Lakeside Choral Scholars

Lakeside's Choral Scholars program has become an integral part of our Music Ministry, providing talented young singers with the opportunity to grow as musicians while enriching our worship each week. These emerging artists bring vibrant energy, skill, and dedication to our choir, enhancing our worship services with musical excellence and providing leadership in our chancel choir. Your giving helps us sustain and ensure the longevity of this vital program, helping our Music Ministry to continue to flourish and elevate worship each week for years to come. 

Meet Our

LAkeside choral Scholars

Lakeside's Choral Scholars include talented young vocalists from as far West as Raleigh and as far East as Greenville. Our scholars serve as a small ensemble, soloists, and section leaders in the chancel choir for rehearsals and worship services.

  • Jackson Baldwin, Baritone

    Jackson Baldwin is one of the original choral scholars at Lakeside, beginning with us in 2020. 


    Jackson Baldwin’s musical journey began in childhood at the piano, where early lessons sparked a lifelong passion for singing. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from East Carolina University, sharing his voice in recitals and church settings along the way. 


    Jackson also holds an Associate’s degree in Simulation and Game Development from Wake Technical Community College, and this fall he will begin a diploma in CG Asset Creation for Games through Think Tank Training Centre. 


    Outside of music and art, Jackson bartends at Gamers Geekery and Tavern and is happily outnumbered at home by his three cats, Dale, Despina, and Hashbrown, who ensure life is always full of joy and mischief.

  • Esther Keller, Soprano

    Esther Keller, Soprano, holds a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from East Carolina University, where she studied under Dr. Jami Rhodes. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Choral Music Education from Brigham Young University, performing with the BYU Singers from 2018 to 2020.


    With over fifteen years of training in classical voice and choral arts, Esther brings both skill and versatility to her work as a performer and educator. She has taught undergraduate voice methods at ECU, directed choirs at BYU, and has maintained a private voice studio for the past eight years. 


    Esther performs regularly with the North Carolina Choral Artists as both a soprano and featured soloist. Her operatic roles include Fiordiligi in scenes from Così fan tutte and Mrs. Odum in Taggart’s Gal Young ‘Un. She currently teaches voice in the Raleigh area and performs as a soloist and choral artist throughout North Carolina.

  • Allison Benoit, Soprano

    Allison Benoit is a soprano from Memphis, TN. She is currently a graduate student at East Carolina University pursuing a Master of Music in Voice Performance. 


    At ECU, she studies with Dr. Catherine Gardner and Professor John Kramar, and she is a member of Chamber Singers and Opera Theatre. She received her B. M. in Voice Performance from Middle Tennessee State University and studied with Dr. Dina Cancryn. 

  • Jacob McCain, Tenor

    Jacob McCain is a recent graduate of East Carolina University, holding a Bachelor’s degree in voice performance and a Masters in voice performance and pedagogy. 


    Jacob is a member of North Carolina Choral Artists, and performs regularly throughout the area. He has performed the Bach Christmas Oratorio with the Taylor Music Group. 


    Furthermore, Jacob is a former choral scholar at St. James UMC in Greenville where he still serves as a director of handbells and works in the front office.

History of the Choral Scholars Program

Beginning in the Spring of 2020, Lakeside developed our Choral Scholar program to support young singers and bring their gifts into our choir loft each Sunday as part of worship. The program began with a quartet of singers from Greenville who would travel to Lakeside on Saturdays to pre-record services during the COVID-19 pandemic. We quickly realized how mutually beneficial this program could be as we returned to in-person worship. Thus, beginning with a generous donation in memory of Barbara Biggs, beloved former Lakeside Choir Director, the Gossett-Biggs Music Fund was created to support the continuation of the Choral Scholars program.

 

Today, our Choral Scholars sing in worship each Sunday as a part of our Chancel Choir, and as a small ensemble and soloists. They serve as section leaders in Wednesday evening rehearsals, assist with sectional work, serve as extra conductors when needed, and occasionally ring handbells. Through this program, in addition to a stipend, these young artists get experience in singing a variety of sacred music in real time, gaining skills in sight-reading, vocal production, and rehearsal skills, and large & small ensemble singing skills, all which benefit them as they move into their own music careers. 


Lakeside’s Choral Scholars have become an integral part of our Music Ministry, enhancing our worship and providing vocal leadership in our weekly rehearsals. We invite you to be a part of sponsoring this ministry. Your giving helps us sustain and ensure the longevity of this vital program, helping our Music Ministry to continue to flourish and elevate worship each week for years to come.


Support the Choral Scholars

Beginning with a donation in memory of Barbara Biggs, beloved former Lakeside Choir Director, given by Ted Gossett, former Lakeside organist and generous benefactor, we began this program to support young singers and bring their gifts into our choir loft each Sunday as part of worship. 


We invite you to be a part of supporting this ministry at Lakeside. You can give any amount by clicking the "Donate" button below or writing a check to Lakeside Church, 1501 Sunset Ave., Rocky Mount, NC 27804 with the memo "Gossett-Biggs Music Fund." All gifts given to the Lakeside Choral Scholars program are fully tax-deductible.


Click the "Make a Donation" button below and choose "Gossett-Biggs Music Fund" from the dropdown menu.