Mr. Wynkoop is the new choir director and organist at Kent School. Prior to Kent, he was the assistant choral director at Marist University in Poughkeepsie, New York. There, Mr. Wynkoop directed choirs and was a lecturer in music theory and musicianship.
Born and raised in Hudson Valley, New York, which is an hour from Kent, Mr. Wynkoop started his music journey as a pianist when he was a young child. Later, he became the lead piano accompanist at his university. His love for church music began when his grandmother purchased an organ, and he then started exploring this instrument. “I was twelve to thirteen years old, and there was a mass with no organist in our local church at that time. So I proposed to play the organ for Easter Sunday, and the church said yes,” said Mr. Wynkoop excitedly. “Since then, I have done church music for almost twenty years.”
Mr. Wynkoop explained that he came to Kent because he was looking for something new for his career: “I was looking for something that could combine my skills in choral directing and my experience in church music.” As to his goal for this year, he wishes to grow the music programs at Kent and make sure that he connects with as many students as possible. “Sometimes there’s a push to grow athletics and academics, so why not music? I want to make everybody realize that music is a safe and sound place for them to be.” Mr. Wynkoop said. He would love to propel more collaborations between Kent’s choral programs and band or orchestra beyond regular big concerts, maybe even interdisciplinary collaborations as well. “I am open to opportunities for collaboration. Maybe we can go support the local community, such as at holiday festivals. Of course, I will make sure these changes are based on the needs of the school and students since it’s our educators’ duty to grow and adapt to what students want.”
Mr. Wynkoop has a mindset that music has the power to connect to everyone from various backgrounds and create community. For choral music, each person needs to be devoted to this craft, which thus inspires long-lasting friendships. “Music could serve as something people could carry their entire lives, and they can showcase their emotions through it. I hope every student can use these elements of music that are just naturally inherent to all of us to grow and explore.”
Lastly, Mr. Wynkoop shared some fun facts about himself. He has had many careers, including a chase crew member in a hot-air balloon company and a Funeral Director in New York State. Based on his many experiences, he encourages students to try new things: “If something interests you, no matter how inconvenient it is, say yes. You never know what doors you are going to open up.”
