Join Our Choir School

A series of workshops designed to deepen your understanding and appreciation of music

In this message, Ian Cunningham reflects on the exciting opportunities ahead for the All Saints Choir School. He shares his personal connection to the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) and highlights upcoming events and programs that will inspire and enrich choristers and their families.


From Ian Cunningham


I had hoped to share a few words at the Choir School Kickoff in August, but we decided that I could write a short message to the church and all those in the "Choir School Family."


When I first heard that All Saints was finally becoming associated with the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) and adopting the Voice for Life® curriculum, it was a dream come true.


I spent my first few years at All Saints evangelizing about RSCM, since Voice for Life® was the first pillar of my music education. I later attended the nation's largest RSCM choir residency—an intensive choir camp for young singers—eleven times. The course was held at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Started in the 1990s, it took place yearly until 2019. I attended this choir residency five times as a chorister and then another six as a staff member. It was an integral part of my young adulthood, and I made lasting friendships and connections with vocalists, organists, and conductors from around the country during my time there.


The weeklong camp I attended at King's no longer exists, but some of the alumni formed a new one. In 2022, this new camp began: the RSCM Midwest America Summer Choral Residency at Indiana's University of Evansville. Its registration recently opened for July 21–27, 2025. I am joining the residential staff there this coming summer, and I hope, through this program, to finally introduce my children, Poppy and Soren, to some of the most notable musicians in the country. All of our All Saints Choir School choristers aged 10 and up will have that same incredible opportunity.


There is also a weekend event in Nashville on March 22–23, 2025, roughly halfway between here and Indianapolis, which would work well as a stepping stone for curious choristers and their families. The 26th Annual Cathedral Chorister Festival at Christ Church Cathedral is a two-day event that will allow choristers to work with musicians from across the nation. On Saturday, choristers will rehearse in preparation for a Sunday morning service and evensong the following day. We already have choristers signed up, and we would love for more to join.


All this is to say that Maggie and Brad, bringing us into the arms of this global community, is a gift! The free workshops provided by the Choir School are priceless. The special services the choirs sing—the upcoming Contemplative Evensong on February 5, the Lessons and Carols of Creation later this spring, the Service of Remembrance every November, and the yearly Advent Lessons and Carols in December—are gorgeous and memorable events.


The All Saints Choir School programs have always been something special for the Birmingham area, but all of these upcoming opportunities to sing, learn, and travel are a gateway to unforgettable experiences in the music world at large.


Attached at the bottom are a few highlights from some of my favorite years at RSCM's King's course, 2009 and 2011.


There aren't many visual or audio recordings, but here are a couple of resources:


VIDEO FROM 2013

AUDIO FILES



All of these opportunities are open to any young person. Our choirs and music programs are open to any child in the community, and any of our choristers have the opportunity to register for RSCM choral programs as well as the Nashville Choral Festival in March.


Ian Cunningham

___________________________



We thank Ian for his insight and passion for our Choir School and the opportunities available to our youth! To register for a choir in the All Saints Choir School, or to find our more about our choirs, check out our WEBPAGE. Contact Maggie Gill at mgill@allsaintsbhm.org to find out more, or to receive links to sign up for the following events that Ian spoke about:


March 22-23 will be the 26th Annual Cathedral Chorister Festival

Christ Church Cathedral, Nashville, TN

*Contact Maggie Gill (mgill@allsaintsbhm.org) by February 20 if you are interested in this event

Saturday, March 22, 2025 | Workshop and Rehearsal day 

Sunday, March 23, 2025 | 11:15 AM Holy Eucharist & 4:00 PM Choral Evensong (all participating choristers sing these two services)

Guest Director Maxine Thévenot, from the Cathedral in Albuquerque

*To see last year's Evensong from this event CLICK HERE


July 21-27, 2025 RSCM Midwest in Evansville, IN

This seven-day immersive choral experience is an RSCM America Summer Choral Residency for children age 10+ and adult singers.

More Announcements

Wonder-Full Wednesdays

November 4, 2025
Gather with us for Wonder-Full Wednesdays. Share dinner, enjoy the company, and connect with community in meaningful ways. For more information connect with the Rev. Ranie Neislar, rneislar@allsaintsbhm.org . UPCOMING November 12: 'Annual Chili Cookoff' from 5:30-6:30pm in our Great Hall! Bring your homemade chili in a crockpot, container, whatever you have. We will provide cornbread, drinks and a prize for the winning recipe! November 19: We will pack hygiene kits and make a craft to spread God’s love to the Women at The Lovelady Center. All ages are welcome. We are planning to have "Thanksgiving Sides" for dinner. December 3: Advent Festival Spaghetti Dinner. Prepping for Advent with things crafty and cool. December 10: St. Nick at Night Pizza Dinner. Come be a part of the story of St. Nick. December 17: Caroling in the Neighborhood Chick-fil-A dinner. Sing your favorite carols with a hot cup of cocoa.

Winter Items Needed

November 4, 2025
Help us share warmth with those in need this season. We’re collecting coats (all sizes), hats, gloves, socks, and scarves through Sunday, November 16. Donations can be dropped off in the Great Hall. Items will be distributed on Monday, November 24. If you have any questions reach out to Ron May, rmay15@bellsouth.net

Assist Others - SNAP

October 31, 2025
As many of you may have heard, due to the shutdown of the federal government, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is expected to expire on November 1st. Over 750,000 Alabamians rely on SNAP benefits to feed their families, including one in four households in the Birmingham community. While we continue to pray for those affected by this pause in benefits, we at All Saints want to be proactive in responding to what could become a major need in our community. 'Homewood Helps' is opening up a market shopping day starting November 12th at the Outreach Hub, for Homewood families to come shop for free weekly groceries. Assist in two ways: Financial If you would like to contribute a financial gifts, you may do so on Realm by selecting 'Outreach Fund' in the drop down or dropping off a check at the church and indicating the purpose for the funds on the check. Donate items by November 10 Please bring any of the following breakfast items to the Great Hall: oatmeal, cereal, granola or breakfast bars, or grits.
A chili cookoff is taking place on wednesday november 13th

Chili Cookoff Nov. 13th

October 7, 2025
Bring your heat! Or mild, for those of us with heartburn issues. Our 'Annual Chili Cookoff' will take place Wednesday Nov. 12th, from 5:30-6:30pm in our Great Hall! Bring your homemade chili in a crockpot, container, whatever you have. We will provide cornbread and drinks. Come hungry and ready to vote!
A person is holding a cell phone with a scam stamp on it.

Scam Alert!

September 28, 2025
Alert! To be clear, All Saints' Clergy, Vestry, Warden's or staff will NEVER ask for money or gift cards from you! If you receive any communication asking for money in any form at all, it is a SCAM! Or if you get texts asking for a private conversation, it is a scam! These scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, so it’s important to approach texts and emails with caution. One quick way to spot a scammer is to check the email address it came from. No matter the name, look at the email address. Emails from All Saints staff will always end with "@allsaintsbhm.org" (i.e. office@allsaintsbhm.org). Never reply to, click on, or enter any information if you receive one of these suspicious EMAIL/TEXT messages. Most schemes involve scammers mimicking church staff, typically posing as someone in a position of authority asking you for money transfers or gift cards. Many times, the scammers will manipulate the email address, name, or even the area code of phone numbers, so that it appears to be coming from someone you know. Even if the email or text seems legitimate, if a request seems even remotely “off” or is asking for anything from you, don’t act on it until you confirm it with a phone call ( 205-879-8651 ) or face-to-face conversation with someone at All Saints. Some general suggestions: Check sender details carefully. Any suspicious emails or text message should be investigated before replying. Pay attention to the message content, including attachments and URLs. When in doubt, call: If there are questions about any email, do not reply. Instead, call our office - 205-879-8651 Label it spam: If your email service has the ability, report the email as spam. Here’s how you can report these scams: Report Phishing Attacks: the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team has an Incident Reporting page to report email phishing, as well as an email to forward them to, at https://www.us-cert.gov/report-phishing . Forward all emails to the Anti Phishing Working group at phishing-report@us-cert.gov . Report text scams to through the Federal Trade Commission’s Complaint Assistant which helps the FTC detect patterns of fraud and abuse.

Volunteer Highlights

September 25, 2025
At All Saints, our ministries thrive because of the faithful people who give their time, gifts, and hearts to serve others. Each volunteer carries a story of how this work has shaped their own life, deepened their faith, and brought the mission of our church into the world in tangible ways. Through Volunteer Highlights, we invite you to learn more about those who serve among us. By celebrating these stories, we not only honor the individuals who serve, but also invite each of us to see how God is at work in our common life together.
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