"The rituals were such a huge success largely because of your presence, shaping the pieces into a lovely whole. Your singing, spontaneity, humour and grounded humanity still vibrate in me."

Tannis, of Spiritual Directors International 2007

How to Make Good Use of Your Music Resource Person

A guide sheet from Linnea Good

My Mission, as a Music Resource Person, is:
to serve the goals of the events I staff, by offering solos, musical animation and especially shared singing, fitting the mood of the gathering, the teachable moment and the spiritual need of the group

Music, particularly shared singing, has the power to greatly enhance a gathering. It is physically refreshing, it allows for moments in which to reflect on or integrate what has been taking place, it actually helps a business meeting get more business accomplished, it creates a sense of oneness and allows the group to express itself spiritually.

Take the time to think what kind of musical assistance you wish for, in your event. If you want:

someone to play the music so that a group can sing songs largely already chosen by event organizers, you want an ACCOMPANIST
someone to choose and vocally lead the songs with the group, you want a SONG LEADER/ACCOMPANIST (possibly a duo or team)
someone to lead singing, reflect through performance and find ways of making music an effective tool in presenting scripture, theological reflection, story, you want a MUSIC RESOURCE PERSON.

Each role is an important one, depending on the goals of your event. Linnea Good is a Music Resource person. If you chose to hire her to serve your event, here are some things to keep in mind, to enable her to do a great job:

In weeks leading up to the event, be sure to send her registration information that normally goes out to participants (directions to the venue, what to bring, special needs registration forms, news flashes)
Send her the promotional information that you are using (jpeg posters, e-mail announcements, PSAs, links to web sites), so that she can know what participants will expect of the event and can advertise through her own means
Include her in thematic (but not all..!) mailings, so that she can prepare for the event music
Include her in worship planning
Provide a (real) piano and sound system at the event. We often travel with our own sound system and would be willing to rent it to your event, if you so chose. We do not bring a piano.

Have a designated Tech Person. Have a conversation about the actual mechanics of any projection technology. Whose projector and whose laptop will you be using? Which platform (Mac or PC) will it be? (Linnea is on Mac). Do you need the song projections on a CD before the event? How will the projectionist and the music person communicate while the music is being chosen and used? How will you deal with different people having a variety of LCD projections to present during the day?

Think through your plans to use pre-programmed music in the group. While it may be normal for presenters to put a CD of a song into the player in their usual work, when the music job has been delegated to a specific person, it may conflict with your music resource being able to do her job. For example, when a speaker ends their presentation with a recorded song, they have taken the moment that otherwise belonged to the song-leader to craft. This is both a courtesy and professional necessity; feel free to consult.

Understand that, as Music Resource person, Linnea is in charge of choosing the music for singing in the plenary and worship times of your event – and very much welcomes suggestions. If you have specific music requests or actual sheet music that are not presently in Linnea’s repertoire, please make that request and, when necessary provide the score, at least a month in advance of the event. Linnea has an enormous repertoire of songs familiar in many denominations (and is familiar with hundreds more). She can accommodate probably about 3 completely new songs per event.

You would be responsible for covering the copyright licensing of the event’s singing (including special pieces people may ask Linnea to play).

Feel free to billet Linnea (and her musical partners), even if the rest of event planners will be accommodated in a hotel.

Drop Linnea a line to talk through the possibilities for your event, or to clarify anything we have said on this sheet of general guidelines.

LG at LinneaGood.com