Song Leaders? part 1

 

          My earliest memories of going to church include standing with a hymnbook in my hands, singing vigorously while trying to see over the pew in front of me.  It never entered my mind that the day would come when the hymnbook would begin to disappear in the sanctuary.  It also never occurred to me that effective song leaders who are passionate music directors with obvious effective conducting skills would also ,little by little, begin to disappear. 

          First, even more disappointing than the disappearance of the hymn book has been the vanishing of the effective song leader. By "effective song leader", I mean someone who is knowledgeable in conducting skills and expresses the essence of the worship music while utilizing these skills. I am fortunate, where I attend church to have a minister of music who understands conducting, but as I travel to a variety of churches, I experience fewer and fewer song leaders who use both arms in the process of conducting patterns and gestures, (remembering that there are worshipers on both sides sides of the conductor) .
       There seems to be a lack of understanding among directors that there are performance conducting techniques  that are a non-verbal method of  "drawing" the congregation into the experience of musical worship. Those who do not understand the function of conducting patterns seem to not understand how conducting gestures should visually express the essence of the text and the music part of the music they are trying to lead. Directors seem to forget that conducting is not merely a rehearsal function. 

          Second, I seldom see a song leader who actually  leads the people in singing. The congregational song leader should direct the music with passion.  The character of the song leader’s conducting gestures should reflect the essence and character of the song he or she is trying to represent with conducting gestures. The conductor should remember that he or  she is leading the congregation in presenting a musical offering unto God, and that it should be a meaningful musical offering which is, as much as is possible, without blemish.  The director is not leading the congregation in singing songs for fun, but rather, he or she is  leading them as they  are responding to God through singing!

          Third, the facial expressions of the song leader should mirror the message of the text. Believe it or not, the conductor’s visage should change as the meaning of the text changes.  The body language of the song leader should be a non-verbal effusion of the director’s inner desire to express the meaning of the text and the music part of the music.  When the music "weeps, the conductor should obviously be moved with great compassion.  When the music rejoices, he or she should almost burst with enthusiasm and obvious joyful, passionate expression   through both  conducting and facial expression!  I believe that Church Music Matters and that a strong philosophy of worship conducting also matters and will effectively change the worship experience!  Remember, every music choice we make exudes from our music philosophy.