Church choirs . . . what to do?

Man owes to God the return gift of that which is highest and most beautiful. Several people and recent opportunities posed an interesting series of questions to me about the nature of church choirs, the nature of man's musical expression in general, and the spirituality behind the performance of music as part of a liturgical experience. Why, I was asked, does the music performance experience, in churches and beyond, inspire such struggles for control and the expression of ego and self importance? The problem starts at the beginning of musical experience with what it takes to actually get up and perform for others. The ability to stand up, singled out, before others, and make music seems to require from humans a sense of confidence that justifies setting yourself apart and saying something unique. Something more than what is required emotionally to hold a normal spoken conversation, for instance. People avoid speaking in public, singing in choirs, and playing an instrument publicly, for this reason: absence of the confidence in their worthiness to do so. This may come naturally from lack of training or ability, but it also affects those with ability and training. Many compensate for this lack by bolstering their ego, telling themselves any number of different rationalizations to gain this needed confidence. Here the problem begins, relying on a created self image rather than on the purpose and beauty of the thing itself for motivation. “I love the sound of music and admire those who make it well, and I want to possess that for myself.” Rather than: “ I love the gift of God, see its purpose in His will, and want to share it with others in order to fulfill His plan for their spiritual growth.” The teaching of music and music teachers themselves furthers the false sense of confidence, telling the student of their potential and talent, rather than focusing on the purpose and beauty inherent in this gift from God. Isn't it enough to enjoy and share this gift, developing it to our own natural level and His purpose for us? No, we must compare with others! The music teaching process focuses on personal accomplishment and comparison with others. The teaching approach usually makes heavy use of personal compliments and blandishments of conceit to push students on. The teacher’s own pride and self worth are often intertwined with the student’s accomplishment. The listening public further boosts the sense of self worthiness and focus on ‘my ability’ through pointless and needless, ad hominem compliments of minor accomplishments. Again, rather than focusing on the beauty and message of the expression, the compliments focus on the person. The lack of true fluency and comprehension of the musical language by the public as well as a surprising number of musicians, together with modern, ready access to music and the personal identification with 'my music', fosters an environment where everyone's opinion is important and valid based solely on their feelings. ‘My’ feeling about music is equally valid with that of one trained to discern real differences is quality and performance. Music today is ubiquitous. We can, and often have to, listen to music everywhere. It accompanies all media so that almost every message we receive is accompanied by music. With smart phones and earbuds, ‘our music’ can accompany both our leisure and our work. This ready access breeds a vulgar contempt for the over familiar and an unwarranted excess of confidence in ‘my’ knowledge of and appreciation for music. For several generations now, the music one listens to has become a major identifying factor in who you are to the world. ‘I am this kind of person because I listen to this music and those people are that kind of person because they listen the that kind of music. I keep with my kind of people and they with theirs.’ This personal identification falsely supports the illusion that there exists a correctness in my attitudes and opinions about music. Further, a superficial knowledge of music gained by listening to NPR and reading the cover jacket of CDs does not substitute for a true fluency in the music language gained through real musical training. From the beginning, for most it takes the ego brave enough to start. Then the subsequent musical interaction with learning, teaching and public performance, continue to focus on the person, the ego, not the gift of God. In order to make music we use our body in unusual ways. Not the ways of our childhood or our common adult experience. This requires confidence to do it in front of others whose attention is focused on us. Musical performance sets us apart from others, calls attention to us. People will look at us and comment on our performance. To sing in a choir or as a soloist demands even more uniqueness and personal exposure. Nothing is more personal than our voice. Our body is the instrument. How can we not identify strongly with it? To sing publicly requires us to have a very strong confidence. As children, we become more aware of our unique identity as we mature, and that frequently brings a concurrent reluctance to sing in public. If we are to perform as adults, this must be overcome. What do we use to overcome this but our ego. Not the outsize ego of the megalomaniac, but the smaller half truths we tell ourselves in secret. Dealing with this can be a real problem in musical advancement and performance as the fear and insecurity are obstacles to development. Without delving into the complexities of the human ego in this situation, suffice it to say that combined with man's prideful nature, problems easily arise. Given the normal emotional course of musical experience, man's prideful nature, the fact that many come to sing in a church choir without significant musical training and experience, the musical requirements of a High Mass, the limited internalization of the spiritual purpose of liturgical music, and the paucity of spiritual preparation for musical service in the liturgy, we should be grateful that violence does not erupt in the choir loft! Just kidding! However, all of these factors contribute to the frequent emergence of control and ego issues in the church choir and the music experience in general. Of course our faith offers another approach; true humility of service. If given a written test on the purpose of music in the Mass, all choir members and directors would likely come up with something reasonably plausible. Certainly all are aware of the problem of pride versus the virtue of humility. Judging by the actions of many, however, the connection between humble service in the Real Presence and their actions in musical performance and preparation in service of the liturgy seems to be lost. Not by all of course! But it is the answer to the question, why do control and issues of self figure so prominently in musical experience. It is inherent in the nature of the thing itself. It can be overcome only by God's grace and our submission. Sadly, the situation of control and ego driven motivation often limits the growth and efficacy of the choir itself. The learning necessary for an amateur church choir can be severely limited, the necessary participation and devotion to the work required discouraged, and the proper attitude towards preparation and performance quickly dissolved, in the presence of the toxic stew of ego driven service. Certainly, at the very least, frequent critical self examination on the topic is warranted. It can hide in the smallest of places, making itself very, very small, barely visible and is usually something most of us are not comfortable looking at. What makes a good church choir came the next query. At the age of twelve, I began my 50 years thus far of church music participation; playing for congregational hymn singing, choir rehearsals, singing in choirs, and recently leading and accompanying Mass. From little country churches to big, rich suburban churches, from antique pump organs to pipe organs, from worthless antique uprights to beautiful Steinway grands, from small but eager amateur choirs to large, educated with professional paid singers in each section, from professional, highly trained directors to rank amateurs, good to bad, I've experienced it all. It is not the quality of equipment nor training of the personnel, which makes the experience a joyful giving back to God of His generous gift of music, it is the spirit of the participants. You know after the first rehearsal if the joy is there. It can't be faked. When God is not at the center, the work is a dull grind, reluctantly offered. With God at the center, it is not even work but a delightful opportunity to partake of and share in this most gloriously gift of God. There are instances where choir members truly and eagerly look forward to choir rehearsal, gladly do their preparation at home, and love each and every Mass they sing. C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity makes the analogy of three conditions of a good life and society to a fleet of ships. To reach their destination (i.e. fulfill their purpose), they must function properly with the proper mechanical systems and labor of workers functioning according to the required norms for effective ship sailing. They must also be well led and directed so that they sail in a coordinated method, avoiding collision among themselves and with other objects. Lastly, they must know exactly where they are going and precisely how to get there. In the ideal church choir, everyone, the priest, the director, the organist and the singers, knows the purpose of liturgical music in their soul and lives it in their actions. They know where they are going. Their aim is to provide music at Mass which facilitates and enhances the prayer experience of all at Mass in the Real Presence, priest and faithful alike. The leadership must educate them in the 'how' of getting there. In their devotion to that end, the director and each individual choir member, work diligently away from the choir rehearsal to prepare themselves for rehearsal and performance in order that they not hinder the progress of the group. They show up on time, every time, ready to work towards their purpose. The leadership provides proper equipment and facilities for the preparation and performance of the music. The director prepares for the leadership and education of the choir so that they may best fulfill their purpose. These efforts must be well directed by the priest and the choir director to avoid collisions. The various parts must be directed harmoniously towards the higher purpose. The priest must care for, support and nurture the choir. The director must train and educate themselves continuously so that they may better lead and direct. Leadership must tend to the ever present collision between liturgical purpose and man's prideful nature and the inherent self centered nature of musical performance. The ideal choir knows its purpose and is educated in how to get there, each member fulfills their own individual responsibility within the greater group purpose while the leadership provides the direction, tools and education necessary for the individual efforts to coalesce into a unified purpose. Easier said than done! Perhaps why the ideal choir doesn’t exist. But each of the three conditions requires a submission of self. To maintain purity of purpose requires a constant self examination. To prepare individually requires time discipline and personal sacrifice, choosing service over other activities, and a willingness to learn. To coordinate individual preparation with others again requires sacrifice and discipline and an environment provided by leadership which properly directs them towards their purpose.

Is it true, as my questioner put it, that issues of control and ego seem prevalent in church choirs, not to mention all other musical endeavors?

In my experience, although sometimes well hidden, over time, actions speak louder than words and reveal that yes, the issues are always there. To the extant that they are with us everywhere and always, it is part of our ongoing spiritual warfare. To the extant that they are not dealt with on an individual level and by leadership as a group, we risk raising obstacles to our purpose. Historically, the church has been in an ongoing cyclical battle to contain and reform liturgical music. It seems about every few centuries a reforming Pope curbs the excesses, attempting to rein in the natural egotistical impulses of liturgical music's creators, performers and their leaders. Given this history, the natural tendency of man, the inherent temptations of musical performance, why is there no concerted effort on the part of the Church to address this conflict using our faith's very powerful spiritual, weapons to directly combat this enemy? While the Church teaches us on humility versus pride and the submission of self, when it opens the door through musical performance to the enemy of selfish ego, it ought to provide specific weapons for protection in this situation. Beginning each rehearsal in prayer is fine, but reciting prayerfully the Litany of Humility might be better. How focused, devotional and effective is the hurried prayer on the way to the more important business of rehearsal? Including instruction on the purpose and spirituality of music in service to the Mass as part of joining the choir and as part of ongoing yearly education for all, might be better than just assuming everyone knows this and we can't afford the time to address it regularly. Perhaps you can't afford not to regularly address it. Could the Church provide a type of personal, guided retreat of self examination for choir members? Most choir members are very dedicated, devoted faithful, willing to make a sacrifice for the service of the liturgy. If they were given tools, they would use them. Since most churches have choirs, and if it is true that in some form the problem exists everywhere, might it be wise for the Church to formally recognize and address the problem with guidance, programs, and literature? As a special situation inherent in the act of musical performance itself, witness the history of the Church's relationship with music, it therefor warrants more attention than that given to the usual admonishments against pride and encouragements towards humility. A proper program of musical training for choir directors and members provided by the church would not only improve quality but provide a common rubric of measure for all. Just as the priest at Mass is not praying his version of the Mass, he is praying the same Mass every other priest prays. So the Church's music, while leaving room for individual discretion, could provide guidance. Not that the Church does not already have guidelines for music which is allowed or appropriate for liturgical use, but proper training of the eager and devoted would provide them with real knowledge and ability, preventing the need to substitute a false sense of confidence for real confidence in worthiness. A training program would provide confidence based in true liturgical purpose and real knowledge, and help alleviate the need for false sense of self. St. Augustine challenged himself with the question of whether it would not be more perfect to deny himself the delight derived from singing. He considered banning music completely from the church to protect against the improper enjoyment of it. In the end, however, Augustine could not deny the power of music to "inspire worship." He says, "when religious texts are sung well, greater religious devotion is inspired: souls are moved...and with a warmer devotion kindled to piety than if they are not so sung." Such a shame that such a privilege, can so easily be polluted by the poison of power and person.