Maria Coffin - Minister of Music to Children

Maria Coffin directs the Choristers Academy of St. John’s Parish in Waterbury, Connecticut.  This is a group of about 30 inner-city kids who meet twice a week to study music and practice singing for worship and other church-related events.  She teaches them music theory as well as voice.  She is an amazingly self-effacing woman who also manages to teach these kids the story of hymns, the meaning of lyrics.  She makes the Gospel as it’s represented through the art of music available to these kids.  She even drives them to lessons when they couldn’t otherwise get to church.  My daughter is among this group of kids, and she has blossomed under Maria’s wonderful, inspired direction.