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Stick Time: “Just” a Church Choir

November 6, 2012 by Scott Dorsey Leave a Comment


During a recent conversation, a new acquaintance introduced himself as being “Just a church choir director.”
 
Excuse me?  Just a church choir director . . . !?
 
Creating satisfying choral art with a college choir that meets five days a week is comparatively luxurious next to the herculean task of producing beautiful sounds with a volunteer church choir.
 
Most church choirs are populated by dear folks who gift their time to the choir as a part of the church’s larger ministry.  The talent range in a church choir is massively broad.  Resources are frequently limited.  On top of all of that, the church choir director has perhaps an hour or an hour-and-a-half a week to rehearse (and the rehearsal is separated from “performance” by days, not hours).
 
A church choir is just as capable as any other ensemble of singing beautifully.  As proof, enjoy this performance of O Magnum Mysterium (César Allejandro Carillo) by the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church Chamber Singers.  This was recorded during the Worship Session of the 2009 ACDA National Conference.
 

Filed Under: Church Choir, Others

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Scott Dean says

    November 12, 2012 at 11:08 am

    Scott
     
    Well said!  Each area of discipline in our art has it’s own unique challenges but your summary and notice of the partcicular challenges of the church musician here is greatly appreciated.  Thank you!
     
    Scott Dean
    Former National Chair, Music In Worship
    Director of Music iand Worship, First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue, WA
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  2. Mary Trigg says

    November 12, 2012 at 9:25 am

    I agree – and thank you! Most of us hold down other jobs as well, so we have to be very focused for that short rehearsal each week.
     
    I tell my choir that church choirs have a very challenging job, one of the most challenging for any choral singer. They have to sing a different anthem every week, usually in different styles, and in some churches, different languages. We get what, 3-4 rehearsals? And they are responsible for leading hymns and liturgey as well. I make sure my choir knows how much they are appreciated, and how much value they add to the service each week.
     
    Mary Trigg
    Associate Director of Music
    Abiding Presence Lutheran Church
    Ewing, NJ
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