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August 6, 2025
The 2025 Chenaniah Summer Music Institute, now in its ninth year, brought 52 participants from 18 states to the campus of New Saint Andrews College for two weeks of intensive teacher training. Attendees included classroom teachers, private instructors, church musicians, homeschool parents, current NSA students, and alumni. For some, it was a return for further study. For others, it marked the beginning of their work as music educators.
Participants are enrolled in a three-year music teacher certification program and advance through Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 over the course of their training. This summer, 23 were in Level 1, 16 in Level 2, and 13 in Level 3. Each level provided a deepening focus on musicianship, pedagogy, and music literacy philosophy. Daily instruction included solfege training, conducting, folk song analysis, and demonstration teaching. The structured schedule immersed participants in a singing-based, literacy-driven approach shaped by Kodály and other similar pedagogies.
The Chenaniah Summer Music Institute exists to equip music teachers to lead with both skill and understanding.
In addition to core musicianship, the institute featured special topics in Classical and Christian education, connecting music instruction with broader conversations about theology, aesthetics, and formation. Participants explored how a biblical worldview shapes not only what we sing, but how and why we teach. This year’s cohort represented a wide range of backgrounds and teaching contexts. Some were veteran educators refining their methods. Others were homeschool mothers integrating music into family life. Several were preparing to teach music for the first time. Despite this diversity, all shared a commitment to pursue excellence through a framework of truth, beauty, and joyful learning.
The name “Chenaniah” comes from 1 Chronicles 15, where King David appointed Chenaniah to lead and instruct in singing because he was skillful. In that same spirit, the Chenaniah Summer Music Institute exists to equip music teachers to lead with both skill and understanding. Rooted in a Christian worldview, the program integrates Kodály and similar pedagogical approaches with a robust Christian emphasis. Through folk music, games, and sequential instruction, participants are trained to teach music with clarity, depth, and faithfulness in the schools, communities, and churches they serve. For more information, visit https://music.nsa.edu/csmi/.
To watch the final concert, click the image above.
