Music history classes are usually about dead white guys who wrote music over 100 years ago. That’s why it took me by surprise when a graduate level course in music history that I was taking wandered into a discussion on the topic of popular music.
Even more surprising was the statement made by our professor – “Pop Music is Dead.” I listen to popular music on the radio more often than classical. Most of my listening happens in the car, and my commute is short; I can’t stand listening to only half of a piano concerto on my way to work.
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Have you ever found yourself on “the bleeding edge of technology?” Anyone who has ever rushed out and gotten the first version of the latest gadget only to find the price drop 50% within six months can relate to this phrase.
The Apple-users community displays brand loyalty that borders on the fanatic, but even they winced at the drop in price of the iPhone a few months after its first release. It wasn’t bad enough to get them to switch back to Blackberries, but they made sure the Apple management knew they were displeased.
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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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