Minor in Contemporary Worship Music
Overview
The contemporary worship music minor equips students who desire to serve the church on a volunteer or part-time basis through music ministry. A minor is offered upon completion of 22 credits in the required courses. An audition is required.
Courses
Below are the course requirements for this academic program. In addition to these program-specific requirements, all majors include Biola's traditional undergraduate core curriculum. For more program details, including a sample course sequence, visit Biola's academic catalog.
Core Courses
| MUSC 101 | Music Appreciation |
| Elements of music and media of performance in historical perspective. Provides basic background in music literature. Notes: For the non-music major. Approved for Core Curriculum Fine Arts credit. Grade Mode: A. | |
| MUSC 126 | Introduction to Music Technology |
Designed specifically for Commercial Music and Worship Arts majors. An introduction to basic music notation software plus a solid theoretical/technical working knowledge of fundamentals used in both live and recorded music production. Students gain sufficient expertise to be able to notate songs, arrangements, rhythm charts, and lead sheets using the powerful, professional functions of Finale and other software. Students also gain enough expertise to understand basic sound theory, microphone designs and principles, and basic analog/digital music production theory. Grade Mode: A. | |
| MUSC 145 | Applied Music |
Applied instruction in composition, piano, organ, harpsichord, voice, brass instruments, string instruments, woodwind instruments, percussion instruments, conducting, and improvisation. Notes: May be taken an unlimited amount of times. Non-music majors are welcome to take applied lessons, see Conservatory for approval. Grade Mode: A. | |
| MUSC 153 | Sight-Singing and Dictation I |
| Sight-singing diatonic melodies, major and minor scales and triads using moveable tonic solfege. Transcribing basic diatonic melodies, cadences and progressions. Reading, performing and transcribing rhythmic patterns in simple, compound and irregular meters. Notes: Students may test into an accelerated section of this course. Grade Mode: A. | |
| MUSC 154 | Music Theory I |
| The study of the following music fundamentals: elementary acoustics, keyboard layout, intervals, scales, key signatures, triads, figured bass, diatonic voice-leading, cadences, elementary harmonic progressions, meter, rhythm, time signatures and staff notation. Grade Mode: A. | |
| MUSC 185 | Worship Foundations |
Survey of worship in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Study of key worship passages, biblical models of worship (Tabernacle/Temple, Synagogue, Pauline, Revelation worship) and their contemporary applications. Students visit eight culturally and ethically diverse church services and submit a report. Grade Mode: A. | |
| MUSC 200 | Concert Music |
Attendance at specified number and types of concerts each semester. Notes: Four semesters required for graduation. Grade Mode: A. | |
| MUSC 383 | Congregational Music |
Classic and contemporary hymns are sung, pondered, memorized; biblical allusions traced; hymn stories/writers surveyed. Ethnic songs, current worship songs, and internet resources are explored. Students draw close to songs spiritually in their personal devotions and acquire skill introducing them publicly. Grade Mode: A. | |
| MUSC 386 | Spiritual Formation and Worship |
| Introduction into the nature of spiritual formation and its relationship to worship in personal and corporate settings. Emphasis on the nature of spiritual growth, psychological hindrances, and the dynamics of assisting others into true, meaningful worship. Contains a spiritual direction component with Biola's Center for Spiritual Renewal. Grade Mode: A. | |
| MUSC 388 | The Calling, Character, Competencies of the Worship Leader |
The worship leader role requires more than becoming a proficient musician. The breadth and complexity of leading biblical worship and leading people is explored: personal mission, values, character and personality traits, the multiple facets of artistry, leadership, pastoral care and administration. The course culminates in crafting biblical, compelling worship sets and a public worship session led by the class. | |
| MUSC 445 | Applied Music |
Applied instruction in composition, piano, organ, harpsichord, voice, brass instruments, string instruments, woodwind instruments, percussion instruments, conducting, and improvisation. Notes: May be taken an unlimited number of times. Non-music majors are welcome to take applied lessons, see Conservatory for approval. Grade Mode: A. | |
| MUSC 452 | Worship Arts Forum |
Worship pastors, song writers/arrangers, clinicians, sound/media professionals, and professors share their expertise and perspective. Weekly opportunity to interact and dialogue. Grade Mode: C. | |
Ensemble Courses
Choose a total of two credits of ensemble (MUSC 002).
| MUSC 2 | Chamber Music Ensemble |
| Encompasses a wide variety of chamber grouping and chamber music literature. The following ensemble combinations are commonly organized under this heading: brass quintet, woodwind quintet, flute ensemble, string quartet, percussion ensemble, piano chamber ensembles, small vocal ensembles, and worship bands. Notes: Open to vocal, keyboard and other instrumental students by audition. Piano accompanying is graded on a credit/no-credit basis. Approved for Core Curriculum Fine Arts credit. Grade Mode: A, C. | |