Playing for God

Team Leader - Michael Faraghar

This stream is geared to two groups of musicians – Those musicians (often keyboard players) who have responsibility for the organization and development of instruments in the liturgy and also those who have instrumental skills and are keen to play in church.

With these two groups in mind, the morning sessions are generally more theoretical and knowledge/ideas based, while the afternoon sessions are more practical and hands on. Both complement each other.

However, should your bent be towards one rather than the other then you can also see this stream as complemented by the Church Music Workshop stream.  If you wish to be practical then do the Church Music Workshop in the morning and Playing for God in the afternoon. If you are less an instrumentalists, then you may choose the opposite – Playing for God in the morning and the Workshop in the afternoon. Either way you are sure to find a programme tailor made for your needs.

The theoretical part of the programme will cover issues such as:

• Instrumental form and function
  • Instrumentation
  • Liturgical applications
    • Hymns, songs
    • Mass settings
    • Processionals, recessionals
    • Interludes, voluntaries etc.
  • Ranges, tessitura
  • Investigating particular styles, e.g Taize, jazz, etc.
  • Improvising
    
    
• Literature, Resources for Instrumental Liturgical Music
  • Form, harmony “101”
  • Adapting SATB, “lead sheets”, other forms of liturgical music
  • Transposition
  • Arranging, transcribing
    • Descants
    • Alternate harmony
    • Transcription techniques with hymnals, piano and organ literature, popular or commercial styles etc.
    • Arranging at the keyboard
  • Computer notation and other resources
  • Survey and demonstration of useful published materials
    
    
• Forming, organising and leading a “Church” Band or Orchestra
  • Recruitment
  • Logistics
  • Rehearsal technique
  • “Eclectic” ensembles (What to do with bagpipes, two flutes and a gazonkaphone….)
  • Accompanying choirs, vocalists
  • Incorporating organ, piano
  • Liturgical, theological considerations
    
    
• The daily schedule generally consists of:
  • Optional commencement activities for an hour (morning prayer, coffee and bagels, devotions and announcements)
  • Learning about instruments and ensembles and how to use them
  • Morning Tea
  • Second session with Michael Faragher
  • Lunch
  • Elective session (Click on the Elective Tab to see the available range)
  • Afternoon Tea
  • Second afternoon session based around playing with or for each other
  • Dinner
  • Evening Service or Performance



• For further information concerning this stream, look at:
• The Elective list
• The entire Festival schedule
• Biographies of presenters
  
  
• For further information concerning other Festival issues, look at:
• Accommodation options
• Festival commencement and closing times (useful for booking flights)
• Transport from airport to Festival registration on the first day
• To register, either use the registration form at the foot of this document, or register online

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