Church music (yes, again!)
The Standing Room talks about leaving a church job after a long period of time. I have been a professional church singer since I was 16 (no prizes for knowing how long ago that was) and as I contemplate some pretty drastic changes in my life, I wonder if that part of it will continue.
There wasn't a lot of church music in my youth. I grew up going to a Catholic Church held mass in a gym and had no choir per se or regular organist. The music I mostly heard there was usually provided a group of teenagers playing guitars (thank you Vatican II). I developed a love of opera early and I wax poetic about the Saturday afternoons when, for $25 dollars a week, alone in the church hall, I would set up the chairs and play the Metropolitan Opera Saturday broadcasts on my small portable radio. Often I'd sing along, much to the amusement of our pastor who'd drop by on occasion ( luckily he was an opera lover too). Apart from that, that was the extent of my musical involvement in that church.
It was only in high school, when I was hired to sing in a local church choir (and my first experience with Protestant worship) did I realize much of what I was missing. In music school I became keenly aware of the musical education that many of my colleagues had experienced growing up with an active church choir program and that I was lacking. While singing in several church choirs in Indiana, I got a glimpse of the kind of youth choir and music program that I wished I'd had.
That is why I'm so adamant about maintaing the quality of church music. The church where I'm currently singing has always had a high quality music program. That is why I reacted in horror when a few years ago they introduced a contemporary music worship service. It was advertised as being God with bongos. Happily that died a quiet and unlamented death, but it underlines the important of good quality music in the church and high quality and active youth programs. In the days when schools in the US are lack music education programs, this is often the best opportunity to challenge youth with good music. I've recently been looking at the composition of church music programs throughout the country and I've been very encouraged by the number of active youth programs and graded choirs. But as in all things, we must not become complacent. We must look to the future and find new ways to expand and enrich opportunities. I believe firmly that quality religious music is an integral part of the worship experience (there wouldn't be such a vast literature if it wasn't) and enriching that experience we have the opportunity to grow spiritually, intellectually and musically.
There wasn't a lot of church music in my youth. I grew up going to a Catholic Church held mass in a gym and had no choir per se or regular organist. The music I mostly heard there was usually provided a group of teenagers playing guitars (thank you Vatican II). I developed a love of opera early and I wax poetic about the Saturday afternoons when, for $25 dollars a week, alone in the church hall, I would set up the chairs and play the Metropolitan Opera Saturday broadcasts on my small portable radio. Often I'd sing along, much to the amusement of our pastor who'd drop by on occasion ( luckily he was an opera lover too). Apart from that, that was the extent of my musical involvement in that church.
It was only in high school, when I was hired to sing in a local church choir (and my first experience with Protestant worship) did I realize much of what I was missing. In music school I became keenly aware of the musical education that many of my colleagues had experienced growing up with an active church choir program and that I was lacking. While singing in several church choirs in Indiana, I got a glimpse of the kind of youth choir and music program that I wished I'd had.
That is why I'm so adamant about maintaing the quality of church music. The church where I'm currently singing has always had a high quality music program. That is why I reacted in horror when a few years ago they introduced a contemporary music worship service. It was advertised as being God with bongos. Happily that died a quiet and unlamented death, but it underlines the important of good quality music in the church and high quality and active youth programs. In the days when schools in the US are lack music education programs, this is often the best opportunity to challenge youth with good music. I've recently been looking at the composition of church music programs throughout the country and I've been very encouraged by the number of active youth programs and graded choirs. But as in all things, we must not become complacent. We must look to the future and find new ways to expand and enrich opportunities. I believe firmly that quality religious music is an integral part of the worship experience (there wouldn't be such a vast literature if it wasn't) and enriching that experience we have the opportunity to grow spiritually, intellectually and musically.
posted by Rich Russell at
8:00 AM
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