Connect with the Message

Monday, October 12, 2009

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Musical activities, such as singing or playing the piano, as well as other artistic endeavors, are considered to be primarily right-brain activities. The left side of the brain is the source of logical, analytical, and mathematical types of thinking.

It is easy for an accomplished musician to play the piano or sing without engaging both sides of the brain. We have all probably seen examples of pianists holding animated conversations with a music director or soloist while continuing to accurately perform complex music with their hands. Even as a singer, I could very easily take a math test, for example, while singing entire songs from memory.

The point is, it is easy for us to sing or play our instrument without "thinking." In a sense, we can put our fingers or voices on "auto-pilot" and perform a song while maintaining musical accuracy. Have you ever heard a music director ask the choir to "think about what you are singing?" He can tell by the blank look on the singers' faces that their minds are focused on something other than the verbal content of the music.

However, our presentation can become much more powerful if we simply engage all of our thought processes and focus them on the meaning and message of the song.

Here is what the musician must do if he is to become an effective communicator:

Decipher the underlying message of the song. Analyze the content of the text to determine what the song is trying to communicate.

Personalize the message of the song. Make it your own. Do not think of the song as being something written by a stranger, consider it to be your own heartfelt creation.

Bring to memory powerful personal experiences that illustrate the message of the song.

Engage your imagination to create vivid, clear emotional, visual contexts that illustrate the topic you are delivering.

Clearly focus your attention on delivering your thoughts and emotions to the heart and mind of the listener.

Practice the song until it is thoroughly internalized and performance techniques have become second nature. When performing, exert 95% of your efforts on creating an open, honest connection with the message of the song and only 5% on performance techniques, such as posture, breathing, resonance, etc.

Do not be afraid to allow the message of the song to dictate your musical expression. Use syllable accents, word color, variations in tempo, dynamics, timbre, phrasing to powerfully enhance your delivery.

Dr. Ray Gibbs puts it this way:

"People empathize with your experience, not your intentions."

A personal, heartfelt presentation of a meaningful song can cause the listener to experience your experiences and to empathize with your emotional responses to the music

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Curtis Hollembeak

Curtis holds a bachelor's degree in Bible with a music minor, as well as a master's degree in Sacred Music, having studied under Dr. Frank Garlock, president of Majesty Music, and Ray and Ann Gibbs, well-known Christian singers. He has served as music director and jr. high/high school supervisor at Grace Baptist Church of Mankato, Minnesota; school music director at the Franklin Road Christian School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee; media engineer for the Sword of the Lord in Murfreesboro, Tennessee; and, full-time music director at Second Baptist Church and Twin City Christian Academy in Festus, Missouri. He is currently self-employed and serves in the music ministry of the Berean Baptist Church in Rockford, IL. Curtis is co-founder and President of the Asaph Music Co. He regularly sings bass with the Bible Truth Chorale on recordings produced by Bible Truth Music at Faith Music Missions.