Special Topics in Choral Pedagogy: Sacred Music in the 21st Century
Sacred music is evolving—and today’s choral leaders must be both artist and innovator. Special Topics in Choral Pedagogy: Sacred Music in the 21st Century prepares conductors, church musicians, and music educators to lead vibrant, relevant, and musically excellent worship in a rapidly changing landscape.
This course explores how sacred choral traditions can thrive alongside contemporary practices, emerging technologies, and new models of community engagement. Students will examine practical strategies and forward-thinking approaches that strengthen both musical leadership and congregational participation.
Reinvigorating Congregational Singing
Discover strategies to cultivate confident, joyful participation in worship. Through repertoire selection, rehearsal techniques, leadership presence, and liturgical planning, students will learn how to build a culture of singing that is both inclusive and artistically compelling.
Integrating Sound and Video Technology
Today’s sacred music leaders must navigate microphones, live streaming, projection, and hybrid worship environments. This course offers hands-on guidance for collaborating with technical teams, understanding basic audio-visual principles, and using technology to enhance—rather than distract from—the worship experience.
Working with Praise Band Repertoire
Explore stylistic considerations, rehearsal techniques, and collaborative leadership models for working with praise bands and contemporary worship ensembles. Students will examine issues of balance, notation, improvisation, and arranging for mixed forces that include choir, soloists, and instrumentalists.
Leveraging Social Media
From community-building to outreach and digital evangelism, social media is a powerful tool for sacred music ministries. Students will develop thoughtful strategies for communication, branding, and engagement that align with institutional values and artistic goals.
Understanding Copyright Law
Navigate the complexities of licensing, streaming rights, and music reproduction with clarity and confidence. This course provides essential knowledge of copyright regulations as they apply to worship, performance, and digital distribution, empowering leaders to make ethical and informed decisions.
Designed for experienced conductors, church musicians, and advanced music educators, this course blends scholarship with practical application. Students will leave equipped to honor sacred traditions while leading with creativity, technological fluency, and cultural awareness in the 21st century.
FACULTY: Tom Shelton and Guests