About us
We are a choral music program for children and youth in Lansing and surrounding communities. Any qualified child between the ages of 8 and 18, with a desire to sing is welcome to participate.
We are currently an “open” group, there are no auditions necessary.
Placement is based upon musical and vocal readiness, emotional maturity, consistency of focus, attitude and leadership as well as age and vocal quality.
The Lansing Trebles is for ages 8 – 13 (unchanged voice), geared toward first experiences with choral singing.
The Lansing Youth Chorale is for ages 13-18, where previous experience is helpful but not necessary.
Mission
Our mission is to provide a creative outlet, through singing, for the children and youth in Lansing and surrounding communities by the rehearsal and performance of
quality children’s literature.
Choir Goals
• To reach the highest level of artistic excellence in choral music performance as we can.
• To explore, rehearse and perform repertoire of all styles and period.
• To provide a program of music that is an extension of the classroom.
• To enrich the lives of children from diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds in the Lansing geographic area.
Executive Board Members
Benjamin English, Executive Director & Member at Large
Miranda Hartmann, Co-President
Kathe Smith, Co-President/Secretary
Megan Higle, Interim-Treasurer
Jennifer Knapp, Parent Liaison
Melissa Aste, Member At Large
George Bennett, Member At Large
Morgan Pohl, Member At Large
Lily Knapp, Youth Representative
Advisory Board Members
Pr. Robert Higle
Artistic Board
Members
Megan Higle, Artistic Director
Ben English, Assistant Director
Chrisann Lowe, Accompanist
Our Director, Megan Higle
Megan Higle’s passion for teaching children and youth music began in 1999. Megan earned a Bachelor degree in Vocal Performance summa cum laude from Marygrove College (Detroit) and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Oakland University.
She is presently serving First Presbyterian Church of Lansing as their Director of Music, teaches Pre K - 8th grade General Music at Montessori Children's House of Lansing, is the Music Director of the Dewitt Community Singers, and is the Co Founder and Artistic Director of the Lansing Children’s Choir. In 2020, Megan was appointed to the Mayor's Commission for Art and Culture for the city of Lansing.
Megan is an active vocal coach and piano teacher in the Lansing area. She has served as Music Director for Project DayDream (Birmingham, MI): shows including Seussical the Musical, Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast. Rent, Willy Wonka Jr., Little Mermaid
Jr., Annie, Cinderella and Lès Miserable. She was Adjunct Faculty at Marygrove College where she taught courses in Ear Training, Music Technology, World Music and Music Appreciation. She also served as instructor for the Institute of Music and
Dance while at Marygrove teaching voice class, vocal coaching and piano to school age youth in the city of Detroit.
Megan has served as the Assistant Conductor of the Oakland Chorale, Oakland University Chorus and Oakland Symphony Chorus under the direction of Dr. Michael A. Mitchell and served as Special Lecturer for the Oakland University Chorus while Dr. Mitchell was on sabbatical. She worked under Suzanne Mallare Acton (Rackham Symphony Choir) as her conducting intern for two years.
Megan brings positive energy and love of choral music to all facets of her work enabling her to be an active choral clinician and adjudicator for middle school and high school choirs throughout the state. She is an active member of The American Choral Directors Association serving as the Repertory and Resources Chair for Community Youth and Children’s Choirs for Michigan. She is also a member of The Michigan School Vocal Music Association, Chorus America and Music Teachers National Association.
Our Exec. Director, Benjamin English
Benjamin English has had a passion for music for as long as he can remember.
He has been an active member of the Lansing Theatre community since his first musical at the age of 7. Shows including Music Man, Little Shop of Horrors, Urinetown, Hairspray, Into the Woods, Mary Poppins and Rent.
Other Musical endeavors include being the Tenor section leader at First Presbyterian Church, singing with the newly formed “TBD a capella’, and performing with the Lange Choral Ensemble for eight years.
Benjamin also loves working with kids. He graduated from Michigan State University with honors with a bachelors degree in Family and Community Studies. With that degree, Benjamin aspires to work in the non-profit sector and give back to his community any way he can. He has been a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters for the last three years. He is currently the Manager of Community Engagement and Special Projects for the Wharton Center at Michigan State University. Benjamin is also certified to teach early childhood music of children K-5th grade through the Gordon Institute for Music Learning. He currently assists a “Making Music” class for children at the MSU Community Music School. Benjamin is also the owner and instructor of Munchkin Music Makers which brings early childhood music enrichment classes to children around the greater Lansing area.
Benjamin was blessed with a musical upbringing. His father, Jeff English, was the high school choir director at East Lansing High School, and his mother, Emily Clark, is a long time member of the local Lansing theatre community. His parents encouraged and inspired his love of music, and he hopes to do the same for children of Lansing, and beyond.
Music has always been a large part of his life, and for that he is eternally grateful.
Our Accompanist, Chrisann Lowe
Chrisann Lowe received her Master of Arts in piano accompaniment from Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, where she studied with Joseph Gurt.
Chrisann has had her own piano studio for many years, with several students progressing to the university level. She has been a music director at local churches, and has been an elementary music specialist.
Chrisann sings in the DeWitt Community Singers and the Chancel Choir at First Presbyterian Church of Lansing.
She is happy to be a part of the choirs, and to support them in this way.
She lives in DeWitt with her husband Fred.