February 25, 2008  

Practical Tools
Vern Sanders

Creator Leadership Network

Concert Ministry...
This month we asked noted soloist Steve Amerson, a few questions about concert ministry. We've found that having a concert ministry at a church is a good thing, but we know that things have changed a bit in the last few years. We thought Steve could help us by telling us all what concert ministry is like these days. Steve is uniquely qualified, for he's seen concert ministry from both sides, as an artist and as a sponsor with his own church ministry. In the process of our conversation, he touched on a few other issues as well.

• Steve, what is it like to be in the "performance ministry" of church music these days? 
  These are very challenging days to be in church concert ministry. I met with a younger, very talented soloist last week at Starbucks. He wanted to pick my brain about expanding his concert ministry. I’ve got to admit, I wasn’t able to be very encouraging to him. The challenges of earning a living as concert artist are huge. Much of my time is invested in "non-musical" activities from marketing and promotion work, correspondence, making travel plans or just paying the bills. There is so much administration in a full-time concert ministry that the average person can’t imagine. Most days I don’t even sing a note or get to do any composing. Many evangelical churches have pretty much abandoned hosting outside artists. I think this has been done for a variety of reasons including financial issues as well as a changing of the guard in church leadership. I don’t think the new crop of church leaders recognize the value of a vibrant church music program that includes adult, youth, and children’s choirs, vocal and instrumental ensembles, and a concert ministry. One of the unfortunate consequences is that church members lose a place to serve when there is no choir, or no orchestra or limited involvement. We’ve yet to see what this will mean for the church in 10 or 20 years. 
• How has it changed over the past decade or so? 
  I've been in church concert ministry for 20 years. Things have changed drastically over the years. Fewer churches seem to see the value of hosting a concert series or bringing in outside artists. In one way, this is great because the level of performance in many churches has improved so much. On the other hand, church music programs can become very "in grown." Church members don’t have a chance to see what is happening beyond their church and the in the broader spectrum of the Christian community. I believe that outside artists help to inspire those in the local church. I know that visiting artists greatly impacted my own life as a teenager and young adult. I’m doing what I’m doing now because of artists like Doug Oldham, The Hawaiians, Regeneration, and Hale and Wilder who visited my church years ago and presented a model of how one’s gift could be used to glorify God and encourage the church. Recently, I spoke with an agent who deals with nothing but church concert artists and local churches. He said that much of what he books these days are Christian comedians. One can draw their own conclusion from that. 
• Where do you see it going over the next decade? 
  At this point, I see performance ministry options resting in the more liturgical denominations where there seems to be more of an appreciation for the arts in general. The emphasis many "evangelical" churches seem to have on immediate gratification and concern to be relevant at the expense of what has content and substance which will carry people through the tough times is concerning to me. The unspoken attitude would seem to be something like "make me laugh but don’t make me think." I do hope that there will be a resurgence of emphasis on content on what is spoken from the pulpit, sung by the congregation, sung from the platform and presented in concert ministry. 
• How does one prepare to be in performance ministry? 
  There's obviously not one path to prepare for performance ministry but getting some good training sure doesn’t hurt. Personally, I have an undergraduate degree in music theory and composition, a masters degree in Church Music and have continued to study privately after earning those two degrees. But no one really cares what degrees I have when I stand up to sing. I think they are looking for a pleasing presentation and something that touches the heart. I’m not so much about performing as creating a musical experience. I consider myself as a communicator and music is the medium that I use. Any training that helps you become a better communicator is valuable. Along those lines, a host church needs to consider that they are not just engaging me for a day or weekend but they are hosting me for what I’ve done in church music ministry over the past 30 years as I have served on a church staff and then in touring concert ministry as well as the years of education and preparation. 
• What is the typical interaction with a local church for someone in performance ministry? 
  Typically, someone will complete a concert request form at http://www.steveamerson.com and that starts the process. From there the host church will be contacted by my assistant or me. What many churches find attractive is that they deal straight with my office and not a middle man. I’m interested in tailoring my appearance to be all that it can be, given my calling and what the church desires. Then there will be lots of phone calls and emails defining just how I can best serve the church. Since what I can do is rather multifaceted, it takes some time just to identify what I will do. I can do something rather contemporary, sing the solos for the Messiah or other sacred oratorio, present at outreach concert using my Broadway repertoire, or maybe do a combination of all of the above in one weekend for a church. Needless to say, we communicate a great deal to make sure things go great. 
• Ok, here's a big one: Tracks or live accompaniment...what are the plusses and minuses? 
  Ah yes, here is the tracks versus live accompaniment question. My preference would be to always sing with live accompaniment but there is a catch. Given what I do and how I do it, it requires a full orchestra to really to make it happen. My orchestrations are just that, orchestrations. They are to be performed with an orchestra, and are not such that a piano and some assorted other instruments can make it happen. Unfortunately, many churches do not have a minimum 40-piece orchestra of quality players to pull it off. I have a some selections that can be done with piano and selected instruments, but we all know that the excitement and power of a full, live brass section cannot be duplicated by a piano or even a synthesizer. Unfortunately, I can end up looking like one of those "tracks singers" even though I often perform with an orchestra if it is available. Having my accompaniment tracks allows me to have the full orchestral accompaniment when an orchestra is not possible. Some churches act as though they are "above" using tracks. I’m just desiring that churches know that there are artists who would prefer to sing with live instrumentation if it were available. Since what I desire to do most is communicate, personally I find that using a track can eliminate visual and aural distractions and let me drill the lyric right to the audience. From that standpoint, I love using tracks because it just the people, the lyric and me. My concern is in this day of praise teams and rhythm sections rather than choirs and orchestras, the options for artist of my ilk will diminish.  
• Thanks, Steve. This has been informative. One more question, please: I'm your host, and I want the best crowd possible. I haven't got a church of 8000, so I can't just open my doors and expect a full crowd. I also know that this will be, in some sense, an outreach event, and I want to entice visitors to come back to church. Do I have the concert first, say Saturday night, and then invite people back, or do I have worship first, with the concert on Sunday afternoon or evening, so that people in my congregation who have no idea how good your are (presumably I've told them who you are through publicity) will say, "wow, I gotta hear more of that" and come to the concert? 
  The fact that I offer lots of variety in what I do means that churches use me in a variety of ways. I acknowledge that I’m not a "big name" and don't have huge drawing power, but people do seem to respond to my music once they have heard me. That said, I have presented multiple event weekends with churches in a variety of ways. In some settings, I’ve presented a Broadway, "outreach" concert on Saturday evening and it was then announced that I would be singing at the church the next day. This approach works great IF the church members will bring their un-churched friends. To be honest, I sometimes think church members are hesitant are afraid to invite their friends to church programs because they are afraid they might be embarrassed. They want to make sure the program is good, and that there is not an appeal for money. They just don’t want to risk offending their friends. I’ve also done a huge number of concerts where I will sing two to four songs on a Saturday night and/or Sunday morning and followed that with a Sunday evening concert. People do want to know that it is worth returning to church for the concert. I have created some great video tools on the web and available on DVD that can actually be shown in church to give church members a taste of what they can expect in concert. That is a great way to help communicate to the congregation the value of attending a concert. Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, California, did something unique several years ago when they had me present my Broadway concert on a Sunday evening in their sanctuary. This was designed to expose the congregation to the concept, and the quality of presentation. At the conclusion, the pastor shared how I would be returning 6 weeks later to do the very same concert at the civic center in a desert concert setting strategically designed to reach their un-churched friends. Church members were able to purchase tickets for the desert outreach concert that evening and they virtually sold every table for the event. The congregation caught the vision and it turned out that it was a wonderful way to church could speak into the lives of un-churched people and let them know about the church. 

On a normal Sunday, one will find Steve Amerson singing in a church someplace in North America and on many Mondays he will be in the studio singing for a movie or television show or singing about the qualities of a certain automobile or airline for a commercial. To some it might seem strange, but for Steve it's all part of being salt and light. His voice can be heard on many movies and television shows including Matrix Revolutions, King Kong, Fantastic Four, The Patriot, Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin, Cheers, St. Elsewhere, Touched by an Angel, The and commercials for Ford Trucks, Toyota, US Sprint, Mercedes, Texaco, IBM, and Delta Airlines. He has been a guest soloist for many special events including Billy Graham Crusades. On numerous occasions, he has ministered alongside well-known pastors and authors including Charles Swindoll, Jack Hayford and David Jeremiah. He is one of three tenors chosen to record demonstration tapes used by Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras in preparation for The 3 Tenors performances. Some of Steve's best training has come from his upbringing as the son of a United Methodist pastor. He is deeply committed to quality music of all styles, which will bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Want to talk to Steve in more detail? Email him by clicking here.

Final Thoughts 

The next issue of the print version of Creator is about ready to go to press. This issue contains an article by Paul Hill entitled Teach Them to Read: The Benefits of Music Literacy in the Church Choir, and two articles on Pastor/Musician relationships and working styles. If you are not a subscriber to the print version of Creator I encourage you to subscribe now by clicking on the "Subscribe" tab at the top of this page.

 Blessings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Vern Sanders

Vern is the publisher of Creator Magazine. He has served in some form of church music and worship leadership for 40 years in a variety of denominations both in the US and in Canada. He is currently Director of Worship at First Presbyterian Church, Grover Beach, California. Vern regularly consults with churches and church leaders. Click on his name above to email him.  

© 2008 Creator Magazine All Rights Reserved