The ideal music director is a musician, administrator, educator, and pastor. They must be a good conductor and have one strong performing area. Educationally, in order to supervise or direct a choir program, musicians need to know something about child development processes and techniques on how to teach musicianship to different age groups. Concerning the pastoral role, they should be able to teach Sunday school classes if necessary and do visitation work in caring for their choir members and worship team. To administer is to minister.
Musicians crave inspiration, repertoire, methodological suggestions, and technical review.
Of necessity the church musician is a zealous, eager, and energetic worker who has little time for reflection, contemplation, and philosophic thought. The musicians world is inhabited by free-spirited individuals. The second is a culture that emphasizes groups and hierarchies. The best and most effective ministers of music come from the world of the creative artist. A relatively small number of ministers of music have mastered both worlds.