School of Music to Host Worship-Leading Workshops
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Lee University’s School of Music will host guest artist Mike O’Brien for an afternoon and evening of workshops on Thursday, March 3.
The workshops offered include “Make Music Like a Producer” at 4 p.m. and “10 Tips for More Effective Rehearsals” at 6:30 p.m. Both workshops will be offered in the Curtsinger School of Music’s Choral Rehearsal Room.
O’Brien is the worship leader of Vineyard Community Church in Marietta, Georgia, where he has served since 1997. He oversees a collective of more than 25 musicians that write, record, and lead worship services for the community. That group, called Poured Out Like Wine, has recorded seven albums with Vineyard Worship USA. Additionally, O’Brien has been a producer, engineer, and mixer at Lucko Sound Studio and has recorded dozens of local church and singer-songwriter projects.
He will graduate this year from the Robert Webber Institute of Worship with a master in Worship Studies. He has more than 50 original songs in the Christian Copyright Licensing International database, and his songs appear on over 10 Vineyard Worship national and international releases. According to his website, he is well-versed in charismatic, evangelical, and liturgical styles of worship.
“In many cases, worship leaders utilizing contemporary music have little training in how to prepare a band for each Sunday,” said Randy Sheeks, assistant professor of music at Lee. “Most have only ‘on the job training’ and sometimes struggle to know how to communicate with drummers, guitarists, keyboardists, and vocals all in the same rehearsal. O’Brien has developed ways to effectively rehearse a band and maximize the productivity of rehearsals. He is gifted in teaching others to use the principles he has developed in years of studio work and local church ministry. This very practical workshop will be helpful to anyone who leads contemporary bands.”
Both workshops are open to the public and free of charge.
For more information or to register contact Sheeks at [email protected] or call the School of Music at (423) 614-8384.
