Going behind the scenes of chapel bands
By: Rachel Vachon, L&T/Features Co-Editor
Published: 9.21.12
The soft whirring of wind turbines breaks the silence that blankets campus.
Most of the student body is still asleep, but senior Josh Craton and his band show up at Rediger Auditorium ready to run through a sound check for the morning's chapel service.
It's 7 a.m., and the band is groggy. Backpacks and sweaters litter the front row seats and the floor in front of the stage. Despite the early hour, the band doesn't waste time. Pages ruffle as the group flips through their music, arranging pages on the music stands before them.
Around 7:15 a.m., they're ready to play through their sections individually, working out any glitches before playing together. The screen flickers on behind them as tech workers test the powerpoint of music lyrics.
The Josh Craton Band is one of three bands from last year who has led worship this year while auditions take place for the 2012-2013 season. Before the first notes are ever played, each band carefully plans and coordinates to ensure the service runs smoothly.
But despite late nights and early mornings, the bands are passionate about the opportunity they have to worship with students, faculty and staff.
"It's really humbling to be blessed with this opportunity and just to be able to lead the campus in worship," Craton said.
Chapel bands generally have one chapel a week to lead the campus in worship. As they work closely with the chapel coordinators, they build their set-lists according to the chosen chapel theme. In addition to early morning sound checks the groups gather the evening before to practice the songs.
Sometimes practice goes as late as midnight.
It's now 7:20 a.m., and the band begins playing together. As they play to the rows of empty seats before them, some of the members close their eyes in worship, even though they are just practicing.
"It's a good way to get your day going, by worshipping," Craton said.
It's 7:22 a.m., and the lights dim. First the stage lights, then the house lights. The room illuminates again as quickly as it was dimmed. The band keeps playing while the lighting technician prepares the desired mood for the day.
In the sound booth along the back outer edge of the balcony, the band's mics are adjusted by the press of a button or the push of a switch. Computers are linked with the soundboard, creating, changing and even grouping effects as needed.
In the enclosed booth behind the sound equipment, an audiovisual tech coordinates the projections, slides, announcements and videos accompanying the service.
But worship is more than the logistics of preparations, and the groups see it as an opportunity to serve.
"Being up on stage and hearing people sing and worshipping really makes it worth it," said sophomore Matt Boersma of The Matt Boersma Band. Craton agrees that the worship experience is about more than songs.
"Some songs, the way you put it in the context of the chapel, can mean different things," Craton said, "and the way that we pray before the songs and the passage of scripture that we read in the middle of songs or between two songs, can really set the whole context up of the worship in general."
It is now 7:50 a.m., and the band wraps up, discussing any last-minute adjustments. They lift their backpacks off the floor and walk out.
The group will return in 105 minutes for prayer and then climb back onstage for the second time that morning. Music will fill the room, hands will raise and eyes will close, students will stand in worship. Chapel will begin.
