Pastoral Musical Leadership Styles - Part 4 - The Democrat

No, not a political party,
but a leadership style
where the whole group has voice.
For the most part,
my leadership style is participative.
That means
that I like to allow the people I lead,
which in this case,
is the members of the music ministry,
via a style that is participative, democratic.
I like them to have a voice,
an opinion in the music we use.
The final decisions always rest with me
as I am the music director.

Using a democratic leadership approach
the choir members truly feel like a part of a team,
like their input matters.
And quite frankly,
it does.

Now,
don’t get me wrong.
A democratic leadership style
doesn’t mean
that if someone says,
“I don’t like that song,”
we don’t do that song.
I’m speaking here
more of a participation
in the creativity.

For example,
I may choose to introduce a new song.
In my mind
I can hear the alto section
or the sopranos
or percussion instruments in a particular fashion.
Maybe it’s my own creative vision
or maybe it’s what’s printed in the music,
but I usually have a clear sound
dancing around in my head.
And then we get to rehearsal
and Ana finds a unique and outstanding descant
in her mind
that I never found in mine.
Nellie finds that alto harmony
that totally meshes with what Ana is doing.
Not only is the finished piece of music
much grander than what I could come up with alone,
these ladies are contributing,
are becoming owners of the ministry.

The danger of this leadership style
is that it can lead to a choir discussion
as opposed to a choir rehearsal.
But a good leader
knows how to pull back into rehearsal mode
and must decide
which of the various musical suggestions,
if any,
to put into play.

I have found this leadership style
truly promotes creativity,
truly motivates people to participation.
In fact,
sometimes it’s almost like we have a psychic connection.
Marcy starts playing her guitar
and I know exactly where she is going.
Sometimes we just laugh out loud
because we realize that something strange,
but creatively beautiful is going on.
That strange and beautiful thing
won’t happen
if the leader only follows a militant leadership style,
always barking out commands
and never giving choir members a voice.


Another good thing
about this leadership style. . .
. . .(reminder:
I’m discussing a pastoral music leader). . .
. . .is that it is a great way
to find those talents
that lay hidden, dormant
in your members.

Dolores,
who played percussion with a group I direct
for many years,
is absolutely The Queen
of hand held percussion instruments.
She’d hear a song
and instantly know
which instrument is best
and quickly find the rhythm. .
. . . she’d know when to enter
to create interesting dynamics,
she’d know when to change it up.
Dolores is clearly a lady
of the rhythm section.
That being the case,
why would I,
a lady of the keyboard world,
ever try to limit her creativity?
Let your people
(those with rhythm)
creatively play with rhythm toys!!!

Heavy sigh. . . .
. . . I so-o-o-o miss Dolores.
She moved to Chicago. . . .

Yes,
the rehearsals can get messy
using this leadership style.
But if you aren’t flexible
you probably shouldn’t be
a music director anyway.
The mess
is a part of the creative process.
Enjoy it!!

Yes,
the group sometimes
ends up spending a great deal of time
on some songs,
but that’s why they call it rehearsal.
And really,
your rehearsal agenda
should always be looking far enough ahead
into the future.
If all you are concerned about in your rehearsal agenda
is what’s coming up this Sunday,
you’ve totally missed the mark
as a director anyway.
If in June
you aren’t already at least thinking
about September’s repertoire of new stuff,
you’re missing the boat.
Plan far enough in advance
so that your Sunday stuff
will take care of itself.
Advance planning
gives your choir time
to get creative.
Let your choir,
encourage your choir,
to participate in the creativity.

In the end,
if only the printed music score
or only the director’s creativity is used
the world will miss out
on some fine music
that could be,
but never was.

And what if the director
isn’t so creative?
And what if the music in question is great,
but the music score is lousy?
Should the choir
and the music ministry
suffer because of these two draw-backs?
I certainly hope not.
Especially
if there is talent in the ranks
just waiting to be developed,
honed,
and used
for the Glory of Our God.

Besides,
one person cannot possibly know everything.
One person cannot possible create everything
when it comes to music.

And,
in the end,
we are doing more than
preparing music for mass.
The choir is a small ecclesial community.
As directors
we must do all we can to build that community,
not just from the neck up
(learning new music)
but from the neck down
(participation from the heart).

And while I may use
the other leadership styles
on an “as needed” basis,
this is the leadership style,
the democratic/participative leadership style,
I have claimed for myself.

It brings forth flexibility and creativity.
It creates commitment and community.
It’s messy and fun!

The Amazing Miss Wendy

I’ve been officially directing the children’s choir at St. Gabriel
for one year now.
It was at the end of September of 2008
that I first began.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years,
it’s that one must constantly evaluate.
Set the goals and make the objectives.
And, during the course of the year,
make any necessary adjustments needed
to reach that goal.

After the first few rehearsals with these amazing children
I knew well that I would having them singing in parts
within two years.

There were some other kinds of things we needed to work on first,
like attention span
and discipline.
And though most of them speak Spanish
they do not read Spanish,
which makes reading music
and singing in Spanish a bit of a challenge.

And while some weren’t quite singing on pitch at first,
it wasn’t because they couldn’t.
It was just that they needed to learn how to hear,
learn how to listen to a particular note or musical phrase.
So,
I had to and continue to
teach them how to listen.

But underneath it all,
I could see the diamond in the rough.
I knew from the beginning
that this group of children
was fully capable of singing in harmony,
of singing in parts.
I knew well that I would have them doing so
within two years.
But the fact is,
this is making itself manifest right now.
It’s messy,
but they get it.
They understand why
there is new special seating arrangement,
why we are now rehearsing
different groups of children on different days.

But one of the other goals I had
was one that I knew I would probably never see.
Not that it wouldn’t happen,
but that I probably wouldn’t be here
to see it happen.
That goal
is to have these children singing in the choir
as adults.

Since first coming to St. Gabriel
one of the things I have been saying to people
is that 80% of people who sing in a choir as an adult
sang in a choir as a child.
I heard that statistic quite some time ago
at a conference of
the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM).
I can’t remember the source of the statistic
or who quoted it.
I only remember what was said.
I find it so hard to believe
that more churches,
Roman Catholic or otherwise
aren’t doing more with music and children.

But,
as I said,
I didn’t think I would see this come to life.
I didn’t think I would be here
to see the movings of the Holy Spirit
once these children got older.

But you know,
I didn’t have to wait.
One child in particular,
is showing me
that she has no intention
of ever leaving the music ministry.
Apart from her commitment to the choir,
this child truly understands
what is meant
by co-responsibility.
She understands stewardship better than most.

That child is Wendy.

Wendy and her family
attend the Spanish mass at St. Gabriel.
And there is an adult choir for that mass.

They also attend the Thursday evening mass,
where Wendy and several other children
serve in the music ministry.

Wendy is in the third grade
and has perfect attendance at choir rehearsal.

This past weekend,
Wendy was at the noon mass in English.
I didn’t see her until mass was over.
She came up to the choir loft to say, “hello,”
and then asked me where all the people were.
“What people,” I asked.
“The people in the choir.”
“I lead the music for this mass, Wendy.
Robyn has started to help recently,
but that’s all there is for this mass.”

“You mean
you don’t have a choir?”
“No, Wendy,
there is no choir for the noon mass.
I’ve asked some people.
I’ve invited several folks
to come to the music area
to help.
I’ve encouraged folks to come early
to come to choir loft
to rehearse a little before mass.
But so far,
it’s just me and Robyn.”

Wendy looked up at me
with eyes that told me she was serious
about what she was going to say
she put her hands on hips and said,
“What are we going to do about it?”

Wisdom from the mouth of babes.
It’s not just that she had this sense
of wanting and needing to see
a music ministry developed.
She included herself in the equation;
“What are WE going to do about it?”

Wendy gets it.
I have no doubt that she will continue in the music ministry
into her teen
and even into her adult years.
I have no doubt that she will be
actively involved in parish life in the years to come.

80% of people who sing in a choir as an adult
sang as a child.
Keep your eyes on Wendy.
Because she will be a part of that group.
Her parents would do well
to get that child a guitar and/or keyboard
and send her to private lessons.
She will have my job one day.

The Amazing Miss Wendy
has question that remains unanswered.
Can you,
will you
include yourself in the equation?
There is not a choir for the noon mass.
What are we going to do about it?

And that’s not just a question
for the people of one Southwest Detroit parish to answer.
It’s a question to be answered
by any parish that does not have a choir
or active music ministry.

What are we going to do about it?