Choristers Guild’s Mission is Enabling Leaders to Nurture the Musical and Spiritual Growth of Children, Youth and Adults.

Simply put, we educate children’s choir directors!

Our nonprofit was founded in 1949 by a choral director who started a children’s choir. Our founder, Ruth Krehbiel Jacobs, conceived the organization as a vehicle for supporting the systematic development of Christian character in children through the medium of the church children’s choir. Ruth believed that if children did not learn to be worship leaders in the church, then the future of the church would be in danger.

Our organization was unique in its training, as it was shared between professional choral directors and volunteer children’s directors. What began as exchanged letters turned into a religious nonprofit with a magazine, children’s choir festivals, and workshops for directors. Local, informal chapters were started to host these events.  Over 12 years ago, a three-year certificate program called the Institute began on the East Coast. The Institute, beloved by its attendees, frequently brings alumni back for new lessons in working with children’s choirs. Choristers Guild is known for its education of church children’s choir directors and is a leader in the field.

In the 1960s, in order to pay the bills, Choristers Guild branched into publishing children’s choir and handbell music. Currently, the catalog includes sacred music for all ages, elementary and middle school music, instrumental music for hymns, and handbell music for worship, festivals and schools. Our music is sung and played around the world.