Alternative Title

"Oh That I Had a Dozen Voices"

Subject Area

Music, Religion, Theology/Religious Education

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted church music ministries across the United States. In an era during which church attendance and interest in organized religion are declining, churches were forced to shut their doors, which only deepened the worsening issues in the US and internationally. Most houses of worship in the United States are modest in size but contain a small but enthusiastic group of volunteers who find great fulfillment in sharing their musical gifts to express God’s love. Despite these churches being the majority, mainstream music publishers’ offerings cater overwhelmingly to larger music ministries with sufficient participation to present SATB choral music. This thesis argues that smaller music ministries would benefit from choral music composed explicitly for their needs and presents a newly composed catalog of twelve choral anthems intended for smaller choirs of volunteer singers. These compositions employ a synthesis of historical and modern approaches to small-ensemble choral composition and include insights into the compositional process, rehearsal strategies, and pedagogy, as well as liturgical suitability, with special emphasis on the theological objectives of each. This thesis adds to the field not only a practical, usable repertoire but also a reorientation of values, expanding the conversation on the potential of smaller music ministry.

Degree Date

Spring 5-16-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

D.P.M.

Advisor

Dr. Marcell Silva-Steuernagel

Second Advisor

Dr. C. Michael Hawn

Third Advisor

Dr. Robert Frank

Number of Pages

342

Format

.pdf

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Additional Files
klemetson etd deposit agreement SIGNED.pdf (173 kB)
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