Enabling Transformative Experiences: Renewal

Often a title of a blog post comes easily. Today, I wrestled with a few other words starting with the letter R: Repair and Restoration. I find myself reflecting on these words after a profound concert presented by the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club, the Viking Chorus of St. Olaf College, and the St. Olaf Choir. The highpoint of the concert was the Minnesota premiere of a piece called To Repair by Dr. Tesfa Wondemagegnehu. Watch the concert when you get a chance. It is powerful!

To Repair Concert: https://www.stolaf.edu/multimedia/play/?e=3828

In my own life, renewal is what I feel I need this summer. Personally, I’m not interested in restoration, in going back to what had been. As I feel that I have a lot of mental fog built up from the part two years, I need renewal in order to think clearly about repair and what that looks like for our communities. Learning and spending time with other church musicians, singers, and conductors are renewing experiences for me. This summer, I’m attending three conferences and workshops that will help me find experience renewal. I thought I would share information for those experiences in case you’re looking for similar opportunities.

Illinois Bach Academy (June 11 – 18)

https://publish.illinois.edu/bachacademy/

According to the website, the Academy is designed for musicians of all experience levels, united by their interest in the music of Bach. Each day begins with the participants gathering for a lecture exploring the historical and liturgical context of the works being studied. The rest of the morning and early afternoon are spent in rehearsals. In the late afternoon, participants divide into tracks with daily events geared toward their particular interest and experience. The week also includes seminars on Baroque performance practice, as well as related concerts, including an Academy Faculty recital. The week’s work will culminate in a final concert. This year’s focus is the St. Matthew Passion by J.S. Bach. The Academy faculty includes some of the country’s leading experts in the study and performance of 17th and 18th-century music, including musicologists Jeffrey Sposato and Chet Alwes, conductor Andrew Megill, and several other experts.

This will be my third time singing the St. Matthew Passion, the second time with Dr. Megill. With the grief and suffering of the pandemic, I imagine it will be a profound and moving experience.

Worship and Music Conference at Montreat (Week 1: June 19 – 24, Week 2: June 26 – July 1)

https://www.presbymusic.org/2022conference

The Worship and Music Conference is an intergenerational conference for children, youth, adults, pastors, directors, organists, pianists, instrumentalists, dancers, ringers, worship leaders, choir members, and anyone who loves and takes part in the worship and music of the church. There are two dozen faculty in a number of areas, including clergy, organists, artists, instrumentalists, handbell directors, choral directors, and others. Choral clinicians include: André Thomas, Brandon A. Boyd, Tucker BIddlecombe, Mary Biddlecombe.

I will be attending Week 2. Last summer, I attended this conference in person for the first time. I was so inspired that I knew I wanted to return this summer.

Conference on Theology, Worship, and the Arts at St. Olaf College (July 25 – 28)

http://www.stolaf.edu/cwta

In even-numbered years, St. Olaf College hosts the Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts. It is a profoundly moving week-long church music conference attended by both church musicians and clergy from a variety of denominations. Nationally-renowned faculty from the college and around the nation provide a rich environment for learning and worship. One of these conferences would have happened during the summer of 2020. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, it was cancelled. In July 2021, a few of the organizers held a half-day online conference. It was inspiring and thought-provoking, despite it being held through Zoom.

Themed Scatter the Imagination of Our Hearts, the 2022 conference invites participants to explore how the power of imagination can challenge, change, and inspire, especially as churches respond to the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and structural racism.

Thankfully, the conference is in person this summer. I am excited to attend and experience the conference on the beautiful St. Olaf campus. There are two dozen faculty, including choral conductors Anton Armstrong, Therees Tkach Hibbard, Heather Potter, and Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, and others.

For any church musicians in Florida or close to Florida, I highly recommend the Workshop of the Florida Chapter of the Fellowship of United Methodists in Worship Arts. (June 12 – 17) https://flfellowship.regfox.com/2022-church-music-workshop

For over 65 years, the Florida chapter has hosted its own weeklong summer workshop, which includes worship services, choir rehearsals, reading sessions, and a variety of elective classes. An important part of the event is concurrent Adult and Youth (grade 6 – 12) workshops with some intergenerational activities. Clinicians this year include Andrew Minear, Mark Burrows, Claudia Dew, and Brian Hehn. Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend, but I highly recommend the workshop.

What conferences or other events are you attending this summer that will help you find renewal? Are you attending of these events? Comment below!