A study of youth choirs in the Presbyterian Churches, U.S.A. of the San Joaquin Presbytery, California Synod

Information received during interviews with fifteen prominent choral directors, ministers and laymen of different communities end questionnaire responses from thirty of fifty churches of the San Joaquin Presbytery of tho Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., indicates almost unanimously that there is a growing need. and also a growing awakening among the youth of the church for participation in church musical activities. For many years churches, large and small, have been struggling with the difficult problems of providing satisfactory musical experiences for both the adults and the youth in the churches of various denominations. For the large churches, with large budgets at their command, the matter is simplified by the hiring of paid singers and competent directors at good salaries. In the case of the smaller churches, the duties of furnishing music for various services and special programs usually fall to a local music instructor, and interested layman, the wife of the minister, or perhaps the minister himself. In some cases there is a small monthly remuneration, but in many cases the work done is a matter of donated time and labor on the part of the director. Much has been discussed as to the reasons for the lack of interest shown by the young people of various denominations in the musical life of the churches, but little practical information can be found to remedy the situation. In a conference with Dr. Clair Morrow, moderators of the Synod of California and Minister of the First Church of Fresno, and Leonard Ballmer, Moderators of the San Joaquin Presbytery, it was felt that such a study should take place in order to evaluate and compare the Youth Music Program at the First Church in Fresno with the other churches in the Presbytery