Stick Time: Special Brand of Commitment

With the season of Lent beginning tomorrow, church choirs will become increasing busy.  As a result of the plethora of services and observances involved, some singers could spend 20 hours in the choir loft during Holy Week alone (this on top of their normal 40-hour day job and family obligations).

 

Those who regularly sing in a church choir bring a special brand of commitment.  They don’t get paid, they’re not earning grades, and they’re not compiling credits toward a music degree.  These dedicated souls forego late Saturday nights and weekend travel in order to serve as an ancillary to a ministry.  They don’t “perform” in the traditional sense, rather their musical presentation is a gift to the listener and a way to reinforce a message.  Despite hours of work, the average church choir is rarely heard beyond the walls of their respective house of worship.

 

Our colleagues who conduct church choirs span the entirety of the choral profession.  They range from the 19 year-old newbie taking his first tentative steps as a conductor to the seasoned senior professor sharing from her massive wealth of knowledge and experience.  What these diverse folks share is a love for choral music, the people in the choir, and the ensemble’s mission.

 

So, today, here is a performance by a church choir from an ACDA national conference.  Imagine having a chance to work with these fine folks every week between Labor Day and Memorial Day.