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 The Verse
A monthly newsletter |
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The Hymn Society
in the United States and Canada |
September 2012 |
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Greetings!
It's officially autumn! Here in Richmond there's a nip in the morning air and bright, cool days. The season is clearly changing, reminding me that the year is slipping by quickly. Many of you have fourth quarter renewals for your membership. Avoid the Christmas rush and renew early! Oh, and speaking of Christmas, you might consider a gift membership for someone who values hymns. Watch in your fall Stanza (coming soon) for HSGBI/IAH joint membership renewals also.
We depend on your support to continue to provide our excellent journal, the easy one-stop shopping for hymnological materials in our Book Service and the great summer conference each year! When you renew your membership, consider adding an extra gift that helps us accomplish more of our goals for encouraging, promoting and enlivening congregational song.
Meanwhile, keep singing!!
Deb
Deborah Loftis |
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Applications for the McElrath-Eskew Research Fund
Last few days before the deadline!! We've had several applications this year. If you'd like to be considered, get your materials to us by September 30, 2012. You will find the guidelines on the website under the Research tab. The grants are open to both beginning and experienced researchers. |
"The Tree of Life and Love
Blossoming of Congregational Song Since Vatican II"
2013 Conference, Richmond, VA July 14-18.
Sweeping changes have occurred in hymnody over the past fifty years. Protestant and Catholic churches alike have embraced new music, new styles, and new genres of congregational song. We are heir to a tremendous burst of liturgical creativity that enriches our worship. Join us next summer to explore how a rich cross-fertilization continues to inspire a new generation of writers.
The opening festival will be led by Carl P. Daw, Jr., FHS and Sister Delores Dufner, OSB. Daw, hymnwriter and Episcopal priest is the former Executive Director of The Hymn Society and is currently adjunct professor of hymnology and curator of the hymnological collections at the School of Theology, Boston University.
Dufner, hymnwriter and musician, is a member of St. Benedict's Monastery in St. Joseph, Minnesota.
Watch for conference registration materials in the Winter 2013 issue of The Hymn and on the website in February. |
Upcoming Events in England 2013
CHRISTIAN CONGREGATIONAL MUSIC: LOCAL AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES, 1-3 August 2013 at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford University. The program for their 2011 conference is attached here.
The Charles Wesley Society, 7-10 August 2013 at the Wesley Centre, Univ. Durham, England. |
News from Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
42 worshiping communities across Canada and the US are hosting a PsalmFest
with support from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. These festivals
are planned by local congregations and feature Psalm settings from our
brand-new songbook "Psalms for All Seasons: A Complete Psalter for Worship"
(Brazos, Faith Alive Christian Resources, Worship Institute 2012).
See the events calendar at the Worship Institute website for a festival near
you: http://worship.calvin.edu/news-events/events/
Please check back often as about 20 communities are still finalizing their
dates!
For information on the songbook, see
http://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/psalmfest-mini-grants-program
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Jan Kraybill, DMA, FAGO, member at large of the Executive Committee, has been selected as organ conservator for the Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant Organ in Kansas City. The dramatic 102-rank instrument, built by Casavant Frères and completed in early 2012, is the centerpiece of the visually and acoustically spectacular Helzberg Hall in the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. As conservator, Jan will work closely with Kauffman Center staff and Casavant to facilitate the use of the instrument in performances, and ensure proper preservation and maintenance of the organ. She will coordinate with artists and production personnel to ensure outstanding performances consistent with the quality of the instrument and Helzberg Hall. Since 1998, Dr. Kraybill has served as Principal Organist at the international headquarters of the Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) denomination in Independence, Missouri, home to the 113-rank Aeolian-Skinner Auditorium Organ (1959) and the Temple's 102-rank Casavant organ (1993). She will add the part-time position at the Kauffman Center to her continuing duties at the church's headquarters.
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Recent Hymn Festivals
May 20, 2012 -- "Through the Church The Song Goes On" A hymn festival celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians
was presented by ALCM Columbus: Cantor Connection. Nancy Raabe and May Schwarz participated in the service.
August 12, 2012 -- Love's Open Door: An Evening with Hymn-Poet Brian Wren, FHS and Susan M. Heafield was presented at Chautauqua Institution, New York
August 26, 2012 -- "Encountering Joy: A Festival of Sacred Songs" was led by Margaret Nickerson, Marilyn Parolini and Norma Sondgeroth. If you come to summer conferences, you'll recognize that they are three of the "tee-shirt ladies."
September 9, 2012 - "Finding the Psalms in the Hymns" was presented by Dan McKinley and Carl P. Daw, Jr., FHS for the Boston AGO.
September 16, 2012 -- "Songs for the Journey" led by Paul A. Richardson, FHS, was presented during the Sunday morning service at Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, Alabama. Dan Lawhon is Organist-Choirmaster at the church. |
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Reviews of Hymn-Based Compositions
Here are the September reviews from Sida Roberts. You may read online, download or print. Enjoy!!
Reviews |
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United Theological Seminary Contest Winners
United Theological Seminary is pleased to announce the winners of its first song and hymn-writing competition, "New Songs and Hymns for Renewal."
Category 1 (New Text and Tune)
"O God Renew Your Church, We Pray!" by Dorothy Frisch, Woodstock, CT
Category 2 (New Music for Traditional Hymn/Song Text)
"Behold the Savior of Mankind" by Sarah Howell, Durham, NC
Category 3 (New Hymn Text for Traditional Hymn Tune)
"Renewing, Reforming the Church in Our Day" by Jann Aldredge-Clanton, Dallas, TX
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New Music Composition Contest
The Raabe Prize for Excellence in Sacred Composition is established to recognize a recent musical work which promotes and extends the practice of church music as it is informed and shaped by Lutheran theological insight and worship practices.
Preference will be given to those compositions which grow out of, but are not necessarily restricted to, the worshipping assembly of the baptized who gather around Word and Sacrament. Compositions which feature the human voice will be preferred over compositions for instruments alone. Submissions must be postmarked by February 1, 2013. For full contest guidelines see the attached announcement. Raabe Prize |
| Continuing Hymn Contests
The Religious Institute: Faithful Voices on Sexuality and Religion, a non-profit advocacy group headquartered in Westport, CT (www.religiousinstitute.org), announces its first annual international contest for English language
hymn/song writers. The search for new texts is part of an effort to gather the finest possible online collection of hymns and songs for congregational use on the subject of God's good gift of sexuality. For more details, see the attached pdf: Religious Institute contest
Church of the Servant is proud to announce its 2012 New Psalm Contest. See the attached pdf for contest details: Church of the Servant 2012 Contest
If you have questions, please contact Greg Scheer, music@coscrc.org
Macalester Plymouth United Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, announces the seventeenth annual international contest for English language hymn writers. It is our understanding that hymns can motivate the church to be more actively involved in social reform, a vital part of its ministry. It carries a prize of $500 for the winning entry. Our 2012 contest will be a search for hymns that address the scriptural call to speak out loudly and clearly against injustice, and to unite with others working for change. Entries must be postmarked by December 31, 2012. Macalester Plymouth Hymn Contest details can be found at: www.macalester-plymouth.org or call (651) 698-8871. Please note the corrected website address. |
| International Hymn Conference Scheduled for 2015
The next joint meeting of the Hymn Society in the US and Canada, the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland and the Internationale Arbeitsgemeinschaft
für Hymnologie will be held at RobinsonCollege, Cambridge. Robinson College is one of Cambridge's newer colleges which has been equipped particularly with conferences in mind, it has a beautiful chapel with a fine stained glass window by John Piper and an organ by the Danish organ builder Erik Frobenius. Registration will begin on Sunday, 26th July 2015; the conference program will be Monday through Friday, July 27-31. It is anticipated that there will be at least one optional outing day on Saturday, 1st August. The Conference theme will be: Hymns in Liturgy and Life. Revd Michael Garland is convening the group which will be organising the Conference.
If you think you might be interested in attending the conference (no firm commitment needed at this point) please contact Deb at the HSUSC office. it would be helpful to the HSGBI hosts to have an idea of what accommodations might be needed. |
| Songbooks for Sale
Harry Eskew, FHS, offers some paperback songbooks for sale. Songbook list.
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