Christians have long associated vocal music with theological content, from liturgical music and other "hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs" to musical metaphors used to express theological truths. Yet what might it mean for singing to be more than merely a messenger of existing theological ideas, but, itself, a mode of doing theology? What do we learn—and unlearn—about God and creation when we focus on the experience of singing as the realm of encounter with the Triune God?
Drawing on methodologies of vocal practice and resources and scholarship from the African-American tradition, Dr. Awet Andemicael, associate dean of Marquand Chapel and assistant professor of theology at Yale, will discuss what a theology of singing might look like, exploring how singing can be considered a form of prayer and a key site of practical and theological integration for Christian artists. The lecture will also feature group singing and some solo demonstrations.
Lunch is provided for the first 40 guests. No registration or tickets required. Please see below for livestream information.
Part III: Arts in Action
What do you find most satisfying in your work as a musician and what do you find most challenging?
At this stage in my life, I find myself engaged in a number of activities, with varying levels of talent and skill. But it is when I sing, and sing well, that I most often "feel God's pleasure," to paraphrase Eric Liddell's character in Chariots of Fire. Singing has always been the space of home for me, and my life as a singer and my journey as a Christian have been inextricably intertwined since I was a child. I find the practice of singing, at its most powerful, to be a profound experience of whole-making, a unifying act of shalom that brings into coherence the quotidian fragmentation of my flesh and breath, mind and heart, body, and spirit.
About the Speaker
Awet Andemicael is a performer, writer, and academic who is committed to integrating theology and art. As a concert and operatic soprano, she has sung at festivals and concert venues across North America, Europe, and Japan. She has received music awards from numerous organizations, including the Metropolitan Opera National Council and the Oratorio Society of New York. Andemicael has also written and served as a consultant on music and theology, refugee studies, and interfaith engagement, including involvement in scholarly working groups, membership in the Jerusalem-based Elijah Interfaith Institute Academy, and an interview featured on Swedish public television. Committed to education and mentoring, she has taught courses on music and worship and theologies of reconciliation at the Université Chrétienne Bilingue du Congo in Beni and has led vocal master classes in Brittany, France, and at the University of Notre Dame. She also leads workshops on singing and Christian spirituality.