Saint Mark’s Choir & Music Camp

July 21-25, 2025

Schola - Ages 3-7

Daily from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Spend a week with professional musicians, teachers, and faithful volunteers, exploring the wonders of music. The week includes voice lessons, Bible stories, games, craft projects, and more. Lunch and snacks provided.

Early registration by July 1: $85
Regular registration after July 1: $100

Camp Staff

Donald Meineke, Organist & Choirmaster (Choir)

Donald Meineke serves as Organist and Choirmaster of Saint Mark's Church, Locust Street and maintains an active career as a recitalist, lecturer, conductor, and singer. Originally from Houston, TX, he studied at Indiana University and The University of Texas at Austin and has held prominent positions in Chicago, Massachusetts, New York City, and Philadelphia. Additionally, he serves as the Artistic Director of Choral Arts Philadelphia, where he brings his passion for choral music which transforms and inspires through musical storytelling and connection to the human condition.

An ambitious builder of programs, Donald was the Co-founder and Artistic Director of Ensemble VIII, Austin’s premier vocal ensemble for Renaissance and Baroque music. He was the Co-Founder and Director of the 2014 Early Music Festival: NYC which featured over thirty concerts by dozens of local and national ensembles to critical acclaim. 

He served as Director of Music and Organist of The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity in New York City where he led the twice Grammy®-nominated Bach Choir and Players in the internationally renowned Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity series. Hailed as a “fresh voice on New York’s musical scene” (The New Yorker), his Bach Choir’s recording of Samuel Capricornus’ Jubilus Bernhardi, in collaboration with string ensemble ACRONYM, received critical acclaim and was on Colorado Public Radio’s December 2017 “Top 5 Must Have New Recordings” list. His recordings of Capricornus and Bach Vespers have been featured on classical music stations nationally and internationally, including KMFA’s Ancient Voices and WXXI’s With Heart and Voice, and he has appeared as a guest artist on Columbia University-WKCR’s Bachfest.

He served as a choirmaster for the internationally revered conductor and Bach expert, Helmuth Rilling, preparing choirs across Europe and South America for performances of the major choral and orchestral works by Bach, Mozart, and others.

Thomas Gaynor (Choir)

Thomas Gaynor came to Saint Mark’s from Houston, Texas, where he served as Associate Director of Music & Organist at St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church. In that position, he doubled the volunteer base of the Vesper Choir, and built an entirely new chorister program of 45 singers. At Saint Mark’s, Thomas directs the Saint Mark’s Singers and works with Robert McCormick, Organist & Choirmaster, to assist in direction of the Parish Choir and the Boy & Girl Choristers, and in leading all aspects of the busy music program.

A native of Wellington, New Zealand, Thomas earned his undergraduate degree from the New Zealand School of Music while holding organ scholarships at the Wellington Anglican Cathedral of St. Paul and St. Mary of the Angels Roman Catholic Church. In 2012 he moved to Rochester, New York, to study with David Higgs at the Eastman School of Music. He recently graduated with a DMA and Eastman’s highest honor, the Artist's Certificate.

In 2017 Thomas was presented with the Gold Medal and Audience Prize at the St. Albans International Organ Competition. This followed first prizes at the Bach-Liszt Internationaler Orgelwettbewerb Erfurt/Weimar, the Sydney International Organ Competition, and the Fort Wayne National Organ Playing Competition. He also holds second prizes from the Tokyo-Musashino International Organ Competition, the Miami International Organ Competition, and the Arthur Poister Scholarship Competition. He has concertized extensively across North America, Europe, Oceania, and in Japan and Colombia. In 2018, Thomas gave the North American premiere of Jean-Baptiste Robin's organ concerto Fantaisie Mécanique. He is a member of The Diapason magazines's “20 Under 30” Class of 2016.

Priscilla Wortman (Schola)

Priscilla Wortman delights in her work as both musician and preschool educator. A musician from a young age, she credits her dedicated music teachers to influencing her choice of professions. She enjoys working with young minds; children are so excited to try new skills and are so creative as they discover new connections. Her teaching philosophy is to learn through play, while being mindful of the process. She is a Music Together teacher, preschool teacher, and piano teacher at Tenth Preschool. She has been a member of Saint Mark’s Parish Choir for her five years in Philadelphia. Originally from Nashville, she received a BME from Lee University and her MFA from Houghton University. Priscilla spends her free time walking in Fairmount Park.