Two weeks from now I am leaving a large church (large in Colorado, anyway) in which I lead worship weekly with a 40-man choir and a modest orchestra. This church is known in the area for its choir and orchestra. In two weeks, however, I move to a smaller church where they have a strong choir and a small praise band, but no orchestra. Some from the new church have spoken to me about building an orchestra, but I wonder...
...Don't get me wrong, I come from an orchestral background. I greatly value live instruments and strongly believe they add so much to a music set. Still, so many churches are scaling back their music programs that I wonder sometimes if by pursuing an orchestra I am fighting a battle that just doesn't need to be fought. The arts as a whole in our communities and in our schools has been scaled back incredibly, setting a trend I am not sure will ever be "corrected."
I have a passion for large musical ensembles (voice, strings, winds, guitars, drums...ALL of it!) but perhaps that is not the path any longer.
Thoughts?
Just to add a bit more, I look at have large ensemble through multiple perspectives. The first and primary reason I like having them is that it provides for even more places for church members to plug into. I've known many a person who hasn't picked up their trumpet in years but then decided to "give it a shot" because I invited them to an orchestra rehearsal.
Of course, there is also the perspective of self-satisfaction. I don't mean being proud of something I've done, but being satisfied that I am using the talents God has given me. I would not be happy with having only a small group to work with...He's given me the ability to do more (probably because I do not have the best voice out there, believe you me, but I do have a knack for connecting with groups I work with).
...Don't get me wrong, I come from an orchestral background. I greatly value live instruments and strongly believe they add so much to a music set. Still, so many churches are scaling back their music programs that I wonder sometimes if by pursuing an orchestra I am fighting a battle that just doesn't need to be fought. The arts as a whole in our communities and in our schools has been scaled back incredibly, setting a trend I am not sure will ever be "corrected."
I have a passion for large musical ensembles (voice, strings, winds, guitars, drums...ALL of it!) but perhaps that is not the path any longer.
Thoughts?
Just to add a bit more, I look at have large ensemble through multiple perspectives. The first and primary reason I like having them is that it provides for even more places for church members to plug into. I've known many a person who hasn't picked up their trumpet in years but then decided to "give it a shot" because I invited them to an orchestra rehearsal.
Of course, there is also the perspective of self-satisfaction. I don't mean being proud of something I've done, but being satisfied that I am using the talents God has given me. I would not be happy with having only a small group to work with...He's given me the ability to do more (probably because I do not have the best voice out there, believe you me, but I do have a knack for connecting with groups I work with).
