Maestros of Ministry: Their Legacy in the Department of Music and Worship

10  |  MAESTROS of MINI STRY BACKGROUND Dr. Lyle Anderson first heard about Cedarville College from a Cedarville alumnus, the Minister of Music at his home church in Iowa. He had already been accepted at Drake University and was set to go there. The Minister suggested he try out Cedarville—just for a year. That was 1966. Fifty-three years later, Anderson is still here, never once skipping a beat. As probably the only soph- omore ever to be recruited for a future faculty position, Anderson was paid to pursue his Master’s degree at The Ohio State University immediately following his grad- uation with a Bachelor of Music Education in 1970. After spending one year full time at OSU, he returned as a faculty member with his Master of Arts in Music Theory and associated studies in Music History. He taught in these areas and directed the choirs with Dave Matson while working on his Ph.D. in Music Theory at OSU which he completed in 1977. In 1978, the choirs combined and he became the sole director of Concert Chorale. Under his leadership, Glee Club and Women’s Choir started about 1995. Around 2009 the Vocal Arts Ensemble began. There was also an Oratorio Chorus occasionally offered for large-scale classical vocal works. This created a full-orbed choral program that has continued to this day. In addition to his diverse teaching duties, Anderson served in Chapel on a rotational basis with Matson and later DiCuirci. In the 1970s and 1980s, these maestros stood in front of the student body and conducted with their hands and arms raised as the students sang from hand-held hymnbooks. As worship moved to a more contemporary style in the 1990s and 2000s, student worship teams led congregational singing, replacing the single-faculty maestro model. Their legacy remains, however, in the intentional, full participation of all Chapel attendants. With such a long term of ministry as a faculty member, Anderson served under four Presidents: Drs. Jeremiah, Dixon, Brown, and White. His versatility and devotion to ministry gave him the ability to make the musical style changes needed for changing administrations, yet all the while maintaining the highest quality of technical skill and performance. MINISTRY According to Dr. Anderson, stewardship is the most important virtue to impart to students. Whatever you do, work from the soul as to the Lord and not to men (Col. 3:23). Recognizing that music is a very public discipline and Fifty-three years later, Anderson is still here, never once skipping a beat.