Rev Dr Daniel Thornton
Head of School of Arts and Business; Director of the Jagelman InstituteContact Daniel Thornton
Daniel Thornton is an awarded songwriter, musician, worship leader, and educator. He is an ordained minister with the Australian Christian Churches and has served as music director at several churches, including Influencers Church, LifeSource Christian Church, Penrith Christian Fellowship Centre, and C3 Mt Annan. He records and produces worship albums including Christmas Presence, For Worshipers, from Worshipers, Daniel|Piano|Worship Classics 2, It is Well - Instrumentals (2011), Worship Classics (2010), One Heart (2009), Worship Always (2009), Paradise(2008), It is Well - Vol 2(2007), It is Well - Vol 1(2006), and many more.
Daniel has performed a starring role on in an Off-Broadway premiere at the Duke Theatre on 42nd Street, New York of the new musical "Angels". His starring roles in musical theatre productions also include, Godspell, !Hero and The Prodigal.
Qualifications
L.Mus.A. (Theory) (Australian Music Examinations Board) 1994
Performer’s Certificate (Piano) (Trinity College of Music London) 1991
PhD (Macquarie University)
Dissertation Title Exploring the Contemporary Congregational Song Genre: Texts, Practice, and Industry
2016
M.Music Tech (Distinction) (University of Newcastle) 2012
B.Mus (Composition) (inc) (Sydney Conservatorium of Music) 1991
A.Arts in Religious Studies (Global University) 2002
Certificate IV - TAE40116 (HBA Learning Centres) 2018
Research Interests
Online Education
Online Music Education
Popular Music Studies, Musicology, Theomusicology
Music and Worship in the context of the contemporary church
Book
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2021
- Thornton, D (2021). Meaning-Making in the Contemporary Congregational Song Genre. Palgrave Macmillan. | External link
Book Chapter
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2020
- Thornton, D (2020). A Match Made in Heaven: Why Popular Music is Central to the Growth in Pentecostal Charismatic Christianities In Rocha, C., Hutchinson, M., and Openshaw, K. (Eds.), Australian Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements: Arguments from the Margins (pp. 109-125). Brill.
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2018
- Thornton, D (2018). Preaching and Worship In White, A. (Ed), The Power of a Good Story: Five Views on Pentecostal Preaching (pp. ). CTP Press.
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2015
- Thornton, D., Evans, M. (2015). YouTube: a new mediator of Christian worship In Nekola, A. and Wager, T. (Eds.), Singing a New Song: Christian Congregational Music Making and Community in a Mediated Age (pp. 141-159). Ashgate Publishing.
Journal Article
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2021
- Thornton, D (2021). A “Sloppy Wet Kiss”? Intralingual Translation and Meaning-Making in Contemporary Congregational Songs. Religions, 12 (10). | External link
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2019
- Thornton, D (2019). Star Wars Soundtracks: The Worship Music of John Williams. Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, Star Wars Special Edition.
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2017
- Thornton, D (2017). On Hillsong’s continued reign over the Australian contemporary congregational song genre. Perfect Beat, 17 (2) 164-182. | External link | AC Link
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2015
- Thornton, D (2015). A lament for Pentecostal scholarship in contemporary congregational songs. Australasian Pentecostal Studies Journal, 17. | External link
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2014
- Thornton, D. (2014). What on earth are we singing? A series on the contemporary congregational song Part 5. Worship Leader Magazine, . | External link
- Thornton, D. (2014). What on earth are we singing? A series on the contemporary congregational song Part 4. Worship Leader Magazine, . | External link
- Thornton, D. (2014). What on earth are we singing? A series on the contemporary congregational song Part 3. , . | External link
- Thornton, D. (2014). What on earth are we singing? A series on the contemporary congregational song.. , . | External link
- Thornton, D. (2014). What on earth are we singing? A series on the contemporary congregational song Part 2. , . | External link
Presentations
Academic Conference
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2019
- Beyond the congregation: An analysis of the current global contemporary congregational song genre (2019), Christian Congregational Music: Local and Global Perspectives Conference, Oxford, UK, 09 Aug 2019
- Divine and human qualities of global contemporary congregational songs (2019), Sounds of Heaven and Earth: Divine and Human Action in Christian Musical Worship Conference, London, UK, 04 Aug 2019
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2018
- Defining a ‘Sacrifice of Praise’ in the Contemporary Worship Context (2018), ANZATS, Brisbane, Australia, 03 Jul 2018
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2017
- Personal Jesus: Understanding contemporary congregational songs through the 'Magesteria-Ibiza Spectrum' (2017), Integrating Theology & Contemporary Worship, London School of Theology, London, UK, 17 Jul 2017
- It’s the end of the world as we know it: How authenticity and eschatology cohere in contemporary congregational song (2017), Apocalypse and Authenticity, University of Hull, Hull, UK, 12 Jul 2017
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2016
- At the nexus of Christian education, music, and young people (2016), DNA of Christian Schooling, Mackay, QLD, 24 Aug 2016
- The rise and rise of global contemporary congregational songs (2016), International Society for Media, Religion, and Culture Conference, Seoul, Korea, 03 Aug 2016
- Popular Music and Pentecostal Worship: A Match Made in Heaven? (2016), Society of Pentecostal Studies Conference, San Dimas, CA, USA, 11 Mar 2016
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2015
- Ambivalent fame: Insights from the most sung composers of contemporary congregational songs (2015), Christian Congregational Music: Local and Global Perspectives, Oxford, UK, 06 Aug 2015
- Pentecostals, popular worship, and personal preferences (2015), Fandom and Religion Conference, Leicester, UK, 29 Jul 2015
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2014
- Contemporary Congregational Songs, YouTube and virtual Christian Communities (2014), International Society for Media, Religion, and Culture Conference, Canterbury, UK, 06 Aug 2014
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2013
- Considerations leading to the implementation of Australia's first online delivery for the Certificate IV in Music (2013), XIX National ASME Conference, Canberra, ACT, Australia, 01 Oct 2013
Scholarship Publications
Book Chapter
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2021
- Thornton, D (2021). Music In Adam Possamai & Anthony J. Blasi (Eds), The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Sociology of Religion (pp. ). SAGE Publications, Inc. | External link
Creative Production or Composition
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2018
- Thornton, D. (2018). Music for Wholeness. . | External link
Popular Article
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2020
- Thornton, D (2020). What on earth are we singing? 2019 report gives snapshot. Eternity News, . | External link
- Thornton, D (2020). The Four Song Categories in Worship. Crucis, . | External link
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2019
- Thornton, D (2019). Worship Snapshot – April 2018 (Australia). , . | External link
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2018
- Thornton, D. (2018). What On Earth Are We Singing? A Series On The Contemporary Congregational Song – Part 7. Crucis, . | External link
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2017
- Thornton, D (2017). Made for Worship. , . | External link
Professional Memberships
APRA/AMCOS Full writers member (since 2000)
CCLI Writer/Publisher member (since 1992)
Musicological Society of Australia (since 2020)
- BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
- COM505 Intercultural Communication
- CUACMP311 Implement copyright arrangements
- CUACMP501 Manage copyright arrangements
- CUAIND313 Work effectively in the music industry
- CUAIND401 Extend expertise in specialist creative fields
- CUALED501 Provide instrumental or vocal tuition
- CUALED502 Provide tuition for composition
- CUAMCP312 Write song lyrics
- CUAMCP313 Create simple musical pieces using music technology
- CUAMCP401 Develop techniques for arranging music
- CUAMCP402 Develop techniques for composing music
- CUAMCP502 Compose music for screen
- CUAMLT301 Develop and apply aural perception skills
- CUAMLT302 Apply knowledge of style and genre to music industry practice
- CUAMLT401 Notate music for performance
- CUAMLT501 Refine aural perception skills
- CUAMPF213 Perform simple repertoire in ensembles
- CUAMPF311 Develop technical skills in music performances
- CUAMPF312 Prepare for musical performances
- CUAMPF314 Make a music demo
- CUAMPF315 Develop and perform musical improvisation
- CUAMPF401 Rehearse music for group performances
- CUAMPF404 Perform music as part of a group
- CUAMPF405 Develop instrumental techniques
- CUAMPF407 Develop vocal techniques
- CUAMPF410 Perform music from written notation
- CUAMPF504 Perform improvisation for audiences
- CUAMPF505 Develop technical skills and expand repertoire
- CUAMPF507 Provide musical leadership in performance
- CUASOU405 Record sound
- CUASOU409 Mix recorded music
- CUAWRT503 Write about music
- EDU521 Creative Arts
- MUS101 Music History
- MUS201 Musicology
- MUS230 Music Performance
- MUS307 Music and Technology
- MUS335 Music Ensembles
- MUS340 Composition and Songwriting
- MUS451 Musicology
- WOR001 Introduction to Worship Ministry
- WOR101 Introduction to Worship Ministry
- WOR130 Independent Study in Specific Creative Arts 1
- WOR205 Worship, Arts and Church History
- WOR215 Worship in Comparative Religious Contexts
- WOR220 Lyrics and Theology
- WOR301 Practicum in Worship Ministry
- WOR310 Worship in Contemporary Context
Completed Supervision
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2016
- Harvey Neale, An Exploration of the Spirituality of Generation Y Pentecostal/Charismatic Christians (Masters Project/Thesis), 2016
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