Dr. Bachoriks book is a refreshing and insightful angle into music evoked emotions which focuses on the rich context of congregational singing in the Philippines. His book expands the scope of music and emotion research into worship, social relations, and lived experience and successfully brings perspectives from multiple disciplinary viewpoints to the discussion of what people experience when engaged in participatory musical activities.
- Tuomas Eerola, Professor of Music Cognition, Durham University, UK
A meticulously researched and highly contextualized case study of emotional responses to congregational singing in two Filipino congregations. The churches, similar in theological foundation, differ in their musical worship choices. Dr. Bachorik explores these differences and draws some salient conclusions."
- David R. Ledgerwood, Professor, Maranatha Baptist University, USA
Bachoriks research on music-evoked affect experienced by the congregant-participant through the application of music emotion theory, theology, and phenomenological experience of Filipino diwa, probes and disentangles the web of interacting forces and offers data and culturally sensitive insight and context. It is a highly recommended reference for graduate students in Asian music studies, ethnomusicology, anthropology, intercultural studies, and worship leadership.
- Joel Magus Navarro, Professor, Singapore Bible College and St.Paul University Manila
Bachorik provides a groundbreaking application of the concept of diwa in analyzing the role of the congregation as active participants in church music-making. I recommend this seminal work to scholars of church music, particularly those interested in understanding music as experienced within the realms of worship and theology.
- Arwin Q. Tan, Associate Professor, College of Music, University of the Philippines
This seminal study of the role that music (and congregational singing in particular) plays in worship is worthy of our attention. An initial inquiry into the attitudes Filipino congregations have concerning the effect of music on the personhood of the believer and the power it has to change the human spirit, the book explores the aesthetics, meaning, and usage of singing in two different Filipino Baptist congregations, seeking to weave a theological position behind the phenomenon. Bachoriks work suggests a path toward a deeper dive into the Philippine languages, indigenous constructs of personhood, and how they are structured, overlaid, and incorporated into the Christian framework.
- Elena Rivera Mirano, Professor Emeritus, College of Arts and Letters, University of the Philippines
Dr. Bachoriks thorough research over years of field experience yields unique and thoughtful insight on how the church expresses what it believes. He provides the tools for analyzing the complex and often contentious balance between worship theology and music practice.
- Philip Gingery, Assistant Pastor and Minister of Music, Bible Baptist Church (West Chester, PA), USA
Debates about the relationship (desired, dictated, experienced) between words and music theology and emotion - fill the story of Christianity. This detailed, insightfully researched discussion is a must-read for anyone involved in understanding the subtlety of this world. Using very effective qualitative research methods the author presents an in-depth study of two Filipino churches. Most beautifully he describes how music evoked emotion reaches the harmonising of the physical and spiritual at the heart of being human.
- June Boyce-Tillman MBE, Professor Emerita of Applied Music, University of Winchester, UK, and Extraordinary Professor, North-West University, South Africa
