Music Ministry Evaluation Checklist

Here's a really good evaluation checklist prepared by Melissa Broome, liturgy director at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph in San José, for music ministers and choir directors. Permission is granted by the author to reprint this for your own music ministries.

Download a Word doc version of this checklist.

I. Quality of Worship Aid

• Does the community have access to participate fully in the music being sung?
• Is the program professionally made (e.g., capitalizations and spelling are correct)?

II. Quality of Blend of Choir

• Are the voices blended as one or do individual voices stick out?
• Is the choir on pitch? Is one section better than others?

III. Quality of Congregational Singing

• Is the assembly singing?
• It the music simple enough for them to join in?
• Is the majority of the music familiar to the community, or is it all new?

IV. Tempo of Music

• Is the music too slow? Is the choir having a hard time breathings? Is the choir being forced sharp or flat because the phrases are too long? Are they able to sing a complete thought without needing multiple breaths in between?
• Is the tempo too fast? Is the assembly unable to follow along because they cannot keep up with the pace of the music?

V. Quality of Diction

• Can text be understood, especially during the psalm?

VI. Quality of Cut-Offs

• Does the choir end phrases at the same time?
• Are final consonants together and crisp? Or is there a trail of final consonants? (e.g., t-t-t-t)

VII. Quality of Cantor

• Are the musical entrances for the assembly clear? Can the assembly see that they are being encouraged to sing?
• Does the cantor have a pleasant demeanor, or do they look nervous or unfocused?
• Can text be understood?

VIII. Quality of Rehearsal Time

• Is time during rehearsal well organized? Does the director know exactly which piece will be next and move to it quickly, or is the choir waiting for music to be distributed or prepared before moving on?
• Does the rehearsal include a spiritual component, a time for the choir to gather in prayer and blend hearts, not just voices?

Copyright © 2007, Melissa Broome. All rights reserved.