news-record.com

In Ken Wilson’s guitar class, strings get names — the “d” is doughnut and the “c” is referred to as carrot. Wilson also places a blueberry dot on the third finger of each student’s left hand.

So 7-year-old Jake Barlow follows the command to put the blueberry on the doughnut — and finds his key.

“That’s how you teach them in a week,” said Wilson, one of the instructor musicians at a weeklong choir camp at First Baptist Church, which ends today with a public performance.

The annual summer camp, with its African drums and hand bells, liturgical dance and vocal classes, is one of a few of its kind in the state, with instructors such as Sandy Holland, artistic director of the Charlotte Children’s Choir, and Betsy Reeves of the Moving Liturgy Dance Ensemble of Burlington.

Although the main focus is on the sacred choral singing experience and faith and leadership formation, the classes stir an interest in music for some and give others an artistic outlet for the summer.

“It always amazes me what they learn in five days,” said JaneAnne Hayber, music assistant at the church.

* * *

He timidly turns down a solo singing part, but 9-year-old Donovan Elliott’s face brightens when he’s asked to sound elaborate chimes at the end of a song the vocal class has been learning.

Holland, the teacher, knows even talented students sometimes need a nudge.

“The kids are at different stages,” Holland said. “Some need training wheels at first. My goal overall is to get them to enjoy themselves and not be afraid of singing.”

Doug Vancil, associate pastor for music and worship at First Baptist, is in another class reminding the children circling him to palm the oblong drum to make a low sound. On this third day of camp, the youngsters are in rhythm.

The beats he makes prompt a “call and response” from the youngsters’ drums.

“I just beat on stuff at home for practice,” confides 10-year-old Shelby Maturo after the class.

At 11, Brittany Bland is a camp veteran — and could easily carry the superlative, “Miss Congeniality.”

“I like to meet new people,” she enthuses before running to her place in a liturgical dance, in which she and a friend symbolically throw Jonah off the ship. She’s wiggling a shimmering blue cloth to represent the water — where he lands before finding himself in the belly of a whale.

For the week, the children get to pick two activities, with all of them involved in dance and vocal.

The camp is open to anyone, although organizers make sure parents know that the children will be singing Christian music and participate in devotion.

“It’s all fun,” said 11-year-old Joshua Reynolds

This year, 72 children participated in the camp. Most do not attend the church.

“We all know that public schools are cutting back on arts education,” said the Rev. Ken Massey, who pastors the church. “Additionally, churches are dropping out of children’s music ministry. The popular notion is that kids don’t want to do music, they want to play sports or video games. We are choosing to swim against that current.”

* * *

The idea for a summer camp grew out of a vision by Terri Vancil, who is a musician like her husband and teaches at the camp. The two have a reputation for working tirelessly to provide children musical opportunities.

They bring in mentor musicians and singers like Courtney Frost, a Northern Guilford sophomore who plays violin and sings in the youth choir.

UNCG, where Terri Vancil earned a masters in music, is considered one of the leading music schools in addressing “music and the brain.” The camp builds on research that touts the intellectual, emotional and social benefits of music.

“What they do is truly a spiritual gift, that sometimes you only hear about,” said hand bells instructor Wendy Weeks about the Vancils and the work they put into the camp. “They are growing musicians for this whole area.”

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com