Voc-robatics

Voc-robatics - My abbreviation for VOCal aCROBATICS. This is the time-honored tradition embraced by gospel choirs for a soloist to ad-lib. I've used this term is a bit negatively, but done sparingly and well, it can be a good method to take your group "to the next level" of performance.

Getting your ministry "to the next level" shouldn't be your goal - not if it is in conflict with obtaining the universal cohesion of praise with your congregation. What I'm saying is, "Beware." Self indulgence hides behind the door - be careful when opening. Our first job is to get everyone in the congregation to sing with their hearts.

First of all, the melody must be solid. Someone in the group must since what the congregation is singing, and it has got to be the strongest sound in the group.

With that, there's a couple guide points to pay attention to:

• CHOIR: Keep on the melody and what you want the people to sing. Make sure the melody stands out above all else.
• SOLO: Add color, but do not thwart the balance of getting the people to sing. Wow... how to not distract here... I'm not sure how...

With that... um, for those that have wondered why we didn't do more of this back at St. Vinnie's - this is why.  It's not the talent in the group, it's how to do the trick of balancing performance with relevance and leadership.