---
title: Welcome to the Prelude Music Planner Blog! | Ann Schrooten
description: Ann Schrooten serves Holy Trinity as Coordinator for Children, Youth, and Family Ministry, directs two youth choirs as well as the Gloria Ringer Handbell Ensemble, and collaborates with Pastors and Cantor to plan worship.
---

[![AF-prelude-logo](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/AF_Prelude_Blog/AF-prelude-logo.png?width=181&height=52&name=AF-prelude-logo.png "AF-prelude-logo")](http://www.preludemusicplanner.org/)

- [LEARN MORE](https://preludemusicplanner.org/)
- [BLOG](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org)
- [SIGN IN](https://members.preludemusicplanner.org/)

# [Prelude Music Blog](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org)

# Prelude Blog

## Ann Schrooten

Ann Schrooten serves Holy Trinity as Coordinator for Children, Youth, and Family Ministry, directs two youth choirs as well as the Gloria Ringer Handbell Ensemble, and collaborates with Pastors and Cantor to plan worship.

### Recent Posts

## [Zooming with My Youth Choirs, Part Three](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-three)

 Posted on Apr 22, 2020 9:00:00 AM by [Ann Schrooten](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/ann-schrooten) in [Music Ministry](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music-ministry), in [COVID-19](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/covid-19), in [Coronavirus](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/coronavirus), in [Social distancing](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/social-distancing)

Our worship video for Easter Sunday included a sound track of our youth choirs singing Mark Patterson’s “Alleluia, Christ is Risen!” Even in the midst of a global pandemic without regular rehearsals, we offered our gift of song, and the bonus was that we had silent video footage of the children singing it from our last Zoom rehearsal! Thanks to some previous experience using Audacity to create recordings for Honor Choir auditions, I knew that I could create one recording featuring our current singers. Parents received a practice recording from me shortly after we began virtual rehearsals. In the week leading up to Easter, I invited my young friends to send an MP3 recording of themselves singing along with me. It required about a day and a half of mixing, editing, and syncing, but it turned out amazingly well. It was a special gift of hope for our congregation to hear the children and youth sing, and also to witness how staying connected virtually these past several weeks prepared them to accomplish it.

[Read More > >](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-three)

[0 Comments](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-three#comments-listing)

<https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-three#comments-listing>

<https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-three#comments-listing>

<https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-three#comments-listing>

## [[Zooming with My Youth Choirs, Part Two](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-two)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-three#comments-listing)

 Posted on Apr 14, 2020 9:00:00 AM by [Ann Schrooten](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/ann-schrooten) in [Music Ministry](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music-ministry), in [COVID-19](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/covid-19), in [Coronavirus](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/coronavirus), in [Social distancing](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/social-distancing)

We’ve made it through Holy Week, the fourth week that we’ve all been sheltering at home here in Minnesota. I’ve had four Zoom rehearsals with my youth choirs and am learning a lot about the benefits and challenges of using the Zoom platform with my singers.

[Read More > >](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-two)

[1 Comment](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-two#comments-listing)

<https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-two#comments-listing>

<https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-two#comments-listing>

<https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-two#comments-listing>

## [[Zooming with My Youth Choirs](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs-part-two#comments-listing)

 Posted on Apr 7, 2020 9:00:00 AM by [Ann Schrooten](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/ann-schrooten) in [Children Ministry](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children-ministry), in [Youth Ministry](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/youth-ministry), in [Music Ministry](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music-ministry), in [Social distancing](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/social-distancing)

My last in-person rehearsal with my two youth choirs at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church was Wednesday, March 11. I did not know until the following day, however, that it would be the last time I’d see those singers for the foreseeable future. When I found out, my heart sank. Our youth choir program has been a thriving and committed community within our congregation for over 20 years. Friendships among children and their parents have taken root over Wednesday night meals at church and after-choir games of tag out on the lawn, and lifelong singers have been nurtured. I’ve always felt that this ministry is as much about building relationships as it is about making music. Faced with the dire predictions about the pandemic, I knew that it would be important to help us all maintain some sense of connection and continuity during this uncertain time. I wanted to make sure the children could still see their friends. I wanted to keep them singing. And I was already mourning the loss of the joy they bring to my life. I needed them as much as I hope they needed me.

[Read More > >](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs)

[0 Comments](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs#comments-listing)

<https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs#comments-listing>

<https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs#comments-listing>

<https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs#comments-listing>

<https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/zooming-with-my-youth-choirs#comments-listing>[All posts](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/all)

### Subscribe to Email Updates

- Recent
- Popular
- Categories

### Lists by Topic

- [review-prelude (87)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/review-prelude)
- [Choral Techniques and Repertoire (56)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/choral-techniques-and-repertoire)
- [Music Ministry (55)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music-ministry)
- [Planning (55)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/planning)
- [Assembly Song (37)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/assembly-song)
- [Potpourri (32)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/potpourri)
- [Instruments and Ensembles (19)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments-and-ensembles)
- [Hymnody (14)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hymnody)
- [music (13)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music)
- [Uncategorized (10)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/uncategorized)
- [COVID-19 (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/covid-19)
- [Composing and arranging (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/composing-and-arranging)
- [Coronavirus (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/coronavirus)
- [News (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/news)
- [Christmas (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/christmas)
- [Easter (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/easter)
- [Instruments (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments)
- [Social distancing (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/social-distancing)
- [worship (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/worship)
- [Advent (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/advent)
- [All Creation Sings (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/all-creation-sings)
- [Children Ministry (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children-ministry)
- [Lent (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/lent)
- [Summer (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/summer)
- [gratitude (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/gratitude)
- [Creative Arts Camp (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/creative-arts-camp)
- [Cultural (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/cultural)
- [ELW (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/elw)
- [Evangelical Lutheran Worship (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/evangelical-lutheran-worship)
- [Holidays (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/holidays)
- [Hope (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hope)
- [Hospitality (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hospitality)
- [Pentecost (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/pentecost)
- [Psalms (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/psalms)
- [Youth Ministry (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/youth-ministry)
- [children (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children)
- [culture (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/culture)
- [devotions (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/devotions)
- [john the baptist (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/john-the-baptist)
- [joy (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/joy)
- [leadership (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/leadership)
- [marriage (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/marriage)
- [race (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/race)
- [relationship (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/relationship)
- [self-care (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/self-care)
- [spiritual (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/spiritual)
- [time (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/time)
- [trust (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/trust)
- [wedding (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/wedding)
- [weddings (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/weddings)
- [writing (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/writing)

see all

### About Prelude Music Planner

[Prelude Music Planner](http://www.preludemusicplanner.org) is the web-based tool that provides a wealth of music, thoughtful commentary, and time-saving tools for the church musician.

- **Explore a wealth of music**. Search our database of congregational, choral, and instrumental church music by lectionary day, voicing, difficulty level, tune name, and more.
- **Get the music you need, when you need it.** Preview the entire piece of music from beginning to end, and then download the parts you need. Subscribers will also receive a block of “points” to spend on our library of downloadable choral and instrumental pieces.
- **Manage your church’s music library**. Organize your music library in one master location. Once your library information has been added, you can plan using both your physical library as well as the Prelude library with a single search.

| [![Facebook](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/Social/AF_facebook.png)](https://www.facebook.com/augsburgfortress/) | [![Twitter](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/Social/AF_twitter.png)](https://twitter.com/augsburgfortres) | [![Youtube](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/Social/AF_youtube.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtZR7BPcns-WJE_HNjkfmsw) |
| --- | --- | --- |

Copyright 2026 | Designed with  by [Augsburg Fortress](http://www.augsburgfortress.org)