The Musical Bishop | Bishop Owen Nwokolo

Rt. Rev. Dr. Owen Nwokolo 

It is crystal clear that worship without music is lacking in a key worship requirement. Just like in when we wake up every morning, when we drive to and from work, when we work out at the gym, and when we go throughout our days, what do we often hear? On Sundays when we assemble together to worship the Lord, what forms the frame of our services? One will say: music. Music is a very important part of worship to God.

The Orthodox Priest

It is a primary requirement for priests to be entrusted with the music of the Church; he is enjoined to have a care of it and to guard the worship of God from all unseemly music. He is allowed a certain discretion in the employment of persons skilled in music to help him, Just like in the case of the attached video here, the primate officiating the consecration service of two bishops-elect was seen allowing the host bishop takes on the litany chant. From that, it is clear the priest can allow another to assist but never is he relieved by the Church from the ultimate responsibility. 

A serving priest of the Church, in especially churches like orthodox, should know something about music, even though he be not a professional musician. There is abundant opportunity for him to inform himself so that he need not be an ignoramus on the subject. He can acquaint himself, to a certain extent, with the principles of Church music, and become familiar with the canons of good taste. He may not be able to sing, or to play the organ, or to know all musical compositions by name; but when he says, "I can't tell one tune from another," he is evincing an ignorance and carelessness that are culpable, or else a natal infirmity which is pitiable. By a little reading and study, and a little contact with musical people, he may acquire, perhaps not knowledge and skill enough to compose an anthem, or play a Bach fugue, but enough at least to enable him to distinguish between the good and the meretricious. A word of warning should be uttered here against the danger of inordinate self-conceit; "a little knowledge puffeth up," and who so puffed up as a smatterer in music? The responsibility, gentlemen, put upon you by the Church should lead you to some effort to prepare yourselves to fulfill your obligations. Organists and choir-masters have no responsibility or authority beyond that which you choose to confer upon them, subject to your own responsibility. Music committees have no recognized standing in the Church as arbiters of what is or is not proper. There is but one person responsible, that person the priest of the Church. And it is as much his business to be informed in Church music, as it is his business to know something of Church history, liturgies, ritual, etc.

The musical Bishop Owen Nwokolo

   

In one of the Christmas carols organized by the All Saints Cathedral Choir Onitsha, Bishop Owen Nwokolo was seen conducting the halleluiah chorus. The Bishop, who conducted the song from beginning to end was so confident and perfectly in command as he led the choir through the chorus, it was an awesome experience beholding bishopric conduction of the famous Halleluiah chorus. But then, that brings to question, was the bishop once a choir member or choirmaster, or music student. Whatever be the answer, the bishop is clearly musical enough to have given such a resounding conducting.

The bishop again was seen singing the litany in a consecration service of two bishops-elect  [https://youtu.be/p4SyLtBFu4g], the bishop who was clearly singing on behalf of the primate sang so impressively that the crowd of Con bishops who were in attendance was all marveled and at the same time challenged by his performance. A lot, including the laities, looked and listened hoping that the litany chant does not end. 

This musical soundness found in this bishop, therefore, brings the sweetness of priests/bishops being musical to the very fore. It heightened the importance hinting that it is not bad if a priest does not command chants or songs during mass, but will look glorious and enlivening if he does have such commands. The case of bishop Owen Nwokolo makes it very clear.

Written by: Okoye David Ikechukwu

                  [OND, BSc, MA, Ph.D. Candidate]

Watch the bishop sing in this link.

https://youtu.be/b0vwHgLByK8