Musical Performance: Guitar or Piano Track

The Church has always had a song. Worship leadership requires musical skill in voice and guitar or piano. For that reason, you will be required to take a minimum of eleven units in music.

Shortly after you enter the Worship Leadership program, an informal assessment of your vocal and guitar or piano skills will be made. Typically, the assessment will require you to play and sing two worship songs: one ballad and one up-beat praise song. The purpose of the assessment is to assist us in designing the best path through the program for you. Don’t worry. It’s not an “in” or “out” kind of thing.

At that point you will need to determine whether you will focus on guitar or piano as your primary instrument. We have established minimal skills that you will be required to master prior to going on your PRIME assignment. We can provide you with training through classes or private lessons in your instrument. If you can already pass the proficiency skills test upon entering the program you may use your music units for other electives. However, all worship leadership students are required to take two voice classes.

In addition, we strongly believe that you will benefit by having some skill on a secondary instrument. Many contemporary worship leaders are able to lead with both piano and guitar. If your primary instrument is piano, you will want some training in guitar. If it is guitar, then you will want training in piano. We have also established minimum skill levels that you will be able to reach with your secondary instrument through our program. 

Huntington’s program is strong. When you leave here, equipped with your new degree, you will be confident in your ability to lead others in worship through music.

In addition to a worship leadership major, Huntington also offers a worship studies minor designed for students interested in forming a theological and philosophical foundation for Christian worship. The background and perspective gained through a worship studies minor would be valuable as a secondary focus for the ministry student or for the student who wishes to serve as a lay leader in the church. It is distinct from the worship leadership major in that it does not have any focus on performance skills. The worship studies minor might be an especially attractive complement to any of the ministry majors, the Bachelor of Arts in church music, or for the student who is preparing for pastoral ministry with a Bible and religion major.