Organizing Music Training Programs

With the approval of priesthood leaders, stake and ward music chairmen may arrange for music training courses, seminars, and workshops. They may recommend to priesthood leaders the names of qualified instructors who could provide this training. Training may also be provided to individuals as needed. No fee is charged for Church-sponsored training.

Music training programs may be provided for those who are currently serving in music positions and those who may serve in the future. Participants could include stake and ward music directors, choir directors, pianists, and organists. Groups of other interested youth or adults, including prospective missionaries, could also participate.

Ward music chairmen should help find opportunities for developing musicians to use their talents.

Providing Regular Music Training

Stake and ward music chairmen could establish a schedule of regular music training. An annual pattern of training could include ward conducting courses, training for choir directors, ward keyboard courses, and stake or ward organ training courses.

Subjects of instruction could include organizing the music program, improving congregational singing, strengthening ward choirs, and making sure that music in Church meetings is appropriate. Other subjects could include encouraging members to use music in their homes, identifying members who have musical talent, providing training programs, and working with activities music directors or cultural arts directors to plan music activities.

The Basic Music Course can be used in music training. It helps members learn to conduct hymns, play them on the piano, and teach conducting and keyboard skills to others. The course has two parts: the Conducting Course and the Keyboard Course (item no. 33620). The Conducting Course should be completed first. The Music Training videocassette (item no. 53042) can also be used in training sessions, in auxiliary meetings, and in the home to introduce members to conducting skills.

The stake music chairman organizes training for choir directors. If a stake specialist is not available to provide this training, ward choir directors could meet together to exchange ideas, or the stake presidency could request help from outside the stake. The Conducting Course manual (item no. 33619), pages 73–83, provides basic instruction for organizing and conducting choirs.

When there is no reasonable alternative, priesthood leaders may authorize the use of meetinghouse pianos and organs for practice, paid private instruction, and recitals involving members of the units that use the meetinghouse. No admittance fee should be charged for recitals.