|
|
|
 The Verse
A monthly newsletter |
|
|
The Hymn Society
in the United States and Canada | March 2013
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
Well, spring is supposedly here, but if you judged by the weather instead of the calendar, you might be fooled! At least that's the story on the east coast. A surprise snow storm covered daffodils, blossoming camelias and cherry trees with several inches of wet snow earlier this week in Richmond. It's hard to believe by walking outdoors that April will be here Monday. The snow was a sudden distraction from the steady progress of spring greening.
I've been thinking that the weather is good metaphor for what happens (to me, anyway) in Lent. I think I am progressing steadily on my journey to the cross and to the resurrection, and then I find that sudden distractions get in the way and the journey gets interrupted. It's Holy Week already -- how did that happen?? And the busy-ness of all the rehearsals and services seem to be another distraction from the real journey.
In these next few days, I pray you'll find your way through the distractions to a clarity of purpose and that after the grief of the cross, your joy on Easter morning will be real and abundant.
Meanwhile, keep singing!!
Deb
Deborah Loftis
|
|
2013 Conference, Richmond, VA July 14-18
50 years ago, Vatican II contributed new voices to our revitalized congregational song.
Join us to explore how a rich cross-fertilization continues to inspire a new generation of writers.
Lovelace Scholarship Applications (deadline May 1) and Emerging Scholar Forum information (deadline April 1!)
Contact Shannon Hall for your air travel plans: 888-429-0229.
Plenary Speakers
The Rev. Canon Victoria Sirota is Cathedral Pastor and Vicar, Congregation of St. Saviour, at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York City. Dr. Sirota is an accomplished organist as well as pastor and has published
Preaching to the Choir: Claiming the Role of the Sacred Musician. She will present the legacy of Vatican II within Protestant traditions.
Fr. Jan Michael Joncas is a liturgical composer, author, speaker, and professor who is perhaps best known for his song " On Eagle's Wings." Hehas published three books: The Catechism of the Catholic Church on Liturgy and Sacraments, Preaching the Rites of Christian Initiation and From Sacred Song to Ritual Music. He also has over 20 collections of liturgical music. Fr. Joncas will present the legacy of Vatican II in the Roman Catholic tradition.
|
Auction Idea for the Conference
Jacque Jones has suggested a different type of contribution to our Silent Auction offerings. She will bring a needlework sampler that has a phrase of a hymn in it. Robin Knowles Wallace, who does patchwork will also bring one of her pieces with a hymnic theme. Are there others of you who have an artistic talent and incorporate hymns into your art? If so, we invite you to bring such a contribution to our Silent Auction. All proceeds from the Silent Auction go to the Lovelace Scholarship Fund that assists students in attending the annual conference. |
Upcoming Events
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
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://wosrhip.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/. Applications may be made until June 30, 2013.
Cambridge Choral Courses, will sponsor a week-long course at All Saints Indianapolis in July. The concept behind the course is to bring the English and American choral traditions together, allowing people to experience the best of both traditions and their music. The course is exclusively staffed by members of Cambridge College Choirs, including the renowned King's College Cambridge, and will be conducted by a leading American Choral director. There will be numerous performance opportunities, as well as an Evensong on the final Sunday. For more information:
|
News of Members
 On April 19 and 20, Goshen College will celebrate the 90th birthday of Professor Emerita Mary Oyer, FHS. Friends and colleagues are invited to join in the activities! For more information, see the attached pdf: Oyer Birthday Celebration
  
Lockward Thornburg Mlviana
Hymn Society members Jorge Lockward and John Thornburg spent two weeks in Cameroon in February, 2103, along with four other North Americans helping to inaugurate the new national music ministry of the United Methodist Church in Cameroon. They participated in a musical skills training seminar for 65 clergy and laity and in ceremonies to empower the new national music director, Jean-Pierre Mviana. Mviana had spent two years in Uganda receiving additional musical training to equip him for the new work.
 On May 31 and June 1, 2013 Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary is hosting an event called Celebrating Contemporary Hymnody: A Symposium Honoring Ruth Duck. Dr. Ruth Duck has been a Professor of Worship at Garrett-Evangelical since 1989 and in May 2013 she will retire. This symposium will be to honor her work as a successful hymn text writer, a distinguished scholar, a devoted teacher and a dear friend. Please visit www.garrett.edu/hymnody to see the complete schedule of the day-and-a-half event and register. The closing event is a Hymn Festival on June 1 and 9:00 am at Second Baptist in Evanston.
And speaking of birthdays, Helen Kemp will celebrate her 95th birthday on Easter! Though she's not a Hymn Society member, many of us love and respect her, so I thought this reminder would be appreciated!.
|
Winfred Douglas Collection Moves to Virginia Theological Seminary
Virginia Theological Seminary is pleased to announce that the Washington National Cathedral has donated over 2,500 rare books related to church music, liturgy, and theology to the seminary's Bishop Payne Library. The Cathedral transferred three named collections of rare books to the seminary, the largest of which is The Winfred Douglas Memorial Collection of books relating to hymnology, plainsong, liturgy and church music. For more information see the attached pdf: Douglas Collection |
We Want to Stay in Touch!
If you're moving or change your email address, please contact The Hymn Society office and give us your new information! We don't want you to miss the next issue of The Hymn or The Verse!! email: offfice@thehymnsociety.org or call: 800-THE HYMN. |
|
Recently Reported Hymn Festivals
February 15, 2013 - North Park University, Chicago, presented "Walking with God through the Day," a hymn festival created by A. Royce Eckhardt, built on Psalm 113:3-"From the rising of the sun to its setting , the name of the Lord is to be praised." The festival featured the singing of morning hymns, hymns about walking with God through the day, and a variety of evening hymns, augmented by the North Park University Choir Chamber Singers, Women's Chorus, and Brass ensemble.
March 2, 2013 -- A Hymn Festival for young piano students, entitled "Presidents, Pianos and Hymns" was organized by Zelda Meneses-Reus, the students' teacher, and held at Alamo Heights Methodist Church in San Antonio, TX. Dr. C. Edward Spann, author of the book Presidential Hymns was the guest lecturer and judge.
March 3, 2013 -- John Thornburg, Immediate Past President of the HSUSC, led a BIG SING at Greenland Hills United Methodist Church in Dallas to mark the end of his 12 years as director of A Ministry of Congregational Singing. The program featured both his own compositions and music he was taught while working in Cameroon on the creation of the bilingual hymnal Mille Voix Pour Chanter Tes Louanges/O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing.
*March 17, 2013 -- "All the Earth Resounds with Music: a Hymn Festival Celebrating Music and the Arts in Worship" was led by Kelly Tennille Grooms at Chestnut Street United Methodist Church, Lumberton, NC.
*Script available with festival program.
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. |
Reviews of Hymn-Based Compositions
We're grateful to Alan Barthel for his reviews this month! Check them out!
|
Web Based Resource Series Proposed
Hilary Donaldson is a talented, energetic, and thoughtful young church musician. She's also a deeply involved and enthusiastic Hymn Society member. She's a former Lovelace Scholar, has written for The Hymn, serves on the program committee for the 2014 Summer conference, and will co-lead the closing hymn festival this summer in Richmond. (You get the picture!) Recently, Hilary posted on her blog, Transforming Every Guest, an idea to provide resources for church musicians and pastors.
"While church music ministry has always been a demanding calling, the contemporary church musician faces unique and unprecedented challenges. It seems that, even as we become more connected with music from all over the world, as the possibilities of church music expands, the economy - and with it, the church budget - gets smaller. Musicians are left knowing there is much that could be done, but with limited resources at their disposal. I would like to address an aspect of this need by creating a web series for musicians and other church leaders, free and accessible to anyone, which will engage with modern church music repertoire in the form of a practical, interesting, and fun presentation of very high artistic quality." |
New Hymn Contests
Pax Christi Chorale is pleased to announce the Great Canadian Hymn Competition II, the followup to the 1st competition held in 2009. The competition invites composers to submit original hymns by June 1, 2013. Winning entries will be announced in mid-September, and performed in concert on Sunday October 6, 2013 at Grace Church on-the-Hill in Toronto. First prize is $350, second prize is $150, and third prize is $50. For more information visit the website: Pax Christi contest
United Theological Seminary has launched a new competition entitled, "New Songs and Hymns for Renewal." Submissions are required by April 22, 2013. For more information, visit the website: UTS contest
South Congregational Church United Church of Christ (South Church), Kennebunkport, ME, announces a contest for hymn writers. It carries a prize of $1000 for the winning entry. We are asking for a new hymn which speaks of the Church and it's ministry to the wider community, rooted in its history, responsive to the present and laying a foundation for the future. All entries must be postmarked by September 15, 2013. The judges will arrive at their decision by November 1, 2013. For more information see the attached pdf: South Church Contest |
| Continuing Hymn Contests and Searches
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
The 2013 Macalester Plymouth United Church hymn contest will be a search for a new Advent or Christmas carol which speaks to the mystery and wonder of the Incarnation, and the coming of the One who brings justice, mercy and "peace to all on earth." As always, both new music and familiar music is welcome! For more information, call the church (651-698-8871) or visit the church website at www.macalester-plymouth.org. For more details, consult the attached pdf: Macalester Plymouth 2013
|
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, sponsored by the Church Music Institute 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.
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
