Music Matters

May 2008
How Can We Build a Church Choir?

In an earlier era, congregations found it possible to have Sunday morning and Sunday evening services, Wednesday prayer services, Tuesday home visiting … and choir practice for some members at still another time of the week. But adults and children now find themselves engaged in numerous activities. Not being able to make time for participation in a church choir is just one casualty of our busy lifestyles.

Still, there are some basic principles that will increase the chances that you CAN build a choir.

• A director – find a musician within the congregation (possibly a school music teacher?) who can relate to people with both good-humor and motivation. There are lots of resources that a new church choir director can tap to build musical skills, but personality is also a characteristic that will help a choir become a family.
• A rehearsal time – it might be wise to identify a critical mass (preferably including at least one music-reader per part) with an agreed-upon time rehearsal time. Even forming a quartet as a start can be a “marketing strategy,” From the starter group, use social events, each-one-bring-one, etc. as ways to grow the choir.
• Music – By knowing the range of musical tastes of the congregation (and the choir members) it will be possible to select music that will be enjoyable to sing. Other critical factors for music selection include appropriate difficulty level and theological integrity (simplify with definition or other choice of word).  Always purchase enough copies of the music – it is illegal to photocopy music EVEN for use in a church!
• An accompanist – Choirs can sing with a variety of instruments (piano, guitar, organ, electronic keyboard, or even pre-recorded accompaniment) but using some keyboard instrument for rehearsals can be a great help for teaching & learning individual parts. My personal preference is for “live” accompaniment so that the musicians can respond to the Spirit together and not be bound by the pre-recorded dynamics, timings, etc. of CD’s or tapes.
• A sense of mission – Choir members can benefit tremendously as they learn the music, the theology, and the message of the text. Including prayer to begin each rehearsal is also an important tool to keep the focus on unity, ministry, and Christian fellowship.
• A sense of accomplishment – Choirs need to appreciate that they are a meaningful part of worship. They need to be commended as they study, learn, and grow in musicality and unity. The affective rewards of participating in a choir can be tremendously motivating, so design a plan to ensure there will be successes… and then make sure to celebrate and praise the efforts!
• Have fun! A business-like approach to learning music is a good thing, but choir members will also appreciate an atmosphere of fun and fellowship. A sense of humor during the rehearsal AND social activity connected to rehearsals and/or in special events (e.g. a choir picnic) are tools for building community.

The list of strategies that will help build the choir is extensive (e.g. having an “organizer” who is willing to call & invite participants, follow up if someone misses a rehearsal, uses an email list). Below are a few web sites that may also help. Contact other congregations of the Community of Christ with similar characteristics that already have choirs to find out what strategies have worked for them and what kind of music they have enjoyed learning and singing.

The experience of building a choir will be enriching both to the worship experience of the congregation and to the personal and spiritual lives of the choir members.

Additional resources

• How to Form a Choir in Ten Not-So-Easy Steps: http://www.adoremus.org/0206LucyCarroll.html
• Start a Choir – the E-Magazine: http://startachoir.99newsongs.com/ 
• How to Build and Motivate Your Choir: http://www.ccli.com/WorshipResources/Articles.cfm?itemID=17 
• How to Start a Children’s Choir: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070727071601AAcqPwx
• So You Want to Start a Children’s Choir?
http://www.music-for-church-choirs.com/childrens-choir.html

—Blake West
 


If you have suggestions or ideas for future columns, please contact:
Jan Kraybill
Principal Organist and Director of Music
Community of Christ Headquarters
Independence, MO, USA

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