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 The Verse
A monthly newsletter |
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The Hymn Society
in the United States and Canada
| January 2013
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Greetings!
I hope your new year has started well! The Calvin Symposium on Worship was up to it's usual excellent standards. Congratulations to Emily Brink, FHS and the many others who plan, administrate and lead this gathering each year! I enjoyed visiting with several Hymn Society folks at our table display and had engaging conversations with some interested new folks as well. You might want to consider going next year if you've never experienced this conference -- the congregational singing is almost as good as the singing at our summer conference! Speaking of conferences, our program and registration is ready for you online at our website. We've already received a few registrations and are expecting yours any day now . . . . Meanwhile, keep singing!!
Deb
Deborah Loftis
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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 to explore how a rich cross-fertilization continues to inspire a new generation of writers.
Registration is open online!
Responding to your requests for more skill-building opportunities, we are delighted to present this first-time event:
Masterclass in Song Enlivening led by C. Michael Hawn, FHS A special opportunity to work in a small-group setting with a master teacher in song enlivening, C. Michael Hawn, FHS.This 8-hour workshop on congregational song leading will provide a framework for engaging the people's song in liturgy. Several styles of congregational song will be included ranging from various global styles, Taizé and Iona songs, folk songs and classical hymns. Each participant will have the opportunity to teach songs to the group, receive feedback and improve their skills in song leading for congregations.
Sign up early as space is limited to 10 participants.
  Michael Hawn, FHS is known internationally for his skills in song leading and enlivening. He is particularly known for his study of global song and making those styles and genres accessible to Western congregations. Among his numerous publications are Halle Halle: We Sing the World Round (Choristers Guild, 1999) and Gather into One: Praying and Singing Globally (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2003). His latest book, New Songs of Celebration Render: Congregational Song in the Twenty-First Century (GIA, 2013) will be available at the conference bookstore.
Watch for conference registration materials in the Winter 2013 issue of
The Hymn appearing in your mailbox soon!
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In Memoriam
Please remember in your prayers the families of these Hymn Society members who have died recently. Donna Hamilton, Life Member, December 29, 2012, Oakland, CA. ObituaryRev. Richard J. Wojcik, January 26, 2013, Mundelein, IL. Wojcik ObituaryWe also extend our sympathy to the family members of Margaret Routley, widow of Erik Routley, FHS. Margaret died January 21, 2013.
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Upcoming Events
Yale Conference on Music and Christian Scholarship, February 14-16, 2013. Keynote speaker is Jeremy S. Begbie. Hurry, February 1 is deadline for early registration! For more information: Yale Conference
GIA Publications has scheduled regional workshops to introduce the new edition of their hymnal, Lead Me, Guide Me. Registration is free and participants will have the opportunity to purchase the hymnal at a discounted price. Workshops continue from February through April. Visit the GIA website for more detailed information.
www.giamusic.com
The Southern Ontario Chapter of The Hymn Society is sponsoring Psalms Galore - February 22-23 at Emmanuel College, Toronto
Psalms Galore: A Workshop Introducing Psalms for All Seasons is coming up on Friday, February 22 (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and Saturday, February 23 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.). This event is co-sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and SOCHS. The workshop leaders are Judith Newman and Fred Graham.
Detailed information and on-line registration is available here:
information
HymnFests introducing Lift Up Your Hearts
The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship is providing support to worshiping
communities across North America to host Hymnfests. The purpose of this program
is to promote learning about what it means to sing the whole of God's story.
Apply for support through an application form at
http://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/hymn-festivals/ and
read this related story on "Singing the True Story of the Whole World" at
http://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/singing-the-true-story-of-the-whole-world/.
The NATIONAL CATHOLIC YOUTH CHOIR is seeking high school students to audition for the 2013 camp andmulti-state concert tour. The choir is led by conductor, Dr. Axel Theimer and founding director, Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB. Applications are due March 18, 2013.
Who - Catholic students entering grades 10, 11, and 12 in fall of 2013
When - Camp and tour, June 17 - July 2, 2013
Where - Saint John's Abbey and University, Collegeville, MN
Cost - $900 (includes meals, lodging and tour expenses, scholarships available)
How - Apply online at www.CatholicYouthChoir.org
Ron Klusmeier will lead a workshop at Leaside United Church, 822 Millwood Road, Toronto on March 2, 2013, as part of his "Tour of a Lifetime" schedule. See the attached pdf for more details. Klusmeier workshop |
Hymnals Available
A church has 76 of the green Pilgrim Hymnal and 72 of the red Living Praise Hymnals. They are in decent condition, but have definitely got some wear on them. If you are interested, please contact Joe Denner<pastorjdenner@gmail.com>
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Another Hint for Publishing Hymns
Rusty Edwards writes: NEW WEDDING SONG by Rusty Edwards and Jenni Lee Boyden has been "hit" over 4000 times on the Hymn Society website. Several of my hymns have been discovered and published, as far away as England and China, because of being posted on the Hymn Society website. Very helpful.
FYI -- Rusty's new collection,Uncommon Mercy: Songs from a Dozen Lands will be presented at our conference this summer.
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Recent Events and Hymn Festivals
August 11, 2012 -- a Hymn Festival honoring the life of H. Roberts Lorenz was held at St. John's Episcopal Church, Lancaster, PA. The office has received a DVD of this service. November 18, 2012 -- "Singing Glory to God! A Hymn Festival tracing the Church's Great Hymns fo Faith" was held at St. Thomas More Cathloic Church, Oceanside, CA, led by Douglas Lynn with organist Sally Fay. The Hymn Society is well-represented at the 2013 Tallahassee Church Music Conference taking place January 31--February 2. Leaders include keynote speaker, Paul Westermeyer, FHS, Hymn festival leader, John Thornburg. Charlotte Kroeker, Jonathan Hehn and Brian Hehn were active in the planning of this event. Be sure to let us know of hymn festivals in your area. Send copies of the program to the office if available so that we can pass them along to others for planning ideas. |
Search for New Short Songs
Dan Damon is seeking new songs for a forthcoming collection from Hope Publishing Company: At Your Altars (chants, refrains, and short songs) with a projected publication date of June 2014. For more information see the attached file: Song search
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Reviews of Hymn-Based Compositions
David Toledo shares Lenten choral music with us this month.
We also have reviews of instrumental compositions shared by Sipkje Pesnichak.
Instrumental reviews
Many thanks to these first two of our volunteer reviewers!!
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New Seminary Course for Music in Christian Worship
Dr. Paul Westermeyer, FHS
will teach a course at Brite Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, June 17-21. The course will offer graduate credit or welcome auditors. Housing and scholarships are available. Click here for the course description. |
Webinar Opportunity from NPM
 Alan Hommerding will lead a webinar on May 16, 2013 entitled, "Hymns: Texts, Tunes, and Theologies." The National Association of Pastoral Musicians is sponsoring the webinar and they have invited The Hymn Society to partner with them on the event. Hymn Society members will be able to participate in the webinar at the same cost as NPM members. This is a wonderful gift of hospitality from our colleagues and a great way to warm up for some of the topics we'll address this summer at our conference! Here's how to register.
- Surf to https://www.npm.org/webinarSeries/
- Click "continue."
- On the second page ("Select Member Type"), select "Current NPM Member with membership number, (or my parish has a group membership)."
- In the field labeled "Group number," type "HS2012" There are no spaces in this code.
- Click "continue."
- You should be presented with a list of webinars. If, however, you receive an error message, please ensure that you typed the code correctly.
- Complete the registration process. You will be granted NPM membership rates. This means that at the payment page, there will be charges for the webinar but no charge for joining NPM for one year.
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Research Request
Joe Herl is trying to find the source of a translation of the second stanza of "O come, all ye faithful" that reads:
[The] highest, most holy,
Light of light eternal,
Born of a virgin, a mortal he comes;
Son of the Father, now in flesh appearing!
The earliest he's found it is the Lutheran Book of Worship of 1978, but suspects it may be earlier, especially since neither the hymnal nor its companion indicates where the translation of that stanza originated.
If you have information, please contact Joe at JOSEPH.Herl@Cune.Edu
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| Continuing Hymn Contests
The Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts, in collaboration with the Fred Bock Institute of Music and the Ogilvie Institute of Preaching, is excited to announce its first choral music and worship song search. The search for compositions is connected this year to an upcoming Ogilvie Institute of Preaching conference entitled, "Talk of God, Talk of Science." More about the conference can be found at The Brehm Center website www.brehmcenter.com, including its guest speakers and lecturers. Open to composers of all ages, styles, and training, this search requests the writing of an original, premiere-performance SATB choral work or congregational song based on the conference topic. The winner of this contest will receive a cash prize, as well as the possibility of having the piece published by The Brehm Center's Jubal House imprint, distributed by Hal Leonard. A performance of the winning pieces will be consideredas part of the worship service connected to the conference. Entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2013. For more information: Brehm Music Center Contest
The Twin Cities chapter of the American Guild of Organists announces a competition for an unpublished, newly-composed work for solo pipe organ in the form of a prelude or postlude suitable for worship that must quote or be based upon an existing hymn tune or a melody from the repertoire of Gregorian chant. A single prize of $1500 USD will be awarded to any composer of any age residing or studying in the United States, for a work that is a minimum of four (4) minutes in length. The use of existing melodies in the new composition that are under copyright must have documented permission to use. Melodies in the public domain must be so indicated on the Official Entry Form. (See below.) The name of the composer must not appear on the score, and the Official Entry Form must be submitted with the composition. The submission may have been previously performed, but must be unpublished and cannot have won a prize in any other composition. No member of the TCAGO Board or its officers may submit an entry. If, in the opinion of the judges, no entry is worthy of the prize, it shall not be awarded. The Official Entry Form at <www.tcago.org> must be submitted with the composition. Deadline for submission is 1 April, 2013. Winner will be announced 1 May, 2013. Submit to: AGO Composition Contest 239 Selby Av. St. Paul, MN 55102
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
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Creative Hymn Practices from Members
"Hymns and Their Stories" celebrated its 15th year in 2012. Joan and Ron Giles have been blessed with over 125 opportunities to demonstrate the power of word and music in hymns, spirituals and sacred songs. If you'd like to know more about their programs, check out the attached documents. Hymns and Their Stories Sample Formats
Each year in the season after Epiphany, Andreas Teich teaches his congregation at Messiah Lutheran songs from a different part of the world as an expression of Christ's manifestation to the entire world. This year, they're focusing on Asian hymns. These hymns will be repeated each week as part of the liturgy. A copy of one week's order of worship can be reviewed here.
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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.
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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.
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