Composer (and new member) John Muehleisen’s unique approach to setting text involves extensive textual and poetic analysis as the very first step, allowing the music to emerge organically from the text. By this holistic approach, the musical imagination is unleashed, giving access to the inner composer within every musician. In his presentation, John will present his approach to text setting and will lead attendees through the process of analyzing a well-known poem together. After experiencing this process, attendees will be equipped with a creative path and technique to use for setting psalms, canticles, and other sacred texts for their choirs and congregations. The presentation will conclude with a brief group discussion about how the text setting technique might apply to a familiar sacred text.
Handouts for the program: