Join us for a six-week exploration of the whys, whats, and hows of church music! We’ll discuss some of the historical and theological dimensions of liturgical music, and have some more practically-oriented workshops about singing from the pews! All are welcome. Admission by freewill offering.

Topics

September 22 – Why Do We Sing? A Theological Basis for Church Music: An exploration of the biblical basis for church music and the theological significance of music in the liturgy.

September 29 – What Do We Sing? Part I – Music in the Western Christian Tradition: A bird’s-eye view of the historical development of sacred music in the Western Christian tradition.

October 6 – What Do We Sing? Part II – Music in the Anglican Tradition: An overview of Anglican musical practices with emphasis on vernacular congregational service music and the choral tradition.

October 13 – What Do We Sing? Part III – Contemporary Expressions: An overview of some of the genres of church music including praise and worship, jazz, and global song that gained popularity in the twentieth and twenty-first century.

October 20 – How Do We Sing? Part I – Finding Your Voice (with expert vocalists from the community): An interactive workshop offering vocal technique tips for feeling more comfortable with singing from the pews.

October 27 – How Do We Sing? Part II – Navigating Music Notation: A practical guide to music notation, the hymnal, and different psalm-chanting techniques including plainsong and Anglican chant.