Moses' Journey in Musicology and Church Music Ministry
On 7 July 2022, Moses Madeya from the Diocese of Harare, Zimbabwe, received a Fellowship to support his post-graduate studies in Musicology at the University of Cape Town. Although the programme was initially set for a shorter duration, his research-intensive path extended his study over three years (2021–2023) and he graduated on 23 March 2024 with a specialisation in Choral Studies in Communities - a journey that has deeply shaped his career and ministry.
During his studies, he developed a strong foundation in research techniques specific to musicology, including historiography, ethnography, and musical analysis. These skills have had a direct impact on my vocation in choral and sacred music, allowing him to approach both the academic and spiritual aspects of music with depth and intention.
Midway through his academic journey, he was appointed Music Director at the Anglican Cathedral of St Mary and All Saints in Harare, Zimbabwe. This appointment revealed a vital lesson: musical knowledge alone isn’t enough. Effective music ministry also requires servanthood, relational leadership, and heartfelt teaching.
With this perspective, he:
Revived the Cathedral’s choral evensong and singing culture
Trained choristers in both practical and theoretical music
Integrated diverse musical expressions into worship, making it inclusive and spiritually resonant
This experience taught him how to balance tradition and innovation, ensuring worship remains theologically sound and spiritually impactful in a multicultural church setting.
Over the past eight months, he has had the privilege of facilitating workshops for choir conductors in the Anglican Diocese of Harare, particularly on the Five Sung Prayers of the Mass. He reports that these sessions have been both humbling and energizing, offering a collaborative space for conductors to share, learn, and create together.
Through these workshops, he has encouraged churches to move beyond surface-level music performance to a deeper, contextually grounded, and biblically faithful practice of worship music. His training in music analysis and interpretation has proven especially valuable in helping music leaders:
Evaluate the purpose of the music chosen
Understand the message and theology behind musical selections
Avoid treating church music as entertainment, instead embracing it as a spiritual and theological expression
In the course of his research on community choirs, including original composition and arrangement, he reports that he has developed a deep interest in hymnology and that there is a rich opportunity to contribute new worship music that is:
Musically sound
Theologically rich
Contextually meaningful
This could help churches move beyond generic trends and embrace music rooted in biblical truth and historical depth.