in his Senior year as a Music Major and Sociology Minor. He has participated in several choral ensembles, including NAU's Shrine of the Ages, Chamber Singers, High Altitude and Northern Voices jazz choirs, University Singers, the Highlanders acapella ensemble, and the newly named Vox Montes. He has also participated in the Shrine of the Ages Alumni Ireland tour in the summer of 2022. He is a current recipient of the Shrine Alumni award, the Edith Copley award, and the Ralph E. and Winnifred Hess Award. His educational goals include studying Ethnomusicology overseas and focusing on bringing newly written and composed music to the forefront of educational settings. He wants to continue this educational goal into a career goal, and teach new music to choir students all across the world.
Evan Braun (he/him/his) is a Secondary Music Education Major with a Choral Emphasis in his third year at Northern Arizona University. During his time at NAU, Evan has worked to find and develop his voice as a tenor with Dr. Ricardo Pereira. He is proud to be a member of some of NAU’s premier vocal ensembles, including Shrine of the Ages and High Altitude Vocal Jazz. Evan is also honored to sing with the Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers, the prestigious choir in residence at The Church of the Red Rocks, where he sings weekly as a choral music intern. He has sung as a soloist with the NAU Men's Chorale, High Altitude, and most recently, as part of a quartet in Damien Geter's Cantata for a More Hopeful Tomorrow. Outside of music, Evan works as a barista at Starbucks.
Dakota Warren, (he/him), Junior Choral Ed major, Special events and Co-director of NAU ACDA carolers.
I'm in Shrine of the Ages, Vox Montes, and Highanders A Cappella. Dakota is also a part of the NAU spikeball club. Fun Fact, he has a 2nd degree black belt in Taekwondo.
Logan Willson is a bass in his junior year at Northern Arizona University studying Choral Education. He has received many accolades as a performer, including, as a recipient of the Young Artist Scholarship from The Prescott Chorale, as a performer in the Western ACDA conference, and as a soloist and choir member in several world premieres. As a composer, Logan has received many opportunities, notably having a premiere with The Nightingale Opera Theatre alongside Jake Heggie’s If I Were You. Currently, he enjoys his time as the music director of the Phi Mu Alpha, Kappa Xi chapter and as an intern at The Church of the Red Rocks. Logan participates in numerous ensembles including Shrine of The Ages, The Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers, High Altitude, Vocal Jazz, and the Harold M. Harter Memorial Handbell Choir. Outside of music you can find him racing bicycles as a hobby.
SEDONA ACADEMY OF CHAMBER SINGERS
www.sedonaacademyofchambersingers.com
Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers was created in 2010 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Church of the Red Rocks in Sedona, Arizona and the 25th anniversary of their Reverend, Dr. George A. Ault. Since its inception, the ensemble gives undergraduate and graduate voice and choral students from around the Southwest an opportunity to experience singing in a semi‐professional choir. The choir has performed throughout the state, most notably serving as a back-up choir for multi-platinum recording artist Josh Groban and opening for the vocal jazz/a cappella powerhouse, The Real Group. In 2016, the ensemble was featured prominently in celebrations throughout Northern Arizona to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the National Parks Service as an example of musical excellence in Arizona.
As the choir-in-residence at The Church of the Red Rocks, “The Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers and The Church of the Red Rocks have entered into a partnership with the express purpose of promoting the art of music, with the knowledge that doing so will enrich the lives of young people and adults alike and foster an atmosphere of intellectual and artistic curiosity among both patrons and members” according to Dr. Ryan Holder, Professor of Choral Studies at Northern Arizona University and Founding Artistic Director of the Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers.
The group's members fluctuate each year, collaborating with the finest choral musicians in Arizona. Because of their close connection with Northern Arizona University, the group acts as an educational experience for students, graduate and undergraduate alike, to experience the rigor and high standards of singing in a professional choral ensemble. As such, the choir receives music packets ahead of rehearsals and each member is expected to prepare all necessary repertoire before the first meeting. The group then rehearses together for one week, and at the end of the week, presents a concert of 15-20 choral works in various languages, styles, and voicings.
RYAN HOLDER
FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Ryan W. Holder is currently in his fourteenth year as the Associate Director of Choral Studies at Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ), where he directs the Women’s Chorale, Northern Voices and High Altitude vocal jazz ensembles, teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting and choral methods, supervises choral student teachers, serves as the adviser for the NAU student chapter of the American Choral Directors Association and the three contemporary a cappella groups. In addition, he is the coordinator of the annual Jazz/Madrigal festival, which brings in over 85 high schools and 145 choirs every year.
Dr. Holder has given lectures and presentations at local, state, and regional ACDA and NAfME conventions, including a lecture on “Making the Transition from Classical to Vocal Jazz”. His vocal jazz ensembles have also been invited to perform throughout the Southwest, including performances at state and regional ACDA conferences, and was one of only three vocal jazz ensembles selected to perform at the 2012 Jazz Educators Network Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
Ryan currently serves as the Arizona State ACDA President as well as the ACDA National Committee on Educational Technology. He also serves as the director of music at The Church of the Red Rocks in Sedona, Arizona where he is the founding artistic director of the Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers.
Dr. Holder received his DMA degree from the University of Miami in addition to bachelors and masters degrees from Southern Oregon University and University of Northern Colorado, respectively.
FRIENDS OF MUSIC
The Friends of Music at The Church of the Red Rocks are a group of generous individuals who work to ensure a strong and vibrant music program at the church. Through their sponsorship, every concert in the Music at the Red Rocks concert series is presented free of charge as a gift to the people of Sedona and Verde Valley.
The Friends of Music also help to underwrite all special music that occurs during the church services, including guest artists and instrumentalists for Christmas and Easter services.
For more information or to inquire about becoming a Friend of Music at The Church of the Red Rocks, please call the church at 928-282-7963 or email ryanwholder@gmail.com
