Making music to the glory of God is an integral part of the life of the Colts Neck Reformed Church. We have over 100 people of all ages participating in many varied ways in both music and worship arts. Please contact Maggie Tripold, our Director of Music and Worship Arts, if you have questions about any aspect of the program. Please explore our vocal choirs for children and youth, our handbell choirs for children through adults, our vocal choirs for adults, opportunities for instrumentalists, and worship arts happenings!
Children & Youth Vocal Choirs
We offer four choirs to meet the needs of children and youth from age 4 though 12th grade! These choirs rehearse on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to noon, following worship and church school.
Cherub Choir
- Ages 3 years old – Kindergarten
- Directed by Jeanne Sokol and Matt Axtell.
- Rehearsals are weekly on Sunday’s after the 9:30 service. Cherubs begin rehearsals in mid September and continue through early May. They sing during worship four times during the year.
Angel Choir
- Grades 1-3
- Directed by Allison Brown and Kim Brown
- Rehearsals are held weekly on Sunday’s after the 9:30 service. Angel Choir begins rehearsals in mid September and continues through early May. They sing during worship four to five times during the year.
Alleluia Choir
- Grades 4-6
- Directed by Tammy Femiano and Dottie Weidman
- Rehearsals are held weekly on Sunday’s after the 9:30 worship service.
- Alleluia Choir begins rehearsals in mid September and continues through early May. They sing during worship 4-5 times during the year.
Jubilation!
- Grades 7-12
- Directed by Jeff Brown, Julianna Heck, Ben Zaccaria, and Maggie Tripold
- Rehearsals are held weekly on Sunday after the 9:30 worship service. Jubilation! begins rehearsals in mid-September and continues through mid to late May. Jubilation! sings 6-7 times during the year and presents a musical once a year or every other year.
Handbell Choirs
The Handbell Program at Colts Neck Reformed Church began in 2000 with the purchase of four octaves of handbells. The church currently owns two five-octave sets of bells and five octaves of chimes. We have five handbell choirs beginning with 3rd graders through adults with over 60 ringers! Each handbell choir rings regularly in worship and also rings in the community during the program year. Each spring culminates in “A Spring Ring” handbell concert featuring our five choirs.
Echo Ringers
- Grade 3 through 6
- Directed by Kelly Tyma
- Rehearsals are held each Monday from 4:30 – 5:15 p.m. from mid-September through late April or early May.
Celebration Ringers
- Grade 7 through 12
- Directed by Tamar Goetke
- Rehearsals are held each Monday from 5:15 – 6:30 p.m. from mid-September through early May.
Celebration Ringer Alumni (Bells & Brews)
- Anyone who has graduated high school and rang in Celebration Ringers
- Directed by Kay Brown
- Rehearsals are the Thursday or Friday before ringing on Sunday, followed by a gathering at a local brewery.
Exultation Ringers
- Adults
- Directed by Maggie Tripold
- Rehearsals are held each Wednesday from 6:15-7:15 p.m. from mid-September through May.
Morning Bells
- Adults
- Directed by Maggie Tripold
- Rehearsals are held on Monday mornings from 9:30-10:45 a.m. Rehearsal schedule varies depending on members’ schedules but usually meets from mid-September through May
Adult Vocal Choirs
Our Adult Vocal Choirs are wonderful music-making opportunities for adults who love to sing!
Sanctuary Choir
- Adults from age 18 to 100+
- Directed by David M. Tripold, Ph.D.
- Rehearsals are held each Wednesday evening from 7:30pm to 9:00pm. Rehearsals begin the Wednesday after Labor Day and run through early June.
- The Sanctuary Choir provides music for the majority of Sundays during the year and presents a cantata each year.
Singing With the Seniors
- A group of woman and men from the Colts Neck Reformed Church who love to sing are sharing their time to make a difference in the lives of older adults through singing and making music together.
- We travel to the Reformed Church Home in Old Bridge and Brandywine Reflections in Colts Neck, once a month on Wednesdays and Saturdays, spending about one hour with the residents.
- Contact Maggie Tripold for more information
Instrumental Music
Our Jazz Band, Alleluia Jazz, always welcomes new instrumentalists, high school age and older! This ensemble is directed by Maggie Tripold and Len Simichich. Alleluia Jazz rehearses the 3rd Tuesday of each month (September through June) at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. CNRC also has a brass ensemble that often plays for Christmas Eve and Easter Worship Services. Instrumentalists are also used often as accompaniment to choir and bell anthems as well as opportunities for summer worship. Contact Maggie Tripold for more information.
Worship Arts
Our worship services are enhanced by occasional drama sketches and we love to explore the use of varied forms of artistic expression such as art, poetry, and liturgical dance. We’d love to hear from you if you have an interest in any of these areas of artistic expression.
Contact Maggie Tripold for more information.