Keep Choirs ALIVE!
I have grown up amidst choirs for literally my entire life. My dad was a choir director and my mom was a co-founder of the Young Adult choir. I often heard stories of how from the womb I was most active while my mom was at choir rehearsal. When I was born, they used to pass me around and take turns holding me during choir rehearsal. At age 2, I was the youngest-ever member of the Children’s Choir because of my ability to ‘keep up’ with the older kids. So naturally, after years of watching my dad and others and practicing directing songs (by playing CDs and looking in the mirror), I became the director of the Youth Choir by my junior year in high school.
Beyond my deeply rooted love and appreciation for the church choir, the following four ‘As’ will give insight as to why we must keep choirs alive.
Choirs Are Affirmed in Scripture
Old Testament worship was led by hosts of trained singers and musicians, while the Psalms were essentially the hymnal for the New Testament church. Furthermore, the book of Psalms is complete with detailed instructions to the music director regarding the style, melody, and occasion of a particular psalm.
Psalm 46
For the choir director: A song of the descendants of Korah, to be sung by soprano voices.
God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!Interlude
A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.Interlude
Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.Interlude
Choirs are not the only valid scriptural model for worship, but they need not be dismissed as archaic and irrelevant. In doing that, we risk leaving behind a rich biblical tradition.
Choirs Advocate Excellence in Worship
The choir director spends time and resources to acquire the perfect arrangement of the perfect song. Then she spends time rehearsing singers and musicians to perform the song with artistry and precision. The song transcends being just notes on a page and speaks to and through the singers to the congregation. The “performance,” in this instance meaning “to complete a task,” inspires people to praise. Likewise, the task of the choir for congregational singing is to powerfully prompt worship: people clearly hear the melody and join their voices in unity. A well-rehearsed choir encourages a sense of awe and reverence through their excellence and preparation in worship to God in spirit and in truth.
Choirs Align Us
Choirs promote community and can help cure the disease of self-centeredness — they make us work together. In order to succeed, we must yield ourselves to one another, listen to one another, and follow the direction of the leader. “Doing your own thing” by looking away for even a second out straying from what is written or directions given can cause train wrecks and ultimately embarrassment. Choirs teach us mutuality and submission within the context of purpose far beyond ourselves.
Choirs Can Accentuate Musical Diversity
Most choir people are very musically diverse and appreciate lots of different styles of music. With that appreciation also comes the ability they have established to execute them well. From a piece from Handel’s Messiah to a black gospel song by Ricky Dillard, an American hymn setting or a Negro Spiritual, the director as well as the choir members have to commit to learning the style and knowing enough about the culture and history of whatever they are singing to accurately and believably portray the heart of the music.
For these reasons and maybe even more, it is important for us to keep choirs ALIVE in the church!
