Leading music

I've noticed a vast difference between northern and southern Baptist churches.

1. In Michigan we couldn't get people with a good voice to sing specials or sing in the choir--only those with horrid voices wanted to sing. In Florida willing singers (good and bad) are in abundance and no Baptist church I've been to lacks willing workers.

2. Many churches were without a song leader in Michigan, and often the pastor had to do that job--or someone who wasn't qualified. By "qualified" I mean someone who can sing well enough and loudly enough to lead. In Florida nearly every Baptist church has a song leader, or the pastor does it and won't give it up to anyone.

3. In Michigan the pastor was quite happy to let someone take over the song leading so that he could spend more time with feeding the sheep. In Florida, if the pastor leads the singing, he won't give it up even to an experienced person.

4. In Michigan we had people of all ages and lots of children in churches. In Florida the Baptist churches seem to be mostly people older than I am (I'm 64). I was in one church here that I thought should have been renamed Geriatric Baptist. I was 59 or 60 at the time, and I was one of the youngest ones there.

 

In our church, I lead from the piano, so there's not much opportunity for conducting... or hand-waving as some of my choir members put it. I still conduct our choir when they sing a special piece. I find it enables me to be expressive as I relay to them what I am trying to get from them in a song.

 

I do the "hand-waving" Joshua referred to. And there's some difference between the way I lead congregational music and conduct the choir.

Some difference, since I want to be more precise with the choir, particularly with complicated arrangements of anthems. Entrances, cutoffs, volume and other dynamics are set by the conductor. Important for a choir, less important for congregational singing.

Any of you use a baton?

 

Yes, and my arm does get awfully tired, especially when doing cantatas!:wavey:

 

For concerts, I have had directors use a baton. However, they were also conducting the orchestra and directing the choir.

 

Our music minister leads by keeping the tempo with his hand. I used to play in the high school band so this is completely normal to me. However, we have a kid (8 year old boy) who comes to the choir with his grandfather who apes the music minister. It is very annoying and distracting to me (I am in the congregation and not the choir and he is very obvious).