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SCHOOL OF WORSHIP

School of Worship I is for new students
School of Worship II is for returning School of Worship I students
School of Worship III is for returning School of Worship II students

Teacher: Ben Sandstrom

Cost: $80 a month
(See registration page for registration details)

Recommended Age: 6th grade and up with some previous musical training (This course is designed in a way to allow for students to take it more than once! So, if you have been in school of worship before, you are always welcome back.)

Materials Needed:
- 1/2" or 1” 3 ring binder
- Instrument student will be playing

Course Pre-Requisites:

  • Guitar players should be able to play basic open chords as well as E and A form bar chords and be able to strum in time.

  • Bass Players should know the names of the notes on the fret board and be able to play in time.

  • Vocalists should be able to sing in tune.

  • Drummers should be able to play a basic rock beat and play in time.

  • Keyboardists should be able to play basic chords, understand chord inversions, and read basic chord charts.

  • If you have any questions regarding class requirements, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

 

Course Description:
Worship & Theology – This will be a time to cover the biblical foundations and the practical understanding of why we worship. We will also focus on the fact that we were created to worship, and everything we do should be done to the glory of God. Remembering these truths will inform the understanding of our position as sons, daughters, and creatives in His majestic Kingdom, and the honor we have to lead others into the presence of the King. 

Songwriting & Melodic Construction – I think it is important that we grow and nurture the ability to sing our song to the Lord. It will look a bit different for every person because we were all created in our own way and with our own forms of expression. That’s a beautiful thing, by the way! Collectively, that makes for a wonderful symphony of sound and collaboration. In this breakout, we will explore and grow our ability to understand how we each approach writing and how we can grow our God-given strengths and abilities. We will also learn and develop new forms of musical expression in a writing context. Students will have the opportunity to showcase original songs and write and perform songs as a group. Time to exercise our songwriting muscles! This is going to be fun!

 Inspiration Days - Once a month, I will have a special guest come and teach on a different aspect of worship such as instrumentation, theology in worship, or honing one’s craft and more! These times of inspiration will be an elevated and tangible experience for the students to learn and be inspired in their musical and spiritual journeys. The folks I have coming in are talented musicians who also have a burning heart for Jesus. I can’t wait for inspiration days!

 Musical Dynamics – Understanding musical dynamics is such an important concept that we will be learning all about together. This is something that we will introduce and implement in phases. By the end of the year the students will fully understand and be able to harness their own level of musical dynamics within their craft and within a group setting. 

 Developing a Team Culture - One of my great passions is building teams and building a culture of family, trust, integrity, commitment, and unity. I will work with the group collectively and individually in identifying areas to personalize plans for development. We will dig deep into what a healthy team looks like and what it takes to be a valuable part of a worship team or musical group. The lessons the students will learn in this breakout can be carried throughout their entire lives. 

 Beauty in Collaboration / Songwriting Group Project - At this stage of the class we are going to dive into the concepts of collaboration and how that can be an amazing tool as we write, brainstorm, and lead/perform. We will engage in some fun exercises that will help us see the difference in creating on our own and creating in a group setting. We can come up with some great ideas on our own, but when we collaborate, our different perspectives and inspirations can fuse together to make something beautiful. 

 Music Theory Fundamentals - In this breakout we will explore the basics of music theory and connect the musical dots with several core concepts to understand and communicate the language and emotion of the music we are playing. 

Performance / Winter & Spring Showcase Nights - We are going to have opportunities to play as a group and play our songs that we have been learning for our families and community. This will be a fantastic incentive for growth, team building, and experience. We will have a Winter and Spring Concert showcase.