I. Course Title: Church Accompanying
II. Course Number: MUSC 460
III. Credit Hours: 1 credit
IV. Prerequisites: Audition and instructor permission
V. Course Description:
This course will prepare students to participate in a variety of church services on the keyboard.
Students will study the various structures and sequences of different denominations and orders of worship, gain an appreciation for the role of music within each service, and develop keyboard skills (following a choir director, rehearsal techniques, improvisation on a melody, congregational hymn playing, basic organ skills) to best contribute to the service.
The final project of the course will be students’ involvement in an actual service at a local church, demonstrating their preparation, performance skills, and collaborative spirit in aiding a congregation in worship.
VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:
This course will expose students to the many capacities in which music and the keyboard can contribute to a variety of church services, and will equip them with the practical skills and experience to participate in a variety of live worship settings.
Graduate credit: Graduate students will be expected to prepare significantly more advance material, aid in leading the choir in rehearsal, and participate more heavily in the final service “performance”.
VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:
The course will be divided between class lecture and masterclass/individual performance coaching.
Lectures will focus on:
Masterclasses will focus on:
VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:
Students will study various worship services to gain an understanding and appreciation for their history and contemporary interpretations. Students will then focus on specific musical portions of their chosen service (prelude, hymns, offertory, anthem, postlude, etc.) and prepare appropriate selections with instructor’s guidance.
Foundational skills such as sight reading, hymn reading, choral score reading, improvisation, offertory playing, basic organ operation, choral rehearsal structures and techniques, and performance practice will be studied in depth throughout the semester.
VIII. Assessment Measures:
Students will be assessed based on:
Review and Approval
August 2020