Wednesday, June 2, 2010

10 Ways to Fertilise Your Community's Musical Life

This list is a starting point, which will hopefully grow into a much more extensive list. Let's have your ideas.
  1. Talk to people, and not just the musicians.
  2. Don't make assumptions about which instruments can be included in the music program.
  3. Find out what else your current musicians can do: can they play a second or thrid instrument, break-dance, juggle, balance-the-books, give a great massage, grow organic vegetables, fly light aircraft?
  4. Run a poll to find out which songs are the community favourites.
  5. Postpone the packing up and go for coffee.
  6. Insist on rehearsal, resisting the time immediately before worship which impedes creativity or practice.
  7. Find out who else plays a musical instrument in your faith community, or who learnt when they were younger. It can be a revelation!
  8. Engage the whole community in larger musical undertakings like a sing-a-thon or a singing protest.
  9. Use the money raised at the aforementioned sing-a-thon to fund a musical internship for a someone in your faith community. Perhaps a term of lessons for someone?
  10. Encourage singing at meetings.

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