Greetings, SRCCA Supporters! We are in a new chapter, as Carol Menke has retired from the SRCCA. She will still be on the Board of Directors and involved with SRCCA during this transition time. She has passed the baton to Kira Bombace. Read about our new Artistic Director, Kira, by clicking here! See Carol’s Retirement Letter, below.
Dear Parents and Members of the SRCCA,After four decades filled with music, laughter, and unforgettable memories, I am writing to share that I will be stepping away from my role as Artistic Director of the Santa Rosa Children’s Choral Academy. When I joined the SRCC staff in 1985 I never dreamed it would turn out to become such a passion of mine! These past 40 years have been nothing short of extraordinary. It has been the honor of a lifetime to guide and grow this chorus, to watch generations of children find their voices, build confidence, and discover the joy of music.
Thank you for entrusting me with the privilege of being part of your children’s lives. While stepping away is bittersweet, I do so with full confidence in the future of the Academy. The values, spirit, and excellence we’ve nurtured will continue to thrive in the capable hands of Kira Bombace, who was a member of the Chorus when she and her family moved to Santa Rosa years ago. She is an outstanding musician and comes to us with years of experience directing choirs. I know you’ll find Kira to be a very smart, talented, and enthusiastic leader and I am excited to see the next chapter unfold for SRCCA! I will forever be cheering from the wings.
With heartfelt thanks and warmest wishes,
Carol Menke
My ten years with the Santa Rosa Children’s Choral Academy have impacted my life and passion for music immeasurably. They taught me to read, sing and appreciate music — which is a priceless gift that I will carry with me forever. And I have made great friendships that I know will last long after our choral days are over. I could not be more thankful for Carol Menke, the board members and the staff for shaping all of our young voices into the confident musicians that we are today.
Through SRCCA, I have expanded my musical horizons and connected with other singers, many of whom I am now close friends with, and I hope to stay in touch even after they go to college. Singing with this group and creating our intricate harmonies is an experience that sets it apart from other choirs I've been a part of. I love how our songs encompass a large range of music genres and it's incredible how our voices blend together to create something much larger than the sum of its parts.
The Santa Rosa Children's Choral Academy has developed my love for music into something beyond what I could ever imagine. At SRCCA I have made life long friends, learned to become a more aware and accurate singer with more music theory knowledge and a greater sense of connection to music. There was no one better to take this journey with than our director, Carol Menke. Her knowledge is immense and I have felt her expertise and connection to music in everything I learned from her.
I have been in the Santa Rosa Children’s Choral Academy concert group for five years, and it has been such an amazing and educational experience. I have improved my ability to sing in parts, how to have enough flexibility to switch parts if needed, and just grown my love for singing. And I’ve made lifelong friends who I couldn’t imagine life without. This choir has touched my heart in many ways, and I’ll always be grateful for the time I had with them. Now that I’ve graduated, I’m going to continue coming to concerts as a way to continue to support this amazing group.
If you know someone who loves to sing, NOW IS THE TIME TO CONTACT US. The Santa Rosa Children’s Choral Academy can still be a place of solace for our children during these unpredictable times.
Although it’s advisable to start at the beginning of the semester, we accept audition requests at any time. The more the merrier!
Children from 6 to 12 are welcome and encouraged to join us. Call 707-527-8813 or email for more information. Come join us in song!
The Training and Intermediate Groups focus on instruction in music theory and musicianship, training youth to read music and to sing music in several parts. The Training Group sings in unison, the Intermediate Group sings in two parts.
The Concert Group sings a much larger repertoire than the Training and Intermediate Groups, in many parts and languages. They also have a number of performance opportunities each semester, including tour opportunities in the U.S. and abroad.
Participation in the Santa Rosa Children’s Choral Academy is for boys and girls from ages 6 through high school. To preserve the soprano and alto ranges of the Chorus, boys may remain members until their voices change.
New members, with no prior singing experience and between the ages of 6-12, are welcome to audition. Auditions are held throughout the year, so if you’re interested, please do let us know!
May 19th, 2025
5:30 pm
Church of the Roses (2500 Patio Court, Santa Rosa, CA 95405)
Free to the public! Come join us!
The Santa Rosa Children’s Chorus was founded in 1984 by Juelle Hinman to create a professional level, non-denominational chorus for the children of Sonoma County. In 2017, the name was changed to the Santa Rosa Children’s Choral Academy to better reflect the rigorous musical academic and performance training.
