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Is the Church Orchestra Dying?

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by C. Foster Payne, Apr 3, 2017.

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  1. C. Foster Payne

    C. Foster Payne New Member
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    Two weeks from now I am leaving a large church (large in Colorado, anyway) in which I lead worship weekly with a 40-man choir and a modest orchestra. This church is known in the area for its choir and orchestra. In two weeks, however, I move to a smaller church where they have a strong choir and a small praise band, but no orchestra. Some from the new church have spoken to me about building an orchestra, but I wonder...

    ...Don't get me wrong, I come from an orchestral background. I greatly value live instruments and strongly believe they add so much to a music set. Still, so many churches are scaling back their music programs that I wonder sometimes if by pursuing an orchestra I am fighting a battle that just doesn't need to be fought. The arts as a whole in our communities and in our schools has been scaled back incredibly, setting a trend I am not sure will ever be "corrected."

    I have a passion for large musical ensembles (voice, strings, winds, guitars, drums...ALL of it!) but perhaps that is not the path any longer.

    Thoughts?

    Just to add a bit more, I look at have large ensemble through multiple perspectives. The first and primary reason I like having them is that it provides for even more places for church members to plug into. I've known many a person who hasn't picked up their trumpet in years but then decided to "give it a shot" because I invited them to an orchestra rehearsal.

    Of course, there is also the perspective of self-satisfaction. I don't mean being proud of something I've done, but being satisfied that I am using the talents God has given me. I would not be happy with having only a small group to work with...He's given me the ability to do more (probably because I do not have the best voice out there, believe you me, but I do have a knack for connecting with groups I work with).
     
    #1 C. Foster Payne, Apr 3, 2017
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  2. Alcott

    Alcott Well-Known Member
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    [​IMG]
     
    #2 Alcott, Apr 4, 2017
  3. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    To be honest, I've never been in a church with an orchestra and I was saved in 1972. I've seen many choirs and in one church I attended, they would hire musicians for some special events but otherwise it was piano and organ.
     
    #3 annsni, Apr 4, 2017
  4. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    Our last church had a small orchestra, but the one we currently attend is not as large a church and doesn't. I enjoy being part, in the audience, of worship as those gifted with the talent exercise those gifts to God's glory.
     
    #4 JonC, Apr 4, 2017
  5. rlvaughn

    rlvaughn Well-Known Member
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    I would have to say that has never been the path in our area. I'm only aware of one church that has a small orchestra. I know many of them that have "graduated" from hymns, piano and organ to praise bands and choruses.
     
    #5 rlvaughn, Apr 4, 2017
  6. John of Japan

    John of Japan Well-Known Member
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    Our church has a fantastic, traditional orchestra--granted it is filled out by the students in our college, where I teach. It also has a music pedagogy program through which many in the community, especially children, are able to take lessons on a variety of orchestral instruments.

    Another way we reach out into the community is through concerts and other music programs, on everything from classical to folk (no rock or pop). We are about to have an Easter music program which will be well attended by 2-300 folk who do not come to our church, including our next door neighbor (over 400 are signed up). These programs allow folks to come to our Baptist programs with no qualms, and allow us to give the Gospel to the community, including folk from non-evangelical churches.
     
    #6 John of Japan, Apr 13, 2017
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  7. just-want-peace

    just-want-peace Well-Known Member
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    As an octogenarian, I vastly prefer an orchestra to a praise band. To my ears a PB is virtually nothing but noise, but an orchestra is literally "music to my ears"!
    My church has two services, contemporary - praise band etc., and standard. The contemporary nets about twice the attendees as the standard, so I'm definitely in the minority.
    However, I have no problem as long as I can choose to avoid the "noise".
    If it ever came to the point that there was no choice, I would probably just wait about 30 minutes before I entered the sanctuary as the preaching begins about then! To each his own!!
     
    #7 just-want-peace, Apr 14, 2017
  8. David Kent

    David Kent Well-Known Member
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    I don't like either. We have a grand piano and that is enough. In a PB or an orchestra or choir you can get people who may not be believers.
     
    #8 David Kent, Apr 25, 2017
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