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Song Leading 2008

PURPOSE: Singing is an integral part of praising God. The song leader's skills directly affect the praising of God in group settings. This event encourages the development of song leading skills in young men and women.

PROCESS:

Each group will:

• Register each participant in proper grade category.
• Submit one song leading judge for every four participants entered.
• Make and bring to the convention, 25 paper copies of the song to be led. We are no longer using transparencies. The song must be public domain (no copyright indication on original) or your congregation must have a church copyright license (CCLI) # before copying any songs.
  Place "Public Domain", "PD", or the CCLI # as applicable at the bottom of each copy.

The Event Director will:

• Assign judges for each grade category.
• Return judges' forms to each participant.
• Report results to Awards Committee.
• Complete all duties in the Event Director's Job Description.

RULES:

1. Each participant will be judged according to nine areas of Judging Criteria. Each of these areas will be judged on a point continuum that will reflect the skill level of the participant as shown during the event. The point continuum for each Judging Criteria is listed under the Judging Criteria of this event.
2. Boys and girls will perform in separate rooms. Three male judges will judge boys. Three female judges will judge girls. An award rating will be assigned based on the point average among the three judges' sheets.
3. Spectators will not be allowed to enter or leave the room while the event is in progress.

JUDGING CRITERIA

It has been said that music is one half math and one half emotion. Song leading may be expressed in similar terms. A large portion of song leading is indeed technical, while an important aspect of song leading is leadership, spiritual leadership. Therefore, the judging criteria for song leading is divided into the following:

A. Technical Aspects

1. 25 Copies of Song: Each participant must bring 25 paper copies of the song to the event containing BOTH words and music - NO EXCEPTIONS, NO EXCUSES! There will be no overhead projectors available for projecting songs. Please make sure you bring your paper copies.
   A mandatory five (5) points will be deducted if the copies do not show either the appropriate Church Copyright License number (CCLI#) or Public Domain designation. It is strongly recommended, though not required, that a song be chosen that fits on a single 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper.
2. Pitch: The participant must pitch the song so it can be comfortably sung in all four parts - Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass. NOTE: Typically, if the song is led in the key it is written, it can be comfortably sung in all four parts. A pitch pipe or tuning fork may be used to assist the participant in pitching the song correctly. Using either is not mandatory and will not impact points awarded positively or negatively.
3. Tempo: The participant has to employ the correct beat and the appropriate mood for the song.
4. Volume - Projection: The participant's voice MUST be loud enough to be heard by the judges while the song is being led. If the group can't hear the song leader, they can't follow! The judges will NOT be sitting at the front of the room. A mandatory TEN (10) points will be deducted from the score if the song leader cannot be heard at any time during the song.
5. Verses / Verse Transition: Each participant will lead two verses, and only two verses. NO EXCEPTIONS. The two verses must be led as the music dictates. The participant must follow (and lead) the dynamic markings of the music -fermatas, crescendos, ritardandos, etc.- which indicate whether the music should be soft or loud, fast or slow, etc.

Good movement from one verse to the next is expected. - NOTE: A song with a single verse may be repeated once to fulfill this criterion. Arrangements will be allowed. (For example: "Two verses, then the chorus", etc.) However, the arrangement must transition well between the verses. Arrangements may be from two songs as long as ONLY two verses are led. That means one verse each from each song. Both songs, if used, must be sung without ANY break. In other words, the second song must be led with a smooth transition from the first song.

Keep in mind that the ability to lead the group will be impacted by the song or songs selected!

B. Spiritual Aspects

1. Poise: It is only natural to be nervous in front of a group of people, but does the participant channel this nervousness to excel? Does the participant give the impression that he/she is prepared to lead this song? Is the participant ready and confident to perform the task at hand? Does the participant place the transparency on the overhead projector correctly the FIRST time? Does the participant exhibit good volume and diction when announcing the song?
2. Interaction: Song leading never just entails a single individual worshiping God. Rather, song leading is an individual communicating with the body, and the body communicating praise to the Lord. Therefore, is the participant worshiping with the group or by themselves? Does the participant make frequent EYE CONTACT, or does the participant rely on the music too much - i.e. "staring" at it? Does the participant take charge of this group?
3. Spirit of Worship: Does the participant set the tone, mood, and atmosphere for the group? Does the participant's expression and appearance reflect the song being sung?
4. Overall Effectiveness: Would the judges consider asking the participant to lead the singing at a group gathering?

AWARDS:

Each individual will be rated according to the following scale:

Gold = 95 100 points, Silver = 85 94 points, Bronze = 70 84 points; No Award = 0-69 points

An appropriately colored engraved plate for the individual's Award Plaque will be given to each person receiving a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Rating.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

The following publications and websites may help clarify the role of the song leader in the church as well as the methods and techniques of song leading. Also included are recourses that discuss music as it relates to the church.

• Chambers, Dan. Showtime!. Nashville, 21St Century Christian, 1997.
• Boyd, Jack. Leading the Lord's Worship. Praise Press/ Power Source Productions.
• Hustand, Don. Jubilate II (Church Music in Worship and Renewal). Hope Publishing Co., 1993.
• Lehman, Glenn. You Can Lead Singing. New York: Good Books, 1995.
• McElheran, Brock, and Lukas Foss. Conducting Technique for Beginners and Professionals. Oxford University Press, 1989.
• Music, David W., Milburn Price, and William Jensen Reynolds. A Survey of Christian Hymnody. Hymn Society in the US and Canada, 1991.
• Song Leader Helps. James Tackett. Accessed 28 May, 2007. Available at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/James_Tackett/songlead.htm

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