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Author: Stan McDaniel
John B. Singenberger: A Master Educator in Church Music
John B. Singenberger: A Master Educator in Church Music John B. Singenberger holds a distinguished place among church musicians and scholars of sacred music. A gifted composer, organist, and educator, Singenberger dedicated his life to promoting the richness of Catholic sacred music and nurturing new generations of church musicians. His legacy is not simply historical—it’s foundational…
Tracing the Roots: A Brief History of Church Music
Tracing the Roots: A Brief History of Church Music Church music has been a sacred and resonant expression of faith for centuries, its melodies and harmonies telling stories of devotion and transformation. From the solemn chants of early monasteries to the powerful praise anthems of today, church music has woven its way into the fabric of…
Music Ministry Matters #16
No. 16 -“From Rote to Note (and Back)”: The checkered history of hymnal development in America, Part 1. I will always remember a worship committee meeting in one of the churches I served. I was sitting next to a delightful lady, a former soloist in the choir and a strong advocate for traditional…
Music Ministry Matters #15
No. 15 – Christianity, Community, and the Holy Spirit: A Church Musician’s PerspectiveWorship, in my view as a Christian, is central to the walk of faith. There are two equally important types of worship, personal and corporate. Both have been essential in my life and career as a church musician. Personal (or private) worship in…
Music Ministry Matters #14
No. 14 – A “Servanthood of Song”Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness…
Music Ministry Matters #13
No. 13 – From “Sorrow Songs” to Concert Spirituals, and the Importance of Improvisational Forms in American Sacred Music“The Port Royal Experiment”, discussed in the previous installment, was an important juncture in American church music history. Lucy McKim Garrison’s passionate advocacy for the African-American spiritual as an important and unique example of American folk art…
Music Ministry Matters #12
No. 12 – Singing the Faith in WartimeEpisodes of armed conflict have occurred throughout America’s history, and despite the fact that any biblical defense of war is shaky at best, American Christians and their churches have had to respond. When historians write of the American Revolution and the War of 1812, seldom emphasized is the…
Book Announcement
Dear Church Music Friends and Colleagues! I am thrilled to announce that my book, Servanthood of Song: Music, Ministry, and the Church in the United States, will be available for purchase as of June 1, 2024. For those wanting to be first in line to get a copy, I will go over purchase instructions later in…
Music Ministry Matters #11
No. 11 – Song Leading: An Undervalued Art in Traditional WorshipLooking back, in the early years of my career in mainline Protestant church music, it seemed like there was almost an obsession with appearances. Concern over how things looked seemed to me to be taking precedence over the core mission – to facilitate active, fully…
Music Ministry Matters #10
No. 10 – The Musical Legacy of Cane RidgeThe word “spiritual”, referring to a musical form, is so commonly used that one might question the need to say anything further. For those hoping to know a bit more about the origins of the African-American spiritual beyond what is in Installment No. 13, “The Port Royal…