When Vanoc and the Department of Canadian Heritage began looking for a choir-oriented torch relay song that would promote community spirit and community singing as well as the Olympic ideal, Gregory Charles, an accomplished actor, Juno-nominated singer and choral music expert, immediately pounced on the offer.   “Our goal was clear: To find choirs to perform in […]

Craig Arnold, Luther College professor of music, director of choral activities, and conductor of the internationally acclaimed Nordic Choir, has announced his intention to leave his position at Luther at the end of the academic year. Arnold, who joined the Luther faculty in 2005, plans to join his wife, Sarah, who is teaching at University […]

It started when a trendy new vicar arrived, raising eyebrows by preaching in a Hawaiian shirt, incorporating Leonard Cohen songs into his services, and dressing up as a circus clown.   Then Sam Norton went further, renaming ‘Evensong’ as ‘Evenspeak’ and introducing events such as ‘parish brekkie’.   But the final straw for many came […]

Famed sacred lyricist and composer J. Paul Williams passed away at his home in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Wednesday, February 17, after being diagnosed in late January with Acute Myelocytic Leukemia. He was 72. He is survived by his wife, Donna, two sons, daughter-in-law and four grandchildren. Paul has more than 700 choral works published […]

Richard Proulx passed away last night (Thursday, Feb 18) in Chicago after being hospitalized on Monday. His tremendous influence on church music in general, and on Catholic music in particular, has been far-reaching and exemplary. His friendship beginning in the early ’60s was probably the single most important influence on my  professional development, as I […]