Tracks of Study
At The Texas Normal Singing School, our goal is to train men and women to excel in the public worship and assemblies of the church. We specialize in a cappella, congregational singing. There is something at The Singing School for everyone who wishes to increase their effectiveness in their home congregation. With 50 hours of in-classroom training from Sunday evening through Friday noon, our aim is to stimulate every student toward excellence.
There are many emphases in his/her studies that a student may choose to follow. Click on a track name below to learn more…
Song Leading Track (Two Years)
This is the oldest department of the Singing School. It is the prerequisite foundation for the Worship Leader Certification.
We believe that church music and song leading are both art and science, with rules (“norms”) of music theory and best practice (science) which a student must know and in which he must be competent before moving on to the artistic side of expressive song leading. Without stifling students’ creativity or culture, in the two years of the Song Leading Track, our instructors want to lay a common, time-tested, and proven foundation among our students to give them the tools and instruction to be successful as they continue to develop for years to come.
Typical Year One Course Load: Music Theory (MT101), Song Leading I (SL101), Beginners’ Sight Reading (SR101/201), History of Church Music (MA101), Voice Coaching, Video Coaching, AM Chapel (instructor-led), PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Two Course Load: Music Theory for Song Leaders (MT102), Intermediate Song Leading (SL201), Beginners’ Sight Reading (SR101/201), Trends in Church Music (MA201), Voice Coaching, Video Coaching, AM Chapel (instructor-led), PM Chapel (student-led)
Worship Leader Certification (Two Years)
Students who successfully complete the requirements for the Song Leading Track (two years) and demonstrate the required aptitude for song directing will be invited to continue into the Worship Leader Certification Track. This would represent the junior (third) and senior (fourth) years in the certification journey.
Typical Year Three Course Load: Worship Development (PW301), Song Leading III (SL301), Advanced Sight Reading (SR301/401), Children in Church Music (?), Voice Coaching, Video Coaching, AM Chapel (instructor-led), PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Four Course Load: Public Worship Leadership (PW401), Worship Leader Dynamics (SL401), Advanced Sight Reading (SR301/401), History of Public Worship (MA402) or Science of Sound (MA401), Voice Coaching, Video Coaching, AM Chapel (instructor-led), PM Chapel (student-led)
Women’s Certification Track (Four Years)
This entire curriculum has been revised from the ground up as of 2022. Additional details are forthcoming!
Typical Year One Course Load: Music Theory (MT101); Singers Workshop (SC); Beginning Sight Reading (SR101/201); History of Church Music (MA101); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Two Course Load: Applied Music Theory (MT102); Singers Workshop (SC); Beginning Reading (SR101/201); Trends in Church Music (MA201); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Three Course Load: Women’s Certification Course I (WC301); Singers Workshop (SC); Advanced Sight Reading (SR301/401); Children in Church Music (?); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Four Course Load: Women’s Certification Course II (WC401); Singers Workshop (SC); Advanced Sight Reading (SR301/401); History of Public Worship (MA402) or Science of Sound (MA401); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Singers Workshop (Four Years)
Many Christians have neither the desire to write music nor become song leaders. They do, however, have a passion for excellence in a cappella music. The Christian Singers Workshop is a choral music program to help these them develop their talents. This is a workshop for Christians who want to develop their abilities to sing, especially in groups, and learn to handle special song arrangements.
Typical Year One Course Load: Music Theory (MT101); Singers Workshop (SC); Beginning Sight Reading (SR101/201); History of Church Music (MA101); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Two Course Load: Harmony I (MT201); Singers Workshop (SC); Beginning Sight Reading (SR101/201); Trends in Church Music (MA201); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Three Course Load: Harmony II (MT301); Singers Workshop (SC); Advanced Sight Reading (SR301/401); Children in Church Music (?) or History of Public Worship (MA402) or Science of Sound (MA401); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Four Course Load: Any level-three or level-4 morning course; Singers Workshop (SC); Advanced Sight Reading (SR301/401); Children in Church Music (?) or History of Public Worship (MA402) or Science of Sound (MA401); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Songwriter Track (Four Years)
The ability to compose a Christian song is a natural talent that some people possess. But it takes more than natural talent to be a good songwriter. Successful composers need to understand music theory, harmony, lyrical structures, and song styles. We teach these technical skills in our program.
In today’s world, song composition has also become a computerized process. We teach the art of songwriting in the context of modern computers with the latest version of Finale, the standard program for music typesetting.
Typical Year One Course Load: Music Theory (MT101); Songwriting (SC101/201/301); Beginning Sight Reading (SR101/201); History of Church Music (MA101); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Two Course Load: Harmony I (MT201); Songwriting (SC101/201/301); Beginning Sight Reading (SR101/201); Trends in Church Music (MA201); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Three Course Load: Harmony II (MT301); Songwriting (SC101/201/301); Advanced Sight Reading (SR301/401); Children in Church Music (?) or History of Public Worship (MA402) or Science of Sound (MA401); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Typical Year Four Course Load: Finale (MT101); Arranging Songs for A Cappella Singing (MT402); Advanced Sight Reading (SR301/401); Children in Church Music (?) or History of Public Worship (MA402) or Science of Sound (MA401); Voice Coaching; AM Chapel (instructor-led); PM Chapel (student-led)
Every student is required to take a core curriculum (including Sight Singing courses, Music Theory courses, and Music Appreciation & History courses). Beyond that, each student has the option to pursue Men’s/Women’s Certification, Song/Worship Leading, Singers Workshop, or Songwriting tracks. Only the Men’s and Women’s Certification tracks require progression through a set, four-year curriculum.
Please see our Course Catalog for additional information.