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How does music pedagogy serve the spiritual purposes of the church? Do cognitive psychology and the processes of language acquisition offer any insight into teaching music in churches? This interactive lecture will explore ideas popularized by music psychologist Edwin Gordon and the resulting pedagogies of his more influential students, and explore how they provide a sensible, practical and research-supported framework for the transmission of musical knowledge through the work of a church musician or teacher. The tenets of Music Learning Theory will be summarized. Practical examples will be given on how it can inform teaching strategies in the church’s many musical mediums.

Bio:

Miguel Ruiz is the cantor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Keller, Texas. He serves as the organist, directs choir and handbells, teaches three choirs in the K–8 school and teaches early childhood music in the preschool. He earned his Director of Parish Music certification through Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP), St. Paul, Minn., and a Master of Music Education from Westminster Choir College, where he studied choral music and pedagogy with James Jordan, Tom Shelton and Frank Abrahams. He enjoys learning about the history of Lutheran sacred music and helping his wife, Ei, chase five children around their Fort Worth home.

This session recording is from the 2024 LCMS Institute on Liturgy, Preaching and Church Music held July 9–12, 2024 in Seward, Neb. For more information on the Institute, please visit https://resources.lcms.org/worship-planning/2024-institute-on-liturgy-preaching-and-church-music-resources.

Morning Prayer Venite from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. Setting by Paul Soulek.

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) Worship ministry aims to nurture a culture of confessional faithfulness, artistic excellence and integrity in the presentation, distribution and reception of God’s life-giving gifts in Word and Sacraments. This ministry seeks to develop and deepen an understanding and love for the Lutheran heritage in Christian worship, and promotes the Lutheran Service Book as the core worship resource for the LCMS while also identifying and encouraging the many musical treasures and gifts that the Holy Spirit continues to pour upon the church. For more information: lcms.org/worship/institutes; lcms.org/worship.

Learn more about LCMS National Mission lcms.org/nationalmission.

Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.