Rev Dr Daniel Thornton
Head of School of Arts and Business; Director of the Jagelman InstituteContact Daniel Thornton
Daniel Thornton is Head of the School of Pathways, Arts and Business, and Deputy Chair of Academic Board. His postgraduate studies were in music and theology, and his studies in congregational singing include the 2021 book, Meaning-Making in the Contemporary Congregational Song Genre. He has recorded/produced over 15 albums of original songs and his orchestral works have been performed by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and other prestigious ensembles.
Daniel 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 Mount Annan. He has recorded and produced 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), among others. Daniel has also performed a starring role in the Off-Broadway premiere of "Angels" at the Duke Theatre in New York, as well starring roles in Godspell, !Hero, The Prodigal, and other musical theatre productions.
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
Associate of 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
Books
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2021
- Thornton, D (2021). Meaning-Making in the Contemporary Congregational Song Genre. Palgrave Macmillan. | External link
Book Chapters
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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. | External link
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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 Articles
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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
- Thornton, D. (2021). How YouTube Mediations of Global Contemporary Congregational Songs Contribute to an Understanding of the GenreSE UPDATE. Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture, 10 445-466. | External link | AC 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, 17. | 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
Engagement Publications
Creative Production or Compositions
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2018
- Thornton, D. (2018). Music for Wholeness. . | External link
Popular Articles
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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
- 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
- WOR001 Introduction to Worship Ministry
- WOR101 Introduction to Worship Ministry
- WOR220 Lyrics and Theology
Current Supervision
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Current
- Toh, L, Sung Theology: A Comparative Textual Analysis of the Original Song Lyrics of New Creation Church, Singapore, and Those of Hillsong Church, Australia (PhD thesis)
Completed Supervision
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2016
- Harvey Neale, An Exploration of the Spirituality of Generation Y Pentecostal/Charismatic Christians (Masters Project/Thesis)
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