"Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music."
~Angela Monet
There are many who sing. Some sing only when they believe no one is listening. Some sing regularly in the shower, the yard, or the car, but never into a microphone. Some sing for thousands in stadiums. And some sing in church.
As it is with any trained vocal performance, I must learn the rhythm, the dynamics, the style, the lyrics, and of course the melody and/or harmony of the song. It can be quite challenging to recall and perform all of those things in synergy, yet still retain an on-stage presence, or an outward expression of the emotion evoked by the song.
But when you are singing to God, for God, and to inspire the worship of God, there is this whole other element that comes into play, and you had better be prepared to be a conduit for powerful spiritual energy. Singing while facing a congregation is such an intimate act. You are permitting the congregation to witness your personal act of worship, and they have no choice but to allow you to witness theirs. The beautiful thing is the way we feed off one another, like a delicate dance where control and balance are shared and rotated between the partners.
On their faces, I see smiles, tears, furrowed brows, and all sorts of symbols of the personal journey each of them is traveling. I know when the music speaks to them. Some clap, some stand up, some weep. It energizes me and encourages me to keep giving it my all. To those with no expression at all...I sing to them in the hopes that will truly hear the message of the song.
On their faces, I see smiles, tears, furrowed brows, and all sorts of symbols of the personal journey each of them is traveling. I know when the music speaks to them. Some clap, some stand up, some weep. It energizes me and encourages me to keep giving it my all. To those with no expression at all...I sing to them in the hopes that will truly hear the message of the song.
