A pair of Calvin College students is spending the fall semester on Martha's Vineyard where they are gaining both a practical and theoretical understanding of Christian Contemporary Music (CCM).

Seniors Rachel Zylstra (right) and Renee DenHouten (left) are studying at the (CMC), an off-campus study program available to Calvin students through the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (a 100-member organization of which Calvin is a member).

The music center offers students an opportunity to live and work with fellow musicians, music business students and industry professionals in a creative and intellectually challenging environment. Students gain hands-on experience in recording, performing, producing and marketing contemporary music while earning college credit.

Rachel, a singer and pianist, is working on refining her singing, songwriting, and performing skills. Renee is working as a sound technician and studio engineer, in addition to learning the music business serving as Rachel's manager through an internship with Offshore Entertainment Group (Offshore Entertainment Group is a management and booking agency owned and operated by one of the CMC's directors, Tom Willett).

Currently Renee is working on planning a tour for Rachel along the East Coast during December. She and other students are actively creating press kits, complete with demos, biographies, and other marketing tools that will be distributed to venues for booking within the upcoming months.

Renee is a native of Grandville and a graduate of Grandville High School. Rachel is a native of Parkersburg, Iowa who attended Aplington-Parkersburg High School. She now calls Prinsburg, Minn., home where her father pastors First Christian Reformed.