Weekly chapel events, a staple of student life at Central Methodist University, are already underway for the 2021-22 academic year, with three new chapel bands to lead the music portion.
Under the guidance of Dr. David Witter, director of music ministry education, each of the bands will be headed by a student leader. Jack Fender of Columbia, Mitchell Crofton of Springfield, Ill., and Mikayla Kinkead of Fredericktown – all music ministry majors – have been selected as this year’s leaders.
Fender, who will play guitar and synth, leads a band that includes Cory Edmonds (Slater; music ministry) on bass, Wesley Spargo (Springfield; religion and church leadership) on piano, Mason Mitchell (Lake Saint Louis; music ministry) on acoustic guitar, and Hunter Hanson (Soldotna, Alaska; communications studies) on guitar. Fender, Mitchell, Hanson, Duke Newstead (Centralia; religion and church leadership), Ryanne Burks (Springfield; criminal justice), and Avery Spilman (Higbee; psychology) will all lend their voices to the band.
Crofton will play guitar and piano and sing in addition to his leadership role. Also in the band are Tyrone Harris (Dixon; business) on drums, Paul Harrison (Huntsville; music education) on bass, Addy Gabriel (Agency; music education) on piano, Kennedy Walker (Boonville; religion and church leadership) on acoustic guitar, Rowan Collom (Benton; marine biology) on acoustic guitar, and Noah Kee (Franklin; English) on guitar. Gabriel, Walker, Collom, Lucas Icarte (Santiago, Chile; music), and Nathan Wren (Ballwin; music education) will all sing as well.
In addition to leading her band, Kinkead will play piano and sing. The rest of the band is made up of Josh Derendinger (Boonville; pre-education) on drums, Connor Sanchegraw (Columbia; music education) on bass, Grady Baker (Boonville; pre-education) on acoustic guitar, Ross Nelson (Winston; business) on acoustic guitar, and Elyse Travis (Golden, Ill.; religion and church leadership) on piano. Chely Stratton (Clinton; biology) and Lilly Powell (Wentzville; music education) will participate as vocalists.
The bands can be heard every week at chapel, in Assembly Hall at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays.