Alleluia! Church Music Conference Video

Why do young people come to the isolated village of Taizé in southeastern France by the thousands. The amenities are simple and the worship meditative-surely not the stereotype what young people are looking for in worship.

Two-thirds of the church resides in the southern hemisphere--a startling turn around from the 1950s. We now are able to sing the songs from places that were our former mission fields. Why should we sing global Christian song? What are the possibilities and pitfalls of singing beyond our own culture?

This session is based on principles about leadership styles among conductors, as well as findings from business and education, with particular attention to gender issues. (i.e. Do men and women lead differently? If so, how?) Other questions considered are these: How much of good leadership qualities is innate? How much is learned? Can leadership be taught? How is it exemplified? What makes an effective leader in the choral rehearsal?

Conducting leadership is multifaceted. One of the most visible aspects is that of gestural command. Using several musical examples, participants will engage in a review of effective gestures that exemplify good leadership through clarity and meaningful musical expression. This ?hands-on? session, in the format of a group master class, will allow participants to actively engage in conducting.

How do worship and justice relate? The Iona Community offers a model. Developed in the context of a declining church attendance, Iona worship speaks to a pattern of worship that reaches out to young people and others through an authentic message and active participation. We will explore how this model might be incorporated into local congregational settings.

Never has the church had so many options for congregational singing than today. What does the song of the current age say theologically about the church that it represents? Is there any correlation between musical style and theology? If congregational song is sung prayer, how can we teach our congregations to sing more fully and faithfully?

Building tone, developing vocal technique, improving pitch and rhythm skills: all these and more can be accomplished through effective warm-ups with emphasis on practical applications to repertoire.