By Mary Greico
Catholic Herald Correspondent

Vocal music workshop leader emphasizes faith

Rhinelander -- Diction, articulation and rhythm all now make more sense to those attending a vocal workshop Sept. 21, but presenter Jan Huseby emphasized that "music is first and foremost a relationship with God."

Accompanists, directors and singers from the newly clustered parishes of St. Joseph and Immaculate Conception in Rhinelander, and St. John in Pelican Lake were invited to spend a Sunday afternoon learning and sharing and being reaffirmed in their ministry. The event was held at Immaculate Conception Parish and began with an appreciation luncheon.

Huseby speaks from nearly 30 years' experience in music ministry. For the past 10 years she has been director of liturgy and music at St. Mary Parish in Tomahawk.

Before working on vocal techniques, Huseby talked about the importance of church musicians' being well grounded in their faith. "We cannot sing a story that we do not embody," she said. "Music always comes from a well deep inside of us, and we need to find ways to fill that well." Prayer is one of the best ways to do that, she said.

Huseby's musical background and teaching ability were evident as she guided the group through a lesson in sight-reading. By the end of the day, even those who did not have a strong background in music had a better understanding of key signatures and rhythm patterns.

Then she gave an anatomy lesson of sorts, noting that "singing is a whole body experience." Among the handouts was a page showing skeletal balance, which is important for proper airflow.

Although some of the warm-up exercises resulted in a few laughs, participants soon heard positive results. Huseby asked the singers to pretend they were getting peanut butter off their teeth and to test their breath control by making a hissing sound. "Learn to take in what you need, and use it all," she advised. "A good way to train your diaphragm is to practice hissing as you exhale."

To maintain an open throat, she had another suggestion: "Do practice exercises with your tongue out. That is so humbling, but you will find out how much voice you have.

"If you have a one-hour rehearsal, 15 minutes should be spent on warm-ups," she added.

After the warm-ups, it was time to try a new song with four-part harmony, giving everyone a chance to put into practice the newly learned techniques -- and to be reminded again that "music creates a mood for worship and has the power to calm the spirit and open our hearts in a way that transcends words alone."

Editor's note:Huseby will consider leading music workshops in other parts of the diocese. She can be reached at 715-453-2878, ext 121.

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