Thanks for this and best of luck with your program! Our children's schola is completing their second year of singing with our adult schola. They sing with us about twice a month at Mass, and it has been a great deal of fun. My only wish is that we could have more practice time! We meet once a week for an hour and a half, and it isn't enough, by a long shot.

They have learned chant and also several 2- and 3-part pieces. We have a diverse age range: ages 5 to 15, so we divide into groups according to skill level during part of the practice but always make time to sing as a group.

I have found that most of the children aren't intimidated by Gregorian chant or singing in parts, but some girls are terrified to sing alone ---to the point of tears!--so we've been incorporating intensive work with rounds and canons, and they are slowly becoming more independent. Building independence and confidence has been our biggest challenge. They are the sweetest girls and can sing beautifully and perfectly, but only when they are joined at the hip with their friends, so we've been working on that aspect this year.

I'm continually amazed at how fast they learn Gregorian chant. We started by singing different Mass settings in the Kyriale, then I introduced the Introit and Communion antiphons at the end of last year, and now the schola can sing the full propers, except the verses on the Gradual and Alleluia. They take to chant like ducks to water.

We like to have them sing chant in alternatim with the adult schola. That is just a fantastic experience for them. There are so many different things you can do in combination with the adults and children. I'm just starting to realize the potential and am looking forward to next year.

They're only 3 hours away from each other...

Though I've gotta be honest and play my Canadian-born card here, as I had to totally look up where both NE and KS were. If one showed me an unmarked map of the United States and played "where is this obscure state?" I would lose very badly.

By contrast, Machias Maine is "down" from Portland Maine, and Provincetown Mass. is "down" from Sandwich Mass. (though one does have to be careful in confirming what someone means by "upper" vs "lower" Cape Cod as they may be From Away* and not know traditional usage.)

Because longitude, winds and sailors and all that.

* Or, in old Nantucket usage, "from America".

Well, Lincoln is at a slightly higher elevation than Topeka, so Topeka would literally be "down" the road. Lucas is doing great work. In fact, there are many great things happening in general in that area of the country: Topeka/Lawrence/Kansas City/Lincoln/Omaha.