Summer 2004/Pasadena
Two-week Intensive: August 16-27
WS503
Schmit
WS503: MUSIC BASICS FOR MINISTRY. Clayton J. Schmit.
DESCRIPTION:
- This course is designed for students preparing for lay and pastoral
ministries who seek a sufficient background in church music to foster and
encourage music ministry in the parish. The course work is based on the
presumption that students have limited musical experience. Issues such as the
place of music in Christian worship, church music theology, music copyright,
and how to relate to church music professionals will be addressed. There will
also be a strong practical component to the course that will provide
familiarity with: reading music, vocal production, basic elements of music
theory and harmonization, basic elements of choral singing, historic musical
styles (e.g., Baroque, Classic, Romantic), and forms of contemporary church
music.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:
- Music has always played an important role in Christian worship and
ministry. Whether pastors and lay professionals are trained in music or not,
they will be expected to participate on some level in parish music programs,
either as leaders who encourage others to use their musical skills or as active
participants who lead worship musically. Also, they need to know how to speak a
musical vocabulary and relate to church music professionals and volunteers.
This course is designed to give students the tools they will need to deal
effectively with musicians and musical issues in ministry.
COURSE FORMAT:
- The course has both lecture and practical components. Students will
meet daily for four-hour sessions for two weeks.
REQUIRED READING:
- Navarro, Kevin J. The Complete Worship Leader. Baker Books,
2001.
- Orr, N. Lee. The Church Music Handbook. Abingdon, 1991.
- Routley, Erik. Church Music and the Christian Faith. Agape, 1978.
- Westermeyer, Paul. The Church Musician. Harper & Row, 1988.
- Wilson-Dickson, Andrew. The Story of Christian Music. Fortress,
1996.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Blackwell, Albert L. The Sacred in Music. Westminster/John
Knox, 1999.
- Farley, Robert B. and Eric Vollen, eds. Leading the Church's Song.
Augsburg Fortress, 1998 [book and music CD].
- Grout, Donald Jay. A History of Western Music. Norton, 2000.
- Marshall, Madeleine F. Common Hymnsense. GIA Publications, 1995.
- Reynolds, William J. and Milburn Price. A Survey of Christian
Hymnody. Hope, 1987.
- Westermeyer, Paul. Te Deum. Fortress, 1998.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- Course assignments will include: in-class projects, learning to
sing and sight read, evaluating and analyzing varieties of music, and learning
about musical composition and transposition. There will be a final paper in
which the student begins working toward a theology of church music.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:
- Meets elective requirement for the Worship, Theology, and the Arts
concentration in the M.Div. and for M.A. in Worship, Theology, and the
Arts.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.