This is the Lord's day, day of God's own making"
After a night of wind and thunderstorms, I awake to a cool, sunny day, a perfect day to pack for our drive to Jackson. With other Conference mates, we gather for the last day's breakfast, a bittersweet event, in a mostly empty dining room, so different from other mornings of the week. A new friend and I find another similarity: both our older daughters are named "Brook(e)"! There is little time for lingering over a second or third cup of coffee as we load additional travel companions and their luggage, heading for the Cathedral. I experience anticipation, some trepidation (did I have all the notes for the "Gloria"?), sadness and reluctance to leave Gray Center, my week-long haven, to rejoin "life as usual".
Driving to Jackson, we listen to the Evensong CD (was that just last Thursday - it seems so long ago!), enjoying the piano and organ prelude, appreciating the talents of Michael K and Michael M. and wondering how David's fingers and feet can move so fast. In the car are 3 sopranos. We discuss keeping the Paulus from being flat and vibrato (the dreaded vibrato!). No one mentions looking forward to going home. If we could just live in this moment, this next hour or two for several days. That would be my wish!
"And through all the days that follow so fast, we trust in You"
The Cathedral lights are dim, the space not yet prepared for us. We robe and sit waiting. I look over my music (still having trouble with the "Gloria" - too many sharps, naturals, etc. that follow each other in quick succession). The Michaels run us through "warm up" exercises. I am comfortable, my voice relaxed.
As we proceed to our seating, Jean, my soprano seating companion since Evensong, and I sit on the second row. Great! I love sitting on the second row, a safe, secure place (hidden, inconspicuous, surrounded by sound). But, wait! On, no! I am too short and am moved to the front row!! Right on the aisle!! Right out in the open, in front of everyone. Now I will need to know every single note, the accented and unaccented ones! I will need to finish singing the words ending in "d", "t" and "s" ! I am right by the conductors! Yipes! (Eyes and brain, don't fail me now!) So, much for "trust".
Immediately before the service begins, Ellen lets us know that the son of one of our Conference mates was killed last night. I wonder at our friend's strength in singing with us today and words from "Pilgrims' Hymn" run through my mind. "And all through the days that follow so fast, we trust in You." Trust is not easy. I struggle with trust daily as my first instinct seems to be to try to handle everything myself. His strength must come from trusting in God. "Thou art mighty; hold me with thy powerful hand."
"Three Small Loaves and Two Skinny Fishes"
I wish I had a photo of Susan's face as she processed in and smiled at all of us. We had become "community". I saw that in her face. And, I think Susan saved her most special words for us in the magnificent offering she presented in her sermon. Her Mexican mission trip perfectly illustrated the gospel story, a real life, contemporary expression of the "loaves and fishes" experience. Show up, offer what you have, break and divide your offering and give it away! Don't worry if you cannot solve all the problems of the world. You are not supposed to. Just show up....and let God work. Trust. Very powerful words. I will never forget them (and I can't wait to hear the sermon over again on the CD).
"Father, we thank thee"
As the Sunday service comes to a close, I reflect on the experience. We made beautiful sounds, sang stirring, challenging and comforting lyrics and, I think, presented a really fine musical offering. But I cannot pen words that adequately communicate how the music makes me feel or describe my joy when I sing. I almost want to pinch myself to make sure that I am not dreaming.
As I reflect back on the week and on the Sunday celebration, multiple "thank yous" come to mind. Thank you God for the opportunity to come to Conference, for the chance to spend days just singing, praying, listening, visiting, eating, savoring the music! Thank you for new friends and wonderful cherished old friends. Thank you for the joy of being able to sing. Thank you for getting to meet and learn from Michael Kleinschmidt and Michael Messina (what treasures they are). Thank you the Michaels' patience, enthusiasm, wonderful direction and joy in making music with us. Thank you for Gray Center. Thank you for the clergy who cared enough for music in the liturgy to spend a day with us. Thank you for Ellen, Tom, David, James, Jeff, Bryan, Chan and Mark. Thank you for Susan and her example. Thank you for St. Andrews and the hospitality of its parishioners.
But, luncheon is ending. It is difficult to go. We say good-bye. See you next year. Safe travels.
And back to the real world.
Dinetia M. Newman, Chorister
All Saints’, Tupelo, Mississippi
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Saturday, August 2
Although it was the last full day of the Conference, the day opened just as the others had begun: the morning people bouncing into the dining hall at seven-thirty on the dot for breakfast; the rest of us tearing ourselves reluctantly from our beds and sluggishly joining them in a steady stream in search of sustenance and coffee. We made our way to Gray Chapel for Morning Prayer, the last of the daily offices we’d share this week, and prepared for another hard day of work.
Let no one fool you. The Mississippi Conference is hard work. The days are long and joyful and filled with challenge. In our ongoing discussion of the transformative roles we play as musicians and liturgists, today we examined our call to be performers. Here was a discussion in which everyone had two cents to add to the pot. Some accept the title of performer reluctantly, a word used in the world of entertainment where the relationship exists between performer and audience and leaves no room for God. Others feel quite strongly that performer is a right and correct word for their role in worship, but stress that the performance is for God and not for the gathered. All agreed, I think, that the performance of worship is the group effort of all those present and active in worship, such that when the appreciative parishioner says to the soloist on Sunday morning, “I really enjoyed your performance,” the sincere reply may come, “Thank you. I enjoyed yours too.”
One outstanding question lingered after our spirited conversation: What is the definition of "perform"? I admit I looked it up; I have an ongoing love affair with words. According to Merriam-Webster, the etymology of the word comes to modern English from Middle English via Anglo-French which derives from the Latin per (thoroughly) + furnir (to complete or equip). I suspect the contemporary usage of performer as presenter-- that is one who merely gives a rendition rather than as one who wholly fulfills the act of worship-- is where we find our divergent responses to the word. Whether we view sacred performance as the full completion of liturgical acts, or as the thorough equipping of God’s people for their call to transform the world, or both, I’m left believing that the role and title of performer is one we must each embrace wholeheartedly.
The day began as every other, but ended unlike the rest. I suspect that it was with deliberate intent that the morning’s exchange of ideas regarding performance was the precursor to the evening’s cabaret. The Rose Hill Cabaret (back from exile!) is a much loved and highly anticipated penultimate act of the Conference. All of the conferees, staff, and faculty are invited to supply a bit of entertainment. Not everyone chooses to perform, but no one chooses to miss the cabaret; it is simply too much fun. This year’s cabaret was exceptional. What is normally a hilarious and raucous event was also this year a testament to the phenomenal talent working in small and rural parishes. Our breath was stolen from us in equal measure by laughter and stunned appreciation of the gifts and talents we had only begun to be aware of during the course of the week. At play in performance on the final night of the Conference we had some last insight into what we might achieve as holy performers on Sunday morning in St. Andrew's, Jackson.
Alexandra Zepeda, Chorister
Document Production Coordinator
Washington National Cathedral
Let no one fool you. The Mississippi Conference is hard work. The days are long and joyful and filled with challenge. In our ongoing discussion of the transformative roles we play as musicians and liturgists, today we examined our call to be performers. Here was a discussion in which everyone had two cents to add to the pot. Some accept the title of performer reluctantly, a word used in the world of entertainment where the relationship exists between performer and audience and leaves no room for God. Others feel quite strongly that performer is a right and correct word for their role in worship, but stress that the performance is for God and not for the gathered. All agreed, I think, that the performance of worship is the group effort of all those present and active in worship, such that when the appreciative parishioner says to the soloist on Sunday morning, “I really enjoyed your performance,” the sincere reply may come, “Thank you. I enjoyed yours too.”
One outstanding question lingered after our spirited conversation: What is the definition of "perform"? I admit I looked it up; I have an ongoing love affair with words. According to Merriam-Webster, the etymology of the word comes to modern English from Middle English via Anglo-French which derives from the Latin per (thoroughly) + furnir (to complete or equip). I suspect the contemporary usage of performer as presenter-- that is one who merely gives a rendition rather than as one who wholly fulfills the act of worship-- is where we find our divergent responses to the word. Whether we view sacred performance as the full completion of liturgical acts, or as the thorough equipping of God’s people for their call to transform the world, or both, I’m left believing that the role and title of performer is one we must each embrace wholeheartedly.
The day began as every other, but ended unlike the rest. I suspect that it was with deliberate intent that the morning’s exchange of ideas regarding performance was the precursor to the evening’s cabaret. The Rose Hill Cabaret (back from exile!) is a much loved and highly anticipated penultimate act of the Conference. All of the conferees, staff, and faculty are invited to supply a bit of entertainment. Not everyone chooses to perform, but no one chooses to miss the cabaret; it is simply too much fun. This year’s cabaret was exceptional. What is normally a hilarious and raucous event was also this year a testament to the phenomenal talent working in small and rural parishes. Our breath was stolen from us in equal measure by laughter and stunned appreciation of the gifts and talents we had only begun to be aware of during the course of the week. At play in performance on the final night of the Conference we had some last insight into what we might achieve as holy performers on Sunday morning in St. Andrew's, Jackson.
Alexandra Zepeda, Chorister
Document Production Coordinator
Washington National Cathedral
Friday, August 1 (Clergy Day)
After attending Clergy Day at the Mississippi Conference on Church Music and Liturgy for the last four years, I found this year to be the most rewarding.
It began with the Rev. Susan Anderson-Smith guiding us through a discussion on “Presiding as Pastoring.” Drawing on Paul Galbreath’s Leading from the Table (The Alban Institute, 2008), we talked about the basic characteristics of the Eucharistic prayer:
It is TRINITARIAN.
It is BIBLICAL.
It is a STORY.
It is COMMUNAL.
It is PHYSICAL.
It is characterized by a sense of EXPECTANCY.
That flowed directly into a discussion of the ways that leadership at the Eucharistic table
Requires a sense of TRANSPARENCY,
Requires a sense of PRESENCE,
Grows out of a sense of EMBODIMENT,
Grows out of a distinctive NARRATIVE dimension of prayer, and
Grows out of the conviction that prayer at the table provides a PATTERN for our lives.
Susan then drew on Norma deWaal Malefyt and Howard Vanderwell’s Designing Worship Together: Models and Strategies for Worship Planning (The Alban Institute, 2005) to help us reflect on how we plan for worship in our parishes and who is involved in planning, with special attention given to the need for appropriate collaboration. This could involve a worship planning leadership team that includes the rector, the church musician, the music staff, worship assistants, artistic staff, and others (including the altar guild, vergers, sextons, ushers, sound and video technicians, etc.).
The resources Susan offered, and the discussion it generated, was very helpful for thinking through the purpose of why we do what we do – and how to go about it – when we gather for worship.
After lunch, I helped facilitate an “Iron Musician” planning exercise with the two other faculty persons for this year’s conference: Michael Kleinschmidt and Michael Messina. Taking our cue from the popular Iron Chef television program, we broke the conferees and visiting clergy down into five groups. Using as their primary ingredient the RCL Propers assigned for a Sunday in Year B (including Epiphany 1, Lent 3, Easter 4, Proper 10, and Proper 20), and bearing in mind any special events or activities taking place in their hypothetical parish, their assignment was to collaboratively plan the music for Sunday worship in 30 minutes.
After the time was up, members of each small planning group shared with the entire conference their group process. How did they start digging into the task? Why did they choose the particular hymns and anthems for that Sunday? How did activities in the life of the parish shape their process and the choices they made? What were the group dynamics like between participants?
I thought that this exercise did a good job of modeling appropriate collaboration between clergy, church musicians, and choristers. It also stimulated a rich discussion of the dangers of falling into the “idolatry” of either singing the same hymns all the time without ever trying anything new, or becoming so focused on finding new music that our fixation on novelty and innovation causes us to lose sight of the core purpose of why we plan in the first place: to worship God.
We also had time to sing a number of hymns from a variety of sources, including Wonder, Love, and Praise, Voices Found, With One Voice, New Hymns and Songs, and Evangelical Lutheran Worship. For anyone who primarily uses the 1982 Hymnal, the hymn singing provided an opportunity to broaden one’s experience and become aware of a lot of great music out there that can be easily sung by choirs and congregations.
Clergy Day was a fun way to engage issues around the most important work we do – the liturgy of the Church. If you missed it, be sure and put it on your calendar for next year.
The Rev. Dr. Bryan Owen
Canon for Parish Ministries
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi
It began with the Rev. Susan Anderson-Smith guiding us through a discussion on “Presiding as Pastoring.” Drawing on Paul Galbreath’s Leading from the Table (The Alban Institute, 2008), we talked about the basic characteristics of the Eucharistic prayer:
It is TRINITARIAN.
It is BIBLICAL.
It is a STORY.
It is COMMUNAL.
It is PHYSICAL.
It is characterized by a sense of EXPECTANCY.
That flowed directly into a discussion of the ways that leadership at the Eucharistic table
Requires a sense of TRANSPARENCY,
Requires a sense of PRESENCE,
Grows out of a sense of EMBODIMENT,
Grows out of a distinctive NARRATIVE dimension of prayer, and
Grows out of the conviction that prayer at the table provides a PATTERN for our lives.
Susan then drew on Norma deWaal Malefyt and Howard Vanderwell’s Designing Worship Together: Models and Strategies for Worship Planning (The Alban Institute, 2005) to help us reflect on how we plan for worship in our parishes and who is involved in planning, with special attention given to the need for appropriate collaboration. This could involve a worship planning leadership team that includes the rector, the church musician, the music staff, worship assistants, artistic staff, and others (including the altar guild, vergers, sextons, ushers, sound and video technicians, etc.).
The resources Susan offered, and the discussion it generated, was very helpful for thinking through the purpose of why we do what we do – and how to go about it – when we gather for worship.
After lunch, I helped facilitate an “Iron Musician” planning exercise with the two other faculty persons for this year’s conference: Michael Kleinschmidt and Michael Messina. Taking our cue from the popular Iron Chef television program, we broke the conferees and visiting clergy down into five groups. Using as their primary ingredient the RCL Propers assigned for a Sunday in Year B (including Epiphany 1, Lent 3, Easter 4, Proper 10, and Proper 20), and bearing in mind any special events or activities taking place in their hypothetical parish, their assignment was to collaboratively plan the music for Sunday worship in 30 minutes.
After the time was up, members of each small planning group shared with the entire conference their group process. How did they start digging into the task? Why did they choose the particular hymns and anthems for that Sunday? How did activities in the life of the parish shape their process and the choices they made? What were the group dynamics like between participants?
I thought that this exercise did a good job of modeling appropriate collaboration between clergy, church musicians, and choristers. It also stimulated a rich discussion of the dangers of falling into the “idolatry” of either singing the same hymns all the time without ever trying anything new, or becoming so focused on finding new music that our fixation on novelty and innovation causes us to lose sight of the core purpose of why we plan in the first place: to worship God.
We also had time to sing a number of hymns from a variety of sources, including Wonder, Love, and Praise, Voices Found, With One Voice, New Hymns and Songs, and Evangelical Lutheran Worship. For anyone who primarily uses the 1982 Hymnal, the hymn singing provided an opportunity to broaden one’s experience and become aware of a lot of great music out there that can be easily sung by choirs and congregations.
Clergy Day was a fun way to engage issues around the most important work we do – the liturgy of the Church. If you missed it, be sure and put it on your calendar for next year.
The Rev. Dr. Bryan Owen
Canon for Parish Ministries
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Jackson, Mississippi
Friday, August 1
I awoke this morning at 6:30 a.m., but did not get out of bed until 7:10 a.m. “Oh no,” I thought, “I’m going to be late for breakfast.” (I had spent the previous night talking with Jay Pontius from Holy Innocents, Como). We sat in the rockers until midnight talking about our music experiences in our respective parishes, and our relationship with the clergy. I shared with Jay my desire to resume private organ study, and he encouraged me to do so. The conversation ended around midnight and I got to bed about 1:00 a.m., after reading a chapter from the book, The Ceremonies of the Eucharist, by Howard Galley.
At breakfast, (yes, I made it); I sat and dined with the choristers from All Saints’, Tupelo. Among them were Dinetia Newman and Betty Lee Marshall. I had met them both at the 2007 Conference, which was my first time to attend. I remember them fondly because they both made me feel welcome as I was one of the new kids on the block.
After breakfast, I made my way to the chapel for Morning Prayer. Amanda Milam from St. Philip’s, Jackson, sang O Divine Redeemer beautifully in French. Afterwards, the morning session began. I was feeling as though I had not gotten enough sleep the night before. I could feel the tension in my eyes. That all changed after our morning physical exercise warm-up with Michael Kleinschmidt and vocal warm-up with Michael Messina.
Once rehearsal began, I could feel the energy as the group began to sing. We have few pieces that are in Latin. I remember thinking that I should’ve taken Latin in college instead of French, and that once I get home, I need to get a Latin pronunciation guide so that I’ll be better prepared in the future. It was a little overwhelming to be around so many people who were able to enunciate the Latin words as though it was their “first” language.
The morning session ended around noon, and I had lunch with Alexandra Zepeda, Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C. She asked me about my church, and we both talked about our experiences singing in our respective choirs. She shared with me her job description which I found fascinating. I learned from her that many dignitaries pre-plan their funerals for the Cathedral (bio, music, etc.).
The afternoon session was interesting. We were divided into groups and given a Proper. We were instructed to design the liturgy based upon the Proper. Each group had to present their liturgy. An interesting question arose from this exercise: “Are we worshipping the process?” asked Michael Kleinschmidt.
Next, I attended a session with Cliff Hill on unison and 2 and 3 part anthems. I found this to be very useful since I have a small choir. After the session, I went to visit Cliff’s display. I found a few anthems and books. I was thinking, “The church treasurer won’t faint when he gets the bill. It’s not that much.”
The Wine and Cheese Reception was wonderful. I sat on the patio with Amanda Milam, St. Philip’s, Jackson; Mignon Kolp, Christ Church, Bay St. Louis; James Martin, St. Philip’s, Jackson; and Marsha Reilly, Good Shepherd, Athens, OH. Mignon filled us in on her travels abroad. James and I discussed the possibility of our churches doing something together musically, and his coming to sing at Saint Mark’s. I would love that and can already envision it in my head.
At dinner, I continued my conversation with Mignon. She shared with me how her church is recovering after Hurricane Katrina, and I shared the history of my parish, St. Mark’s, Jackson, with her. We both talked about our choirs, and how we strive to make them better.
At the evening session, the Rev. Susan Anderson-Smith gave a presentation entitled, “Eucharist and Way of Life.” She posed a question to us. She asked, “If someone was to visit your parish, what would they see?” As I pondered the question, I thought, “They would see a formal church with nice people, but are we as welcoming as we could be?” Do our actions say “come back to see us again?”
The evening ended with Night Time Prayers. Zach Fellman, St. John’s, Ocean Springs, played a beautiful prelude on the piano which left me wishing that I had told my grandmother “yes” when she asked me if I wanted to take piano lessons as a child. As I sat in the worship area, I thought that the service was nice, but the prayer service that we had on last year was so moving that I, along with many others, were in tears. I hope that we can do something like that one again.
After checking my email, I chatted for a few minutes with Jay Pontius and decided that I should probably turn in early. I went to my room and looked through all of the music and books that I had purchased. Among them was the book, Rise, O Church, by Dr. Paul Westermeyer. I read the words of the hymn, Rise, O Church, and realized how powerful the words are.
I finally got in the bed about 12:07 a.m. The day has been a good one; for I have met new people, faced doubts and fears, and feel like I may have found my calling ….
Raphiell Ashford, Organist/Choirmaster
St. Mark’s, Jackson, Mississippi
At breakfast, (yes, I made it); I sat and dined with the choristers from All Saints’, Tupelo. Among them were Dinetia Newman and Betty Lee Marshall. I had met them both at the 2007 Conference, which was my first time to attend. I remember them fondly because they both made me feel welcome as I was one of the new kids on the block.
After breakfast, I made my way to the chapel for Morning Prayer. Amanda Milam from St. Philip’s, Jackson, sang O Divine Redeemer beautifully in French. Afterwards, the morning session began. I was feeling as though I had not gotten enough sleep the night before. I could feel the tension in my eyes. That all changed after our morning physical exercise warm-up with Michael Kleinschmidt and vocal warm-up with Michael Messina.
Once rehearsal began, I could feel the energy as the group began to sing. We have few pieces that are in Latin. I remember thinking that I should’ve taken Latin in college instead of French, and that once I get home, I need to get a Latin pronunciation guide so that I’ll be better prepared in the future. It was a little overwhelming to be around so many people who were able to enunciate the Latin words as though it was their “first” language.
The morning session ended around noon, and I had lunch with Alexandra Zepeda, Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C. She asked me about my church, and we both talked about our experiences singing in our respective choirs. She shared with me her job description which I found fascinating. I learned from her that many dignitaries pre-plan their funerals for the Cathedral (bio, music, etc.).
The afternoon session was interesting. We were divided into groups and given a Proper. We were instructed to design the liturgy based upon the Proper. Each group had to present their liturgy. An interesting question arose from this exercise: “Are we worshipping the process?” asked Michael Kleinschmidt.
Next, I attended a session with Cliff Hill on unison and 2 and 3 part anthems. I found this to be very useful since I have a small choir. After the session, I went to visit Cliff’s display. I found a few anthems and books. I was thinking, “The church treasurer won’t faint when he gets the bill. It’s not that much.”
The Wine and Cheese Reception was wonderful. I sat on the patio with Amanda Milam, St. Philip’s, Jackson; Mignon Kolp, Christ Church, Bay St. Louis; James Martin, St. Philip’s, Jackson; and Marsha Reilly, Good Shepherd, Athens, OH. Mignon filled us in on her travels abroad. James and I discussed the possibility of our churches doing something together musically, and his coming to sing at Saint Mark’s. I would love that and can already envision it in my head.
At dinner, I continued my conversation with Mignon. She shared with me how her church is recovering after Hurricane Katrina, and I shared the history of my parish, St. Mark’s, Jackson, with her. We both talked about our choirs, and how we strive to make them better.
At the evening session, the Rev. Susan Anderson-Smith gave a presentation entitled, “Eucharist and Way of Life.” She posed a question to us. She asked, “If someone was to visit your parish, what would they see?” As I pondered the question, I thought, “They would see a formal church with nice people, but are we as welcoming as we could be?” Do our actions say “come back to see us again?”
The evening ended with Night Time Prayers. Zach Fellman, St. John’s, Ocean Springs, played a beautiful prelude on the piano which left me wishing that I had told my grandmother “yes” when she asked me if I wanted to take piano lessons as a child. As I sat in the worship area, I thought that the service was nice, but the prayer service that we had on last year was so moving that I, along with many others, were in tears. I hope that we can do something like that one again.
After checking my email, I chatted for a few minutes with Jay Pontius and decided that I should probably turn in early. I went to my room and looked through all of the music and books that I had purchased. Among them was the book, Rise, O Church, by Dr. Paul Westermeyer. I read the words of the hymn, Rise, O Church, and realized how powerful the words are.
I finally got in the bed about 12:07 a.m. The day has been a good one; for I have met new people, faced doubts and fears, and feel like I may have found my calling ….
Raphiell Ashford, Organist/Choirmaster
St. Mark’s, Jackson, Mississippi
Thursday, July 31
Thursday morning was beautiful. Even the humidity wasn’t too much for this Yankee attending the conference for the first time.
After an organ/piano prelude by Matt and Cliff, we prayed Morning Prayer together remembering St. Ignatius of Antioch. The Song of Judith, “I will sing a new song,” was perfectly appropriate for a gathering of church musicians.
Two words that seemed to sum up our work on choral music this day were “blooming” and “tuning.” We all made a wicked witch “EEEeee.” Basses were compared to barnacles. We learned that Eeyore was from “The Jungle Book” and that we needed a “spooky Mary” at one point in the Howells’ Magnificat. All in all, the balance of light-hearted fun with intense preparation of incredible choral music was superb.
After distributing rulers as a reminder of our role as teachers, Susan explored a bit about St. Ignatius and what we, as church musicians, learn from him. As teachers, we were reminded that we are about transformation . . . transforming people to transform the world. Jesus, of course, was the best example of this.
We were also encouraged to become “enliveners,” engaging people and putting a face on the song. We sang two examples: “Now Thank We All Our God” from the Thirty Years’ War in Germany, and “Siyahamba” from the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, singing in defiance of oppression and leading to hope.
After a quick lunch, we explored some more pieces from our choral packets, got a quick start on music for the Sunday liturgy, then focused our attention on getting to St. Philips in Jackson for Evensong.
The quick preparation “bloomed” into a wonderful liturgy, with . . .
beautiful Brahms,
sexy Sowerby,
heavenly Howells,
powerful, yet prayerful, Paulus,
and gregarious Gigout.
This Lutheran, visiting in Anglican territory, really appreciated the opportunity to sing in the choir for Choral Evensong. Thank you!
A free evening with friends wrapped up this packed and memorable day.
Scott Weidler
Associate for Worship
ELCA
After an organ/piano prelude by Matt and Cliff, we prayed Morning Prayer together remembering St. Ignatius of Antioch. The Song of Judith, “I will sing a new song,” was perfectly appropriate for a gathering of church musicians.
Two words that seemed to sum up our work on choral music this day were “blooming” and “tuning.” We all made a wicked witch “EEEeee.” Basses were compared to barnacles. We learned that Eeyore was from “The Jungle Book” and that we needed a “spooky Mary” at one point in the Howells’ Magnificat. All in all, the balance of light-hearted fun with intense preparation of incredible choral music was superb.
After distributing rulers as a reminder of our role as teachers, Susan explored a bit about St. Ignatius and what we, as church musicians, learn from him. As teachers, we were reminded that we are about transformation . . . transforming people to transform the world. Jesus, of course, was the best example of this.
We were also encouraged to become “enliveners,” engaging people and putting a face on the song. We sang two examples: “Now Thank We All Our God” from the Thirty Years’ War in Germany, and “Siyahamba” from the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, singing in defiance of oppression and leading to hope.
After a quick lunch, we explored some more pieces from our choral packets, got a quick start on music for the Sunday liturgy, then focused our attention on getting to St. Philips in Jackson for Evensong.
The quick preparation “bloomed” into a wonderful liturgy, with . . .
beautiful Brahms,
sexy Sowerby,
heavenly Howells,
powerful, yet prayerful, Paulus,
and gregarious Gigout.
This Lutheran, visiting in Anglican territory, really appreciated the opportunity to sing in the choir for Choral Evensong. Thank you!
A free evening with friends wrapped up this packed and memorable day.
Scott Weidler
Associate for Worship
ELCA
Wednesday, July 30
After staying up too late at the Cottage 3 Social Hour last night, I sleep through breakfast and Morning Prayer. So my day begins with the morning rehearsal sessions. Michael Messina starts us out with yogic exercises, and we move into Early Will I Seek Thee by H.C. Adler. I am reading and singing my alto part, which at the top of page 3 unexpectedly moves quickly up to the E above middle C. I’m normally uncomfortable in this range, but, buoyed and supported by the rest of the choir, I manage it in, for me, a particularly sonorous rendition. Just as I’m basking in silent pride at reaching the note, Michael says, tactfully, “of course, you altos now realize that your part moves back and forth between the middle and top staves.” Now that he’s pointed it out, I realize that that beautiful E belonged to the tenors.
We sing I Will Arise, arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. This one is regular and fun. Each verse rises and then resolves, until we make full circle to find ourselves positioned at the threshold of the next one. There’s a really satisfying alto moment at the end of the first verse when we end down at F below middle C. That note comes straight from the belly. Sopranos and altos sing unison for the rest of the song. Sometimes the tenors and basses sing at half our pace; other times they sing at the melody speed but weave up and down against each other. The tenors get their chance to soar slowly in the last few lines, ending with a high, heartfelt, and sustained “Oh!” that wends down through descending tones singing “there are ten thousand charms” to rest in the same note we all end on.
We move through several service songs and seem to be getting more familiar with the music. Susan Anderson Smith then steps to the front and leads a rousing discussion of prophets, illustrated by a short lecture about 19th-century English parliamentarian William Wilberforce, whose convictions and experience of God enabled him to lead England to abolish slavery. We all offer from the cheap seats our own definitions of prophecy and examples of people we regard as modern prophets. The main conviction I come away with is that prophecy is, as Susan says, God’s word “happening to you.” It’s impossible to sidestep a passion for justice in our unjust world when God happens to us in as powerful a way as God happened to the prophets. She links prophecy to musical performance through the sung poetry of the Hebrew tradition, and we all sit a little taller as she drives home the point that we choristers are prophets who proclaim God’s word and God’s love through song.
Michael Kleinschmidt takes over for the second rehearsal session and leads us through a bit of challenging Latin pronunciation in Exsultate Justi by Lodovico da Viadana. It’s made more challenging by a changing rhythm that gets going quite fast at times. For some reason, “psal-li-te e-i” trips me up the worst. I think it’s all the switching back and forth between e and i sounds. But Michael delights the choir by having us practice talking through the words in “Miss Piggy” falsettos, in order to get the sound coming from our heads rather than from our chests. He runs the sopranos through their paces in Psalm 8 from The Saint Helena Psalter set by Gerre Hancock, when their part include a couple of runs that includes an octave jump to A above middle C. The men channel Gregorian monks in a resonant and moving plainsong.
The day goes in a regular rhythm, the schedule obviously designed by a musician. After lunch we have four workshops: on service playing, vocal techniques, children’s choir, and the design of service sheets. Then there’s dinner, and we return to the chapel for a last rehearsal and Evensong. We do a beautiful requiem set to music by Eleanor Daley and also rehearse As We Gather at Your Table, the song she wrote for this conference. We stand in a wide circle to really hear this beautiful song. We hear another stirring talk by Susan on music as a public healing ministry and then rehearse service music. We’re getting to the stage where we can pay more attention to dynamics and tone, and the music is progressively taking shape. When we move to the front of the chapel for Evensong, the increasingly familiar music fills the space among us, and the holy spirit is palpably moving within the sacred space we are creating through words and song. After the service, a group gathers in Cottage 3 to socialize, but I feel the urge to be quiet. After a full day spent in harmony with others, I am in a state of grace—uplifted and peaceful, looking forward to the ways tomorrow will deepen and enrich the experience of God’s presence we have found here through song.
Rachel McCann, Chorister
Church of the Resurrection, Starkville, Mississippi
We sing I Will Arise, arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. This one is regular and fun. Each verse rises and then resolves, until we make full circle to find ourselves positioned at the threshold of the next one. There’s a really satisfying alto moment at the end of the first verse when we end down at F below middle C. That note comes straight from the belly. Sopranos and altos sing unison for the rest of the song. Sometimes the tenors and basses sing at half our pace; other times they sing at the melody speed but weave up and down against each other. The tenors get their chance to soar slowly in the last few lines, ending with a high, heartfelt, and sustained “Oh!” that wends down through descending tones singing “there are ten thousand charms” to rest in the same note we all end on.
We move through several service songs and seem to be getting more familiar with the music. Susan Anderson Smith then steps to the front and leads a rousing discussion of prophets, illustrated by a short lecture about 19th-century English parliamentarian William Wilberforce, whose convictions and experience of God enabled him to lead England to abolish slavery. We all offer from the cheap seats our own definitions of prophecy and examples of people we regard as modern prophets. The main conviction I come away with is that prophecy is, as Susan says, God’s word “happening to you.” It’s impossible to sidestep a passion for justice in our unjust world when God happens to us in as powerful a way as God happened to the prophets. She links prophecy to musical performance through the sung poetry of the Hebrew tradition, and we all sit a little taller as she drives home the point that we choristers are prophets who proclaim God’s word and God’s love through song.
Michael Kleinschmidt takes over for the second rehearsal session and leads us through a bit of challenging Latin pronunciation in Exsultate Justi by Lodovico da Viadana. It’s made more challenging by a changing rhythm that gets going quite fast at times. For some reason, “psal-li-te e-i” trips me up the worst. I think it’s all the switching back and forth between e and i sounds. But Michael delights the choir by having us practice talking through the words in “Miss Piggy” falsettos, in order to get the sound coming from our heads rather than from our chests. He runs the sopranos through their paces in Psalm 8 from The Saint Helena Psalter set by Gerre Hancock, when their part include a couple of runs that includes an octave jump to A above middle C. The men channel Gregorian monks in a resonant and moving plainsong.
The day goes in a regular rhythm, the schedule obviously designed by a musician. After lunch we have four workshops: on service playing, vocal techniques, children’s choir, and the design of service sheets. Then there’s dinner, and we return to the chapel for a last rehearsal and Evensong. We do a beautiful requiem set to music by Eleanor Daley and also rehearse As We Gather at Your Table, the song she wrote for this conference. We stand in a wide circle to really hear this beautiful song. We hear another stirring talk by Susan on music as a public healing ministry and then rehearse service music. We’re getting to the stage where we can pay more attention to dynamics and tone, and the music is progressively taking shape. When we move to the front of the chapel for Evensong, the increasingly familiar music fills the space among us, and the holy spirit is palpably moving within the sacred space we are creating through words and song. After the service, a group gathers in Cottage 3 to socialize, but I feel the urge to be quiet. After a full day spent in harmony with others, I am in a state of grace—uplifted and peaceful, looking forward to the ways tomorrow will deepen and enrich the experience of God’s presence we have found here through song.
Rachel McCann, Chorister
Church of the Resurrection, Starkville, Mississippi
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