Bryan Holten

Church Music Made Better

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Technique/How-To

Choir Anthems for Church: A Strategy for Filtering

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sheet music for choir

Learning to simplify in the right ways can make life easier.

One of the most challenging tasks for any church music director, especially those who serve smaller congregations, is choosing music for their small choir. Generally speaking, the fewer congregants you have, the smaller your choir (if you even have one), and the more limited your options. My challenge to you today is that you reconsider how to respond to those limitations. Often the best solution is to simplify. Choose easier music, so that your singers can actually enjoy the process of making music, rather than merely learning notes.

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Resourcefulness in the Church (3 Ideas for Music Ministers)

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chalkboard drawing with light bulb sitting on top

It starts with using what you already have.

Before you feel dismayed about how your church seems to always have less money to spend from one year to the next, I want you to consider a simple truth. No organization, no matter how large and influential, and no matter how quickly it is growing, has the freedom to spend without consequence. How much you have at your disposal is only part of the picture. The other part is how you make use of what you have. It is in the spirit of that truth that I present to you three examples of resource-stretching mastery. It is difficult (and unfair) to expect others to contribute additional resources (usually in the form of money or volunteer labor) if you are not making effective use of what you already have. This is the very definition of resourcefulness.

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Self Assessment through Audio Recordings (for Musicians)

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smartphone with headphones

Your recording device is like an honest friend. Here’s how to use it to your benefit.

Even the simplest audio setup—perhaps an iPhone audio recorder app—can be a powerful tool for self assessment in music. Here’s how to make the best use of it.

First, a story.

The perils of self-assessment

Imagine that you are having lunch with a good friend named Sam. You’ve known Sam a long time, and you know that she shares your values and wants you to succeed. You know that she’s in a romantic relationship with Theo, and it’s not going well. She wants to talk about it. You are hoping that the conversation will unfold organically and you’ll have a chance to help her without forcing your opinion.

If only it were that easy. Instead, you talk in platitudes for 45 minutes, growing ever more uncomfortable. Finally, Sam asks you a blunt question without segue: “What do you think of Theo?”

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