Core Principles of Composing Music for the Assembly
Mark Mummert
August 13, 2:00 pm
Which musical attributes are most important when creating music for an assembly to sing in worship? What methods are available to create the best songs? What makes a song durable or accessible? How could I get started composing my own music for worship in my congregation or setting? How does one go about selecting a text to set? What hymns need new tunes? What psalms need new settings? Which liturgical events would be enhanced or supported by well-crafted music? What are some common mistakes composers make in creating music for the liturgy? This webinar will address these and other questions related to composition for Christian assembly.
Mark Mummert
Cantor
Trinity Lutheran Church, Worcester, MA
Worship and Civic Life
Mark Oldenburg
August 27, 2:00 pm
Lutherans firmly declare that Christians are in but not of the world. That means that observing civic holidays in worship is an important but dangerous practice. How might worship leaders plan to proclaim the Gospel in the context of those festivals? And how might civic engagement more generally be part of a community’s worship life?
Mark Oldenburg
Professor Emeritus of the Art of Worship
United Lutheran Seminary, Gettysburg, PA
Better Communication through Conducting
Alexa Doebele
September 24, 3:00 PM
At its very essence, conducting is non-verbal communication. This begs the question: If body language comes into play, what does your conducting really say? This session will examine recent research to help church musicians to be more effective communicators through their conducting gesture in order to convey their musical intent better and to help their ensembles sing and play their very best to the Lord’s praise.
Alexa Doebele
Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities
Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, WI
Teaching about Music, Liturgy, and the Church Musician’s Role through Creative Means
Adam Lefever Hughes
October 15, 2:00 pm
In this webinar, Adam Lefever Hughes helps attendees explore the possibilities of teaching about music, liturgy, and the role of the church musician through creative writing, videos, and bulletin preparation. Offering such continuing education opportunities for adults provides forums to deepen our experience of worship, the music we sing, and to further the role of the church musician as a caretaker of the people’s song. In addition to receiving a number of real-life examples from Adam’s own work, attendees will be encouraged to determine what kinds of teaching may be appropriate for their context.
