 |
| Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Music > CSMusic Songwriting Workshop Writer : Wang Chu QiaoThanks & Acknowledgements: I thank the lovely and generous people at CSM for allowing me to sit in with one of the groups and to have the experience of the whole creation process, as well as my group for being so hospitable in hosting me. Martin, especially, has been a great source of inspiration and encouragement to me through his testimonies, sharings and insights. About CSMusic Songwriting Workshop Organised by CSMusic (Christian Songwriters and Music Singapore), the CSMusic Songwriting Workshop is for all who are interested in songwriting, regardless of whether you are formally trained in music or not. Taught by Martin Tang over five weekly sessions in a focused class of 20 participants, it aims to be an interactive and Christ-centered time of learning, as participants seek to glorify God through music and lyrics. Dates: 12 Feb, 19 Feb, 26 Feb; 5 Mar, 12 Mar 09 (Thurs) Time: 7.30pm - 9.30pm Venue: St Andrew's Cathedral Instructor: Martin Tang About Martin Tang: Martin Tang is an accomplished musician/arranger/producer, having won the "Golden Melody Award" (Mandarin Music's highest honor) for best arrangement for well-known artiste Stephanie Sun. His works can be heard on most of the top mandarin recording artiste albums, such as those of F4, Coco Lee, A*Mei, and Wang Lee Hom. Martin currently serves as a worship leader as well as heads the "Worship Ministry" in Hope Sanctuary Singapore. He continues his journey in pursuit of God as a worshipper in the hope that his life will encourage others in seeking the heart of the Father, through His beloved Son and with the empowerment of His Holy Spirit. CSM Showcase (Event Coverage) DATE: 3 Apr 2009 (Fri) TIME: 7.30pm VENUE: St Andrew's Cathedral Prayer Halls On 3 April 2009, CSMusic presented yet another fabulous showcase of budding songwriters, this time featuring the works incubated during the CSMusic Songwriting Workshop. Trained by Martin Tang, this select group of writers from different churches in Singapore presented their works and insights (in a Q&A session) from the five-week course as many came to be blessed by a night of music and unadulterated God-songs. Do It Your Way The five groups came up by turns to present their five new songs birthed from the weeks of green housing. The opening number, 'Do It Your Way' expressed a heartfelt desire and cry of total surrender to God's leading and will, while the second piece 'You Are' was a personal meditation on the various names of Christ and the awe and wonder it inspired in us. The third song 'Run To You', composed and written by an all-male band, was a dramatic narrative re-imagined from the parable of the Prodigal Son that spoke of the Father's love for His wayward son. I Am Free The next song 'I Am Free' this time composed and written by an all-female group, was centred on the theme of revival and how God's grace has freed us from the bondage of sin and guilt. Lastly, the song 'Call Upon The Lord' was inspired by Psalm 116 and expressed the songwriters' faith that God, as Master Composer and Arranger, would arrange our lives marvellously if we would just let go and let God. Martin and his band then took to the stage to perform a set of songs before closing with an Israel Houghton song, 'Power of One-Change the World' and the powerful exhortation that each Christian must undertake the personal responsibility to be a God-empowered agent of change and revolution in this fallen, dying world. These God songs have ministered to my heart that night. Even now, I thank God that He has done so much in our lives, in us and through us that we have something to sing about. May we continue to sing of Him and for Him all the days of our lives. Notes from Martin's sharing during the workshop "Why should the Devil have all the good music?" (attributed to Martin Luther) God used music to reach Martin Tang and impressed upon him the reality of God in his life. Though music has filled his life from a young age, the music in his life sounded a worldly note without the presence of God, until the day God met him through music. What follows is a series of key principles and insights gleaned from Martin Tang's CSM songwriting workshop. God Songs The crucial ingredient needed in writing a worship song as opposed to a secular song is heart because our subject matter is Christ. You must have a relationship with Him, otherwise you [ will not be writing lyrics from a Christ-centred perspective] about God. Ask yourself first, "Do you know Jesus? Do you really believe what He says in His Word?" All God songs must have three things : a scriptural basis, a relational basis of songs and the anointing of the Spirit. These are the three ingredients to writing good worship songs. The Biblical basis is from 2 Corinthians 3:1-3: "Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." God songs are not written in ink, but by the Spirit of the Living God. These songs are songs He has already put in your hearts to overflow with. They are His letters to the world and His people. Since God songs are songs that God has put into our hearts, then our aim is to get these songs out of us. He wants to fill the world with God songs, not songs about God. The more we sing or create God songs, the sooner He will return to us, His people. Psalm 24: 1 says, 'The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.' Getting back the music The best music is in the world and we got to get it back. Worldly music created by Satan (a created being) can be redeemed for the use of God because everything out there belongs to God, the Creator who is pleased to give them to His children. The beloved hymns of old were apparently set to the popular beer-drinking melodies of taverns. 1 Kings 19: 11-12: 11 says, "And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." As you ponder and prepare to write your own God songs, consider what God is putting on your heart. What is He saying to you? Be sensitive to the Lord. He speaks everywhere [even in the smallest whisper after a fire]. Begin by documenting your meditations. Put them into a song to document His hand in your life in that particular season of your life. Get a recording device to record any snatches of inspirations that come upon you any time of the day. During your own worship, particular phrases or words in the Scriptures can jump out at you as a word in season, be sensitive to that. You are putting your God encounters on a sound canvas, therefore you must have personal conviction or your listeners will detect the false note. The best songs are written on our knees [ in reverent worship]. Why God songs are important Songs are important in spiritual warfare. When we raise up our voices in praise, these sounds offered up to God are able to tear down the kingdom of darkness.Acts 16:25-26 says, "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed." Songs are a vital ingredient in praise and worship. We are an instrument of praise - we may go through all phases of life, yet praise is consistent to and in our lives so that even in the lowest pits of our lives, we are told by God, "Praise Me." Judah's victory over their enemies in II Chronicles 20 is another example. We are in a position to put forth the power of God through our lips of praise to impact the world. These songs are new ways of saying something that has been said before. Worship leaders are given the great responsibility and are placed in a holy and privileged position to "put words into the mouth of people." Psalm 40:3 3 says, "And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD." Check out YouTube videos of these songs can be accessed from the csmusic.sg, http://csmusic.sg/web2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84&Itemid=93
|
|
|
 |
 |