Last spring, I was commissioned by the choir at Parkview United Church of Christ, and this month they enthusiastically premiered my new piece When We Sing. I was enamored by the respect and sense of community there, and was impressed that this small church makes music a priority and fosters new work. This experience gave me a chance to reflect on how meaningful music-making is in worship settings. On those rare moments when you get to sit back and listen to a piece you’ve written come to life, you want to stop and savor it.
When I think about the difference between working with a church choir rather than a professional choir, I realize that any choir volunteer is doing it for the sheer love of singing, and that is special. In the case of a church choir member, they are also lifting their voice in praise. I appreciate the humility and selflessness that come with that. I lead my choir at First Presbyterian Church in South St. Paul, MN (where I’ve been for 30 years now!), so I understand very well the sense of community that is fostered in church choirs. I love giving them a mix of known and loved pieces, and new pieces that can challenge and inspire them to new heights.
The values of humility, courage and commitment come to mind as I reflect on my life in church music—it takes a lot of all of these to rehearse and sing week after week. Most church choirs sing more in a year than any student sings over their entire high school career—that takes dedication! I do my best to take those values into other areas of my life.
My compositional voice has undeniably been influenced by my time writing for and conducting church choirs. All in all, I want the music and words to connect with singers and community in a personal way. How does it make them feel when they sing it? Is it accessible to a wide range of voices? Is it relatable?
I want to keep growing my music for worship and hope to serve many more congregations with new songs to sing, new connections to be made.