 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
From the Editor: What is a “Guild?” It wasn't until my choir made their first pilgrimage to sing at Canterbury Cathedral that I began to fully appreciate the significance of the Medieval “guild.” As a strictly practical matter, we simply wanted to keep track of our choristers while providing each one an opportunity to mix within smaller groups. Every pilgrim, therefore, became part of a Medieval guild and after several days in one guild, s/he would move on to a different guild. It was an enormous success as children and adults mixed as fellow pilgrims, cliques were avoided, and, as members of the Locksmith, Shoemaker, Weaver, Stone Carvers and Culinary Guilds, we learned a lot about life in a different time period. As an essential part of town life during the Medieval period, merchant and craft guilds formed for mutual benefit and to further professional interests. Artisans supported one another's work and membership was an honor, a sign of a skilled worker. Members were called “confraternities,” brothers helping one another. We, too, belong to a guild: Choristers GUILD. Joining together with fellow teachers and directors, we continue to develop and enhance our skill as church musicians. As in 11th-15th century guilds, we support one another as modern day “confraternities,” brothers and sisters sharing the joys and challenges of our work with children and youth in the church. In this way, we serve in an extremely important capacity within our own town or city. As fellow guild members, we encourage one another, believing that we are indeed making a difference in the lives of young people in today's world. The articles and resources within this journal are intended to support you. Don't miss the words of inspiration from our own confraternity: Congregational Song for a New Millenium by Carl P. Daw, Jr.; Discipline in Children's Choirs, Part II, by Mary Hoffman; Children in Worship by Marilyn Comer; a Hymn Study on the hymn tune Engelberg (When in our music God is glorified) by Charlotte McElroy; Monthly Devotions by Bev Bailey. . . and the State of the Guild, your guild, Choristers Guild. In addition, we applaud one of the most extraordinary members of our guild, an “artisan” of high standard and Past President of Choristers Guild, Anton Armstrong, on his being awarded the very prestigious Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching by Baylor University. When asked about this award, Anton said: “It is with sincere humbleness and immense gratitude that I accept this award. I feel overwhelmed by the honor, for this award does not simply affirm my vocation to serve others through my teaching-it also recognizes all the wonderful family, teachers, mentors, students and singers that have touched my life and nurtured this calling in me through the years.” He then said that “what we are doing in arts education-especially in music-is not just educating the mind but the whole person. . . The music that I make with these young people is a dynamic means of grace.” The music you make with your children is also a dynamic means of grace. May grace abound with you this Easter season! — Lois Trego, Editor |
|
©Choristers
Guild 2000-2006 |
