Welcome to E Flat Major Productions, LLC. We are the parent company for Gospel Music One Sound Project, Blessed Union, The Group and the publisher of Moving Forward and Facing the Future. Please select the appropriate link for more details on the entity of your choice. We look forward to connecting with you!
To purchase a signed copy, please go to the e-store. Please note shipping rates apply to the mainland 48 states. Additional shipping rates may be required outside of this area. Unsigned copies and e-books can be purchased at Amazon.
Book Description: Music and worship arts ministries today are challenged to remain relevant and effective, while operating in an environment of growing demands, diminishing skill sets and limited resources. This book lays a scriptural foundation on worship and on how it has unfolded over time in the Black Church worship experience. It guides the ministry transformation by tracing the past, by realizing the gaps of the present and by providing research based solutions to secure a promising future. For best results, use this book as a supplement to the advising and instructing of Dr. Antonia Arnold-McFarland.
Author Bio: Dr. Antonia Maria Arnold-McFarland is a music ministry consultant, strategist and a rising scholar in Music and Worship Arts of the African American Worship Experience. “Toni”, as she is known, has over 25 years of music ministry experience serving in various capacities in the local church and community of Raleigh, NC. Her music and ministry passion developed alongside 25 years of professional growth in technical roles in Corporate America. This combination of expertise enable her to have a unique perspective that produces spiritual, relevant and strategic improvements. Toni specializes in designing and implementing growth plans to move ministry forward. Her hope is to inspire change that prepares music ministries to face the future.
Promo Video: To view a promo video click HERE
Endorsement: Doctoral Project Advisor to Dr Antonia Arnold-McFarland
An African proverb intimates that “the Spirit cannot descend without a song.” So it remains the case for the Black Churches and the Black worship experience today. Dr. Antonia Arnold-McFarland has written a powerful volume that speaks to the contemporary needs and future prospects of music and worship arts ministry in the Black Church. Through exhaustive scholarly research, and grounded in her vast experience as a practitioner in the areas of worship leadership and choral direction, Dr. Arnold-McFarland addresses many of the dynamics that will affect the Black worship experience into the future, and she offers prescriptive, practical insight as to how worship experiences can be enhanced in years to come. Her work is must-read material for church and worship leaders serving in Black church contexts.
Anthony Hunt, Ph.D.,
Professor and Distinguished Lecturer of Theology, St. May’s Seminary and University, Baltimore, MD, and author of Keep Looking Up: Sermons on the Psalms.
Gospel Music One Sound Project was birthed out of the doctoral research of Dr. Antonia M Arnold-McFarland. It was a month long effort that was her “deep dive” investigation on the issues impacting Music and Worship Arts ministry in the African American Worship Experience. This included primary and secondary data collection by surveying music ministry participants, webinar training on the roots of gospel music in Chicago, before and after comparisons, and a final face-to-face 2 day event. This event consisted of music ministry development training, a panel discussion with subject matter experts and a music and worship arts concert. It was a demonstration of the “one sound” concept that included worshipers from the local church, a skit and dance ministry, visual aids via screen projection, a community gospel choir and a national gospel artist.
The meaning behind the term Gospel Music One Sound comes from the scripture below:
2 Chronicles 5:13-14 New King James Version
13 indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying:
“For He is good,
For His mercy endures forever,”[a]
that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
Dr. Toni uses this scripture as a vision for the goal of what the ultimate worship experience should be. You can view Gospel Music One Sound Video Montage for a summary of the efforts that launched Gospel Music One Sound Project. It explains the purpose of Gospel Music One Sound.
It was at this time that Dr. Toni realized that this effort did not need to end. The worship and learning experience should be an ongoing approach to music and worship arts ministry improvement. She realized more impact can be made with a series of focused training sessions to allow for incremental changes. This approach is preferred because weekend choir workshops are primarily focused on learning new songs. These do not allow enough time to address root causes that hinder real measurable ministry growth.
In 2016, she lectured at the General Baptist State Convention of NC (Raleigh, NC) and presented on the topic Moving Forward and Facing the Future in the Black Church Worship Experience, which she has since evolved to her book. View Moving Forward and Facing the Future 2016 lecture video for a full viewing of this interactive lecture.
Today, Dr. Toni continues the initiative coined as Gospel Music One Sound Project to provide products and services that help the effort. She is available for lecturing, ministry evaluations, music ministry consulting and the development of music and worship arts strategic plans to move forward.
Her debut book release Moving Forward and Facing the Future is a compilation that is based on the doctoral research, the applied experiences from consulting, post-doctorate research and practical experience.
To Book Dr. Toni: Contact E FLat Major Productions, LLC at 919-576-0051 or email GospelMusicOneSound@gmail.com.
Available Packages:
Moving Forward and Facing the Future – Improvement Seminar
Individual Sessions
Blessed Union, The Reunion and the cast of Gospel Music One Sound Concert.
Nov 2015 – Oak City Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC
The vision for E Flat Major Productions, LLC was realized to fulfill the need for a parent company to the various capacities offered by owner and operated Dr. Antonia Arnold-McFarland. It serves as a management and strategy base for the cultivation of faith-based creative arts and cultural expressions. The primary products and services currently offered include bookings for Blessed Union, The Group and the consulting and training services of Gospel Music One Sound Project. Most recently, it is the publishing and promotion company for her new release Moving Forward and Facing the Future.
The visionary Dr. Antonia Arnold-McFarland is a music ministry consultant/strategist, adjunct professor and author in the African American Worship Experience. “Toni”, as she is known, has over 25 years of music ministry experience in various capacities utilizing her vocal, piano, and directing skills in churches in the Raleigh-Durham area. She often is asked to expand her abilities beyond music to teach, speak and consult in ministry organization, planning, operations, life skills, discipleship and leadership training. Toni can also be seen in the community serving and rendering live performances with Blessed Union, The Group which she co-founded with her husband Tony McFarland , Sr. He is an accomplished guitarist and they are known in their local gospel music venue as the Toneez.
Toni’s education and work experience has uniquely positioned her for this mission and calling. Her formal education includes a minor in African American Studies, B.S in Mechanical Engineering, continued study in music theory and music literature (N. C. State University, Raleigh, NC), Sacred Music classes (North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC) an MBA in Global Management (University of Phoenix Raleigh Campus), an industry recognized certification in process and product quality ( Certified Six Sigma Black Belt awarded by the American Society for Quality) and a Doctor of Ministry in Creative Arts (Graduate Theological Foundation of Mishawaka, IN). Toni’s doctoral research was on the Evolution of African-American Worship, from Music Ministry to Music Industry, as pursued by the Independent Gospel Artist (from the Thomas Dorsey to Kirk Franklin Era).
She was awarded the Charles Wesley Prize for Sacred Music and Liturgy for her outstanding research. This honor was only awarded to 3 out of 100 graduates. While at her Graduation Convocation Weekend in May 2016, each of the three recipients was asked to speak briefly on their research project. Visit GTF Student Weekend Presentations 2016 to watch her discussion.
Post-Graduation, Toni has been busy applying her expertise as a music ministry consultant and as and part-time adjunct professor along side her full time employment at Deere and Company. She works in her academia capacity at Eastern Carolina Christian College and Seminary (based in Roanoke Rapids, NC), where she serves on the doctoral defense committee.
Toni works full time for the corporate office of a major manufacturing as a project coach, project leader and instructor on the Six Sigma Methodology. This is a problem solving approach in the area of Quality that transformed and increased bottom line results for companies such as GE and Motorola. Her doctoral research, books and services were birthed from the hybrid mix between her passion (music) and profession (engineering). She enjoys using her corporate experience for ministry growth and community service.
Today she is a resident subject matter expert for area pastors and ministries on music ministry strategies and operational best practices. During her doctoral research, Toni founded and launched an ongoing music ministry renewal initiative called Gospel Music One Sound Project. The aim of this effort is to provide services and activities which unify and renew the purpose of gospel music practitioners to “one sound”, as demonstrated in 2nd Chronicles 5:13. Her consulting and lecturing in this capacity birthed the writing of Moving Forward and Facing The Future (In the Black Church Worship Experience).
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