One of the first tasks that will be given to any church pianist is that of providing a weekly offertory. While some may consider the presentation of a solo one of the easier aspects of the position, I feel that the quality of the weekly offertory is one of the major factors that distinguishes a good church musician from a superb one.
Because of the role music plays in the church service, the offertory must be selected with care. Think about where the solo will occur in the order of worship. Are you following a lively choral anthem that will lead right into the congregational worship? Will the offering follow a generally somber prayer for the needs of the congregants? If you find yourself in a church without a strong liturgical tradition as I do, the positioning of the offertory may be altered weekly. There are few scenarios worse than a grandiose arrangement that follows a quiet time of meditation. Without advance thought and planning, you can sometimes find yourself in an awkward situation.
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Nine Inch Nails Show, Tabernacle, May 22, 2005 How am I supposed to feel? This was my second Nine Inch Nails show, the first June 6, 2000 in Anaheim, and more fiery hoops to leap through to get there. That is the politics of my procrastination. It was at the Tabernacle on Sunday May 22, the second of a two show stint servicing all his fans in the southeastern United States. This venue choice was the best I could imagine. How pious to gather in an old church built in 1911? Trent may be a pious man but his followers were not so much. They were fish out of water gasping for air waiting for Trent to satisfy their hunger. Can one man really fill this kind of violent void? But Trent did give it up. He did his dance, his show, and a valid and worthy performance throwing doses of self-doubt onto his congregation. They wanted exorcism. They wanted to eat him.
Standing room only has its benefits and downfalls. Downfalls involving punches to my kidneys, smashed toes, bathing in the sweat of drunken strangers, and praying for a gust of oxygen asphyxiated masses. I wasn’t the only one. Hot vamps and goth baby dolls writhing to the music, grinding their neighbors as their eyes gazed up toward Reznor. It was startling, disturbing, and fascinating. The stage was a silver platter, in a church nonetheless, and the throbbing mass begging for communion.
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Playing in front of a congregation each Sunday is no easy feat. Make sure you are well prepared before giving your best for God and before others.
1) Practice the piano and more preferably the songs you will be playing early in the week and often.
2) Sing while you play so you can have a feel for how well your playing will mesh with the singing.
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