About
Christian Academy of Performing Arts Austin is a 501(c)3 organization created in the spring of 2015 to serve as an umbrella entity over all of the former CCSA choirs, from Angel Choir through Concert Choir and Master’s Singers. The non-profit organization is overseen by a Board of Directors and is a religious and educational organization. CAPA Austin strives to carry forward the original vision and tradition of excellence in Christian choral instruction that so many homeschool students benefited from for over two decades through CCSA.
Anti-discrimination Policy: Christian Academy of Performing Arts Austin admits students of any race, color, national origin, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to our students. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other organization-administered programs.
New students are welcome!
Please visit the registration page to register your student for a particular choir. Details about tuition, times, and locations can be found there. Descriptions of our choirs can be found on the Choir page.
Families who are new to CAPA may register their students on a trial basis. Students may attend and participate for their first two weeks without having to commit for the semester. After that time, students wanting to continue will need to pay the registration fee and either half or full payment for the semester. (Full payment by the third week is required to qualify for the discount.)
All of the choirs emphasize quality
Christian choral music education
Lora Maeurer is committed to teaching our children to sing quality, traditional choral arrangements; to sight read, and to participate in challenging competitions.
Our vision includes not just weekly choir rehearsals, but a range of competitions and performances, including the TPSMEA Concert & Sight-Reading Contest, Solo and Ensemble Festival, the Capitol Rotunda and nursing home performances, and of course the Christmas and spring concerts. As the performing arts name implies, CAPA goes beyond choral performances each year by offering a summer musical each summer as well as a small cast musical during alternating school years.
While excellence in musical instruction is our goal, we also strive to provide a safe social environment for our homeschool and private school students. An active calendar of social events include dances, parties, and other opportunities for our students to enjoy fellowship while honoring God.
All Choirs meet one day each week
with our younger choirs offering up to
three time and location options
Choral Director
Lora Maeurer
Lora has a Bachelors of Music in Music Education from the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford and a Masters in Elementary Education from SUNY (State University of New York) New Paltz. She taught for several years in the public schools in New York State where she led the vocal and general music programs and directed several high school musical theatre productions. Lora, her husband Ted, and their girls moved to Austin in 2001. Lora has stayed active as a musician by performing or teaching through several homeschool, community, and church groups. Lora homeschooled her two daughters for 14 years, during which time both of her girls sang in each of the CCSA choirs from Angel to Master’s Singers. In January 2015, Lora became the CAPA Angel and Children’s Choir Director; she began directing the remaining CAPA choirs in September 2015.
Board of Directors
Melissa Kemp, Chair
Christi Covington, Secretary
Christi Covington joined the choir when it first started in the 1990s as a Children’s Choir student and continued through high school, finishing in Concert Choir and Master’s Singers. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and working as a reporter and editor for news publications in the Austin-area, she and her husband, Jason, decided to homeschool their own three children. They rejoined the CCSA family again in 2011 with their oldest son and now have students in Children’s and Angel choirs. They’re active with their church, Redemption Hill, as well as with their Classical Conversations campus in Round Rock where Christi serves as Foundations-Essentials Director.
Sharon Gretencord, Treasurer
Sharon Gretencord is a homeschool mom of six. The Gretencord kids have been part of CCSA and CAPA since 2009. Sharon has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Science in Computational and Applied Mathematics from the University of Texas. Before beginning her family, she was a lecturer in the Math Department at UT and spent several years in curriculum development in STEM. Sharon teaches science courses to middle and high school students and is currently taking an online classical teacher training to hone her skills in the homeschool journey. Sharon and her husband Adam have worked for the Austin Fertility Care ™ Center in Austin for 14 years, giving presentations to engaged couples to help prepare them for marriage in the Diocese of Austin. The Gretencord family has been active at their parish, St Louis King of France Catholic Church, since 2003.
Rachel Karabats, Member
Rachel Karabats has been involved with CAPA since her family relocated to Texas in 2020. She homeschools her three children who sing in Angel, Children’s and Treble Choir. Rachel earned her bachelor’s degree in music education and master’s degree in instrumental conducting from Central Michigan University. Before stepping down to start her family, she was a middle school and high school band director. Rachel has enjoyed returning to the podium by directing the pit orchestra for recent CAPA Summer Musicals. Rachel and her husband are members at The Fellowship Church. She teaches AWANA classes on Sunday evenings.
Sheri Vinke, Member
Sheri Vinke has had her children dip their toes in each level of CAPA’s choirs, though all three committed to participating in choir during high school and have thoroughly enjoyed everything that CAPA has to offer. Sheri graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in K-8 education from Calvin University. She left teaching when she and her husband, John, had their first child, and she stayed home thereafter as they accidentally ended up homeschooling. Sheri now volunteers her time to support the activities her kids are involved in and works part-time at HEB as she contemplates life beyond homeschooling. The Vinkes are active members of Grace Presbyterian Church.
Lindsey Jaska, Member
Lindsey Jaska grew up in south Austin singing with Children’s Choir back when CAPA was CCSA and then playing violin with the Christian Youth Orchestra of Central Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Science in Accounting from Texas A&M University and worked for several years in corporate accounting. Answering the call to a vocation of marriage, motherhood, and homeschooling, Lindsey lived in the Brazos Valley for almost ten years with her wonderful husband, Paul, and two children. When events brought them back to the Austin area, she was delighted to re-find CCSA/CAPA and her children are now in Children’s Choir and Treble Choir. The Jaska family are parishioners at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church.
