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South Shore Children’s Chorus is thrilled to announce the launch of the Rachel K. Hallenbeck Lightkeeper Fellowship, a new two-year position designed to support early-career music educators with teaching experience, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.
Read the official Job Description here. Applications open in February 2027 for the next available fellowship (July 1, 2027- June 30, 2029).
This fellowship is named in honor of Rachel K. Hallenbeck; beloved mother, educator, colleague, and friend. Her joyful spirit and unwavering belief in people made every room brighter. Rachel spent over 30 years teaching in Braintree Public Schools, working for the Treble Chorus of New England, singing in Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and leading the youngest singers at SSCC with gentleness, humor, and boundless compassion. She had a gift for making everyone feel seen, heard, and valued whether you were a nervous kindergartener on your first day of choir, a teacher needing encouragement, or a high school student in the stages of growing up. She was the kind of person who left handwritten notes, remembered the small details, and laughed easily and often.
Rachel lived with a light that inspired others to shine, and this fellowship carries that legacy forward. The Lightkeeper Fellow will not only teach and learn but will be asked to see others fully, to lead with heart, and to nurture community with the same warmth and intentionality Rachel brought to everything she touched. This is more than a job. This is an invitation to carry forward a legacy of joy, kindness, and people-first teaching.
The Lightkeeper Fellow is immersed in all aspects of SSCC’s work, from classroom teaching to program administration. During the two years, the Fellow:
This position offers a unique bridge into sustainable, joyful careers in music education.
We are overjoyed to welcome Sona Minasian (he/they) as the inaugural Rachel K. Hallenbeck Lightkeeper Fellow (2025-2027).
Sona graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor’s in Music Education, concentrating in piano and voice. Their work includes a specialization in collaborative piano and Armenian folk music, and they are an accomplished singer, having performed with ensembles such as the Southern Tier Singers’ Collective (NY) and Boston’s Coro Allegro. Sona has served as Choral Director at Forest Home Chapel UMC, as interim Co-Director for Transpose: Ithaca Queer Singers Alliance, and was most recently appointed Music Director at Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church in Danvers, MA.
Through the Fellowship, Sona looks forward to growing as a teacher and conductor while returning to work with youth in an ensemble setting. Their artistry, leadership, and commitment to inclusive, joyful music-making reflect the very spirit of Rachel’s legacy, and we are thrilled to have them join the SSCC community.
The Lightkeeper Fellowship is more than a job. This position is SSCC's way of investing in the future of music education and in the hundreds of students who find joy and belonging at SSCC each year. Sustaining this position ensures that Rachel’s legacy continues through the training of future educators and the vibrant, barrier-free programs we provide to young people.
By becoming a monthly donor, you create lasting impact:
Every gift matters — but monthly giving is the most powerful way to sustain this work.
Please join us in welcoming Sona and in carrying Rachel’s legacy forward by supporting the Lightkeeper Fellowship today.
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