Rebecca Freidel started singing with the Elgin Children’s Choir in Elgin, IL when she was 9 years old and fell in love with choral music. She had many solo opportunities as a young artist with her choir, also appearing as a guest soloist for the Illinois Christian Home Educators Convention, as well as community events in the Chicago area. She was the winner of the 2005 Kane County Talent Contest. Rebecca took many years of private voice lessons with emphasis in classical and opera genres and earned a diploma in vocal performance from the UK - dipABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music).

Mrs. Freidel directed children’s choirs for homeschool groups in the Chicago, IL area for over five years and taught private voice for 15 years. Rebecca sang with an adult ensemble choir in Elgin, IL called Heartland Voices, and currently sings with Dakota Choral Union in Rapid City. She has also been on church worship teams for over 15 years. ​​​

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Rebecca Freidel and her husband are both homeschool graduates and are grateful for the blessing to be able to freely homeschool their 8 children, 5 of whom are still at home.

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Mrs. Freidel founded the Rapid City Homeschool Children’s Choir in 2018.

Paula Meloy has an undergraduate music degree from Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa, in instrumental music. She studied in the graduate music program at the University of Great Falls and received her Master's in Music at the University of South Dakota. She has studied flute, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, clarinet, guitar, piano, flute and violin with well known collegiate doctorate instructors. She has taught all band instruments, guitar, and violin privately for almost 50 years. Ms. Meloy was the 5-8th grade band director for 10 years at Bishop Heelen Catholic Schools in Sioux City, Iowa, and taught 5th and 6th grade bands at Douglas Middle School for 8 years in Box Elder, SD. Ms. Meloy is a past member of the Sioux City and Great Falls Symphonies and has performed as a guest with the Rapid City Symphony. Ms. Meloy has toured with various concert bands, orchestras, jazz, rock, and country bands playing a variety of instruments. She has performed and toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. 

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Paula Meloy currently performs in the Rapid City Municipal Band and performs with the group

Kim and the Classics on the sax and also supporting vocals.

 

Ms. Meloy founded the Rapid City Homeschool Band in 2021 and the Rapid City Homeschool Orchestra in 2022.​

Ashlie Buckley grew up in a musical environment from a young age. She began piano lessons at the age of six and joined the Capitol City Children's Chorus in Pierre, SD at the age of 10. In high school, her love of music blossomed and she spent many hours at the piano honing her technique. Mrs. Buckley also participated in Honor Choir as a junior and senior in high school and was in All-State Choir her senior year. Although she began college intending to minor in music, she drifted away from playing, but joyfully returned in recent years to her love of playing piano and singing.

She currently enjoys singing on her church's worship team.

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Ashlie Buckley and her husband have three children who they have homeschooled since 2018, and she adores her role as a wife, mother, and homemaker. 

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This year, Mrs. Buckley is delighted to accompany the Rapid City Homeschool Choir for the first time.