Article by Don Land

     I have worked in church music most of my life, playing organ and piano, directing choral groups, and administrating small and large music programs. Keeping a volunteer choir going in the Adventist church seems to be the biggest problem in the entire music program. I also have worked for 25 years in the United Methodist Church. They don't have the same challenges that we have in the Adventist church. In one of my current churches, we have membership around 350. We have 60 on the choir roll, two handbell choirs, praise team, and hope to start an instrumental program this year.
     There is a lady in the church who had a burden that we have a good choral program. She told me that if I would direct, she would do the rest! She recruits, maintains the choir folders, and calls every choir member every week to remind them of rehearsal and get a commitment to attend. This works big time! With the choir membership of 60, we usually have 30 to 45 singers present.
     Even though our church is big on music, I have not been in many of our churches that adequately supported the music program in a financial way. When I started with the my local Adventist choir, the choir did not have a "choral" sound. We had very few that could read music. Included in the mix were those who could not even match pitches! I have never discouraged anyone from participating in the music ministry of the church. With their limited capabilities and no budget, I began by arranging some simple things based on familiar songs. They were able to pick these arrangements up quickly and it gave them the confidence that they could actually do something well. I stretch them all the time. We now do a wide variety of choral music from the gospel music of the Brooklyn Tabernacle to the classics. They have become a pretty good choir.
      When the board decided that we were serious about having a strong choir program, we got a slot in the budget. They have now increased our budget to $1,500, which is enough to build a [music] library. The choir subsidizes the budget by passing the plate at every rehearsal. With this money, we buy music, supplies, and pay for guest musicians.
     Copyright laws should not be overlooked. The CCLI license is fairly worthless. Don't waste your money on it. Copyright generally prohibits copying of anything in print and some things out of print.
     I have subscribed to most choral review services. I now only continue with Hope Publishing, Beckenhorst, and Morningstar. They consistently have a higher quality of choral music than the other publishing companies. There are quarterly mailings of a listening CD and music. You can subscribe at their web sites. [See Resource Page.]
     I generally do not do warm up exercises. I just don't like them. I start rehearsal with things that don't strain the voice. When teaching the music, I coach the choir on vocal technique such as breathing, dynamics, articulation, notes and rhythm. You can't let them get away with much. Discipline is a must.
     I have never worked with an Adventist pastor who planned very far ahead. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit guides my planning to synchronize with what the pastor does.
     It does not work to run the music program in a democratic fashion. We are in the position of leadership because of unique abilities. We give worship its personality. We either make worship boring or exciting.

Select music that speaks to the heart.

God bless as you start this exciting adventure.

Don