Mennonite Acappella Groups

Since most conservative Mennonite and Amish churches sing only acapella hymns in their churches, it is not surprising to find that there are numerous Mennonite and Amish a cappella choirs, quartets, and family singing groups. With the exception of some of the more polished choirs, like Oasis Chorale and Faith Builders Chorale, most of these groups sing in simple four-part harmony. The following list of Mennonite acappella groups is in alphabetic order:

Altar of Praise Chorale

 This chorale is a mixed acappella group, comprised of some of the best male and female singers in the conservative Anabaptist world. Members of the group come from various Anabaptist backgrounds: Beachy Amish, Mennonite, and Charity Christian Fellowship.

Antrim Mennonite Choir

 This choir is composed of members of the Antrim Mennonite Church in Antrim, Ohio, which is actually a Beachy Amish church. Some of the members of the choir are teachers who teach at the Antrim Mennonite school, and they come from various Anabaptist backgrounds.

Faith Builders Chorale

This choir is composed of students at Faith Builders Educational Program in Guys Mills, Pennsylvania. Faith Builders Chorale is more polished than many Mennonite and Beachy Amish singing groups and does not limit itself to four-part harmony. It is directed by Brandon Mullet, who has a degree in music.

Mennonite Hour Singers

 In the 1950’s through the 1970’s, the Mennonite Hour was the official radio broadcast for the Mennonite Church.  It began in 1951, and it was a thirty-minute program that featured acapella singing by the Mennonite Hour Chorus, together with a brief sermon. Normally, the chorus was composed of students from Eastern Mennonite College and from various Mennonite singers from the area around Harrisonburg, Virginia.  The singing was always four-part harmony sung acappella. <br> <br>

 The Mennonite Hour peaked in the early 1960’s with over 140 radio stations. It declined thereafter, and the program went off the air in 1978. Recently, musical recordings from the program have been re-mastered and released in CD format.

Oasis Chorale

 The Oasis Chorale is composed of various men and women from assorted Anabaptist backgrounds. The original group was formed from volunteers at Faith Mission, a Beachy Amish training facility for mentally handicapped children and adults. The repertoire for Oasis Chorale includes a variety of genres, and singing is not limited to four-part harmony. Their recordings typically include choral selections that are more advanced and demanding musically than what most Mennonite acapella groups sing. Presently (2010), the conductor for the Oasis Chorale is Wendell Nisly.

Overholt Family

The Overholt family has been heavily involved in music for many decades. This Beachy Amish family are the publishers of the popular Christian Hymnary. The present singers are composed of the four Overholt adult children.

Smucker Family

This singing group is composed of members of the extended Smucker family of Beachy Amish background. It includes various persons who have married into the Smucker family. Their sound is distinctive from many Mennonite a cappella groups in that the lead melody is usually given to the tenors instead of the sopranos.

To listen to music samples from these groups and to order their CDs, please click on the button below: