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 The Verse
A monthly newsletter |
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The Hymn Society
in the United States and Canada
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January 2014
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I hope that 2014 is off to a great start for you! Sherry and I are well-settled in our new offices on the relocated campus for Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.
Some of you have noticed that our new physical address shows up on certain documents. We've learned that mail reaches us more quickly if sent to our actual location. We still pick up mail at the old address and will continue to do so, but we encourage you to change your address book to reflect our new location. You do not need to include the Seminary's name in our address.
New Address:
The Hymn Society in the US and Canada
8040 Villa Park Drive, Suite 250
Henrico, VA 23228
Old Address
The Hymn Society in the US and Canada
3400 Brook Road
Richmond, VA 23227
Either way, we look forward to hearing from you!
Meanwhile, keep singing!!
Deb
Deborah Loftis
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2014 Conference in Columbus, Ohio
Calling All Students!!!
The Lovelace Scholarship provides full registration, housing and meals for the summer conference to full- or part-time students who have congregational song as a part of their curriculum. We accept up to 10 Lovelace Scholars each summer.
This year, we have expanded application rules to allow persons who have graduated from their studies within the past three years to apply for the Lovelace Scholarship.
Another first this year is an expansion of the Scholarship to provide 5 scholarships for returning Lovelace Scholars. Those who have been Lovelace Scholars in the past four years are invited to apply for a second year's scholarship. This award will provide 60% of the costs of registration, housing and meals for the conference.
Applications will be available on the website in mid-February and are due no later than May 1.
What Do You Know About Columbus?
Tina Schneider and Robin Knowles Wallace have prepared a short flyer to let you know more about the city where we'll gather this summer. It's a place with a rich hymnic heritage and many interesting sites. You may want to add a few days before or after the conference to take in some of these fascinating options in and around the city. Check this out!! Why Columbus
Registration forms available
in February online and in the Winter issue of The Hymn
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 Lifting Hearts - Joining Hands - Raising Voices We Need Your Help! Our campaign to raise funds for the new programs of The Center for Congregational Song needs your help: - Do you know how to write grant applications? We have a good list of foundations to which we can apply for funds. We need someone with the time and expertise to write the applications for us.
- Do you have fund-raising experience? We want to add two to four additional members to the Financial Development Committee. We will meet quarterly (and sometimes more often) via telephone conference call. There will be assignments to be carried out as well as the meeting time.
If you are interested in either of these volunteer opportunities, please contact Deb at the Society's office, deb@thehymnsociety.org, or 804-201-1207. She can fill you in on the details of these opportunities. -- Joanne Reynolds, Chair "Lifting Hearts, Joining Hands, Raising Voices" The Campaign for The Center for Congregational Song |
Do Hymns Have a Family Tree?
What do "O Sanctissima" and "No More Auction Block" have in common? They are two of the seven possible antecedents of "We Shall Overcome" discussed in a thought-provoking article by Victor V. Bobetsky entitled, "The Complex Ancestry of We Shall Overcome" which appears in February 2014 issue of The Choral Journal. Find a copy and check it out!
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Call for Papers
Christina Labriola, a George Black Scholarship recipient notified us of an upcoming conference, "Music Theology and Justice" at the University of St. Michael's College
in the University of Toronto, October 24th-25th, 2014. For details, see the attached pdf. Call for papers Deadline for submission is February 24.
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Australian Hymn Contest Results
A note from David Cole, from Australia:
You may be interested to note that a Hymn competition was recently held under the auspices of the Australian Hymn Book.
As background, the AHB website <togetherinsong.org> contains details of the guidelines, etc for the competition.
Press Release
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February 15, 2014 -- Karl Moyer will lead a session with the Lancaster, PA chapter of the American Guild of Organists. His topic will be organ playing that best supports, encourages, and leads congregational song.
February 16, 2014 -- A day of services of celebration to honor Canon Charles Winfred Douglas on the occasion of his 147th birthday will be held at Saint John's Episcopal cathedral in Denver on February 16th. The director of music/organist of the cathedral, Stephen Tappe, is the leader for that day's activities. The day will conclude with Evensong that afternoon and placing of Canon Douglas' portrait in Dagwell Hall. For more information, see the attached article and notice of the services. Canon Douglas
If you'd like to be invited to the events, contact Nancy Parker at nv_parker@msn.com
March 9, 2014 -- Trinity Presbyterian Church, 400 East University Blvd, Tucson, AZ will host an afternoon of hymn singing from Glory to God, the new Presbyterian Hymnal, at 3:00 pm. The festival is being organized by several local congregations
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News of Members
Charles R. Kniker and Lynn J. Zeigler of Ames, Iowa, are pleased to announce their website is now on line: www.songsfordisciples.com [Best to access on your address bar.] The website features 52 of their original hymns and worship service responses. Audio samples are included. Contact them for use of their music. 515- 268.5272.
In late December, Andrew Pratt, editor of the Bulletin of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland, was interviewed about carols and hymn writing. You can read the articles online at http://beatmag.tumblr.com/#!/post/70888359177/our-little-hymnal-an-interview-with-dr-andrew-pratt
Congratulations to Wesley Roberts, professor at Campbellsville University in Kentucky, who has co-authored, with Maurice Hinson, the fourth edition of The Guide to the Pianists Repertoire. This volume has long been an invaluable resource for pianists and piano instructors, now expanded to over 1200 pages. Published by Indiana University Press, more information is available on the attached flyer. Guide We mourn the death of Junashiro Kawabata, in Miyagi, Japan. We recently learned of his passing in May 2013. |
Recent Events
November 20, 2013 -- S T Kimbrough planned and led a hymn festival, "Discovering Five Passions of the Wesleyan Heritage" at
Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC, for its annual Wesley Heritage Celebration. We have a program and the narrative script available in the Hymn Society office if others would like to view it.
January 18-19, 2014 -- A workshop and hymn festival led by David Cherwien was sponsored by the Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Guild of Organists at Christ Church United Methodist in Tucson. January 24, 2014 -- In honour of the Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, and to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the Communio Circle of the Diocese of Hamilton and the Cantualis Chant Choir presented an evening of hymns composed by St. Thomas for the Feast of Corpus Christi along with commentaries taken from Aquinas At Prayer by Paul Murray, OP, on Friday, January 24th at 7:00pm in Blessed Sacrament Church, 305 Laurentian Drive, Kitchener, Ontario
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Hymn Detectives
Part of of the fun in the Hymn Society office is helping people track down elusive hymns. Recently Christopher Webber contacted the office about a hymn quotation in one of President Reagan's speeches. A posting on FaceBook quickly provided answers, but I asked Chris to write up a little about his query. You'll enjoy reading about this latest episode of "hymn detectives" in the attached pdf. Reagan's hymn quotation
Maybe we should consider a cable TV series . . . .
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Upcoming British Conferences
There are two conferences in England in 2015 that you may want to attend. It's not too early to plan international travel, so here are the details.
The joint meeting of our Hymn Society with HSGBI and IAH will be held at
Robinson College, Cambridge. The conference will begin with registration on Sunday, 26th July 2015 with the Conference programme beginning on Monday and concluding on Friday 31st July. 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.
The third biennial conference of Christian Congregational Music: Global and Local Perspectives will be held at Rippon College Cuddesdon, Oxford on August 4-7, 2015. Details are provided in the attached pdf. CCM conference
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Hymn Playing Competition for Organists
To promote the value of excellence in hymn playing, the 2014 Schoenstein Competition in Hymn Playing has just been announced to coincide with the release by MorningStar Music Publishers of the book Hymn Playing: A Modern Colloquium by Stuart Forster. Organists born on or after March 20, 1981, are invited to apply. The application should include live recordings of the applicant playing hymns with a congregation singing, and must be received by March 20, 2014. The final round will be held at Christ Church, Cambridge, Massachusetts, at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, 2014, the day before the National Convention begins in Boston for the American Guild of Organists. The public is invited to sing in the congregation during the final round. Finalists will play the 2006 III/43 Schoenstein organ at Christ Church, Cambridge. First prize will be $3000 and second prize will be $1000. Rules and Application Forms are available at www.hymnplayingcompetition.org or from the organizer, Dr. Stuart Forster,
atstuartforster@aya.yale.edu
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New Hymn Contest
The New Room, John Wesley's Chapel in Bristol, England, has launched a hymn contest to commemorate 275 years since George Whitefield persuaded a very reluctant John Wesley to preach for the first time in the open air - an activity that led to the building of the New Room within six months. The theme is "Tell the World." Please see the attached pdf for details of the contest and submission rules. Deadline for entry is June 1 2014. Wesley Hymn Challenge
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| Music Ministry Alive Summer Institute
MMA, led by David Haas, announces it's summer institute July 29 - Auguest 3, 2014 at St. Catherine's University in St. Paul. There are programs for Young Adults and Adult Leaders. Leaders include Lori True, Fr. Ray East, Fr. Michael Joncas, Marty Haugen, Kate Cuddy, Tim Westerhaus, Jaime Cortez, Mary Louise Bringle, Sr. Kathleen Harmon SNDdeN. For more information see the attached flyer. MMA Summer Institute
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