Association of Lutheran Church Musicians
July 1, 2024 e-newsletter
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Greeting from Board Member David Werth | |
Dear ALCM friends,
This year the Lutheran Achtliederbuch and I are both celebrating milestone birthdays. Though, at 500 hundred years, that hymnal’s milestone is quite a bit more significant than mine!
How are you celebrating our hymnal’s birthday? If you’re short on ideas, check out Julie Bedard’s excellent article, “Ach! The 500-Year-Old Achtliederbuch”, in the most recent edition of In Tempo. Or are you looking to encourage robust and enthusiastic hymn singing in your congregation? Consider attending Julie Grindle’s workshop, “Nurturing the Congregation’s Voice from the Organ Bench” at ALCM’s worship and music conference at Valparaiso University from July 22-25. (In-person registration or Virtual registration)
My family will be making a Lutheran hymnal “pilgrimage” this summer, walking in the footsteps of Martin Luther, Paul Gerhardt, J. S. Bach, G. F. Handel, Johann Pachelbel, and five centuries of other great hymn writers and composers. And we’ll have the opportunity to examine a copy of the second Lutheran hymnal, the Erfurt Enchiridion (also 500 years old this year), in the monastery library at the Evangelical Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt. This is where Luther lived as a monk from 1505 to 1511. One of Luther’s Christmas hymns in the Enchiridion is "Christum wir sollen loben schon.” I’m planning to use Peter Hallock’s setting of this hymn (“From Lands that See the Sun Arise” ©1980 GIA) in our annual Candlelight Christmas Vespers this year.
Now praise we Christ, the Holy One,
The blessed virgin Mary's Son
From east to west, from shore to shore
Let earth its Lord and King adore.
Source: Christian Worship (1993) #39
It is so good to share ideas, experiences, and future visioning with our ALCM members. It is a privilege to serve you as an ALCM board member and with you as a Lutheran church musician.
Happy Birthday to our treasured Lutheran Hymnal!
David Werth
ALCM board member
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From Generation to Generation: Ponder Anew is quickly approaching. We can't wait to gather together to worship, learn, and celebrate 300 years of Bach's St. John Passion. If you're unable to make the trek to Valpo, fear not! You can join us virtually thanks to a generous donation from Mark and Kathy Helge. Register for virtual attendance at https://alcm.org/2024-valparaiso-virtual-registration/. This will grant access to livestreams and recordings of each workshop topic and plenary, gathering and sending eucharist, and the St. John Passion performance. We hope to 'see you' there! | |
St. John Passion
The conference in Valparaiso will celebrate a 300-year anniversary:
St. John Passion - J.S. Bach
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 – 7:30 pm – Chapel of the Resurrection, Valparaiso University
Bach Collegium Valparaiso
Christopher M. Cock, Artistic Director and Conductor
The Bach Collegium Valparaiso is an ensemble composed of the finest period instrument and vocal forces in the Chicago area. The mission of BCV is to perform the great masterworks of the 16th - 18th centuries with attention to historically informed practice and the highest standards of musical performance.
This event is made possible through the generous financial support of Pauline and John Kiltinen.
Additional information about the conference, including pricing, scholarships, accommodations and more is available on the ALCM website.
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2025 Raabe Prize
Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Raabe Prize for Excellence in Sacred Composition. The Raabe Prize is established to recognize a recent musical work that promotes and extends the practice of church music as it is informed and shaped by Lutheran theological insight and worship practices. The composition so recognized will have been written during the five-year period prior to the year in which the prize is awarded and should be representative of a larger body of work by the composer. Preference will be given to those compositions that grow out of the heart of Lutheran worship – the song of the assembly that enables all to lift their voices in prayer, praise, and proclamation as they gather around Word and Sacrament.
Submissions for the 2025 award must be received by October 1, 2024.
2025 Raabe Prize Description & Guidelines
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The Raabe Prize at 25!
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Raabe Prize for Excellence in Sacred Composition. Endowed in 1999 by Dr. William and Pr. Nancy Raabe of Philadelphia, this prize is awarded every two years for a single musical work that reflects a larger history of excellence on the part of a composer. Its aim is to recognize and encourage significant accomplishments in composition contributing to the body of sacred music for the church in the Lutheran heritage. Throughout 2024, ALCM will highlight each prizewinner with a video describing the piece, its significance and, where possible, featuring a conversation with the composer. Watch for composer highlights in upcoming issues of the e-newsletter.
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Hymn Society Announces 2024 Fellows | |
Marty Haugen, Jan Kraybill, Mark A. Miller, and Adam M. L. Tice are to be honored as Fellows of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada for outstanding leadership and significant contributions in encouraging, promoting, and enlivening congregational song. The new Fellows will be recognized on Wednesday, July 17, during the organization’s Annual Conference at Emory University in Atlanta. Read more. | |
Livestream LSM 2024 throughout July!
Lutheran Summer Music invites you to livestream over 30 inspiring concerts, recitals, and worship services throughout the entire month of July. Performances and services are shared by over 250 students, faculty, fellows, worship staff, and guest artists who come together to create a vibrant community of music-makers. Visit LSMacademy.org/2024 to explore the schedule and access the livestream. You won't want to miss this!
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Echoing Air is a traveling Baroque chamber ensemble featuring two countertenors, two recorders, and basso continuo. The ensemble’s repertoire encompasses music of many European countries spanning from Medieval times to the present. Echoing Air tours frequently, appearing on civic, church, and university concert series. Masterclasses at the collegiate level and age-appropriate presentations for students grades K-12 are also available.
To learn more, visit echoingair.org.
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Kyries & Glorias
Kyries (prayer concerns) and Glorias (thanksgivings) are posted in the members area and on this page on the ALCM website. Kyries and Glorias for the following people have been recently posted:
Kyrie
Mark & Kathy Helge
Bob & Lois Rimbo
Bob Hobby*
Jenny Hobby
John Ferguson*
ALCM members are invited to submit Kyries and Glorias following the link in the members area of the website. Non-members may contact the ALCM office at office@alcm.org with information for posting.
* indicates a Charter Member
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While we're very excited for the upcoming conference at Valparaiso University, remember that one-day events continue to be scheduled in various locations across the country. An event is scheduled for August 10 in Tonawanda, NY and several others coming up this fall. | |
Fourth Friday Happy Hour with ALCM
Friday, July 26 - 6:00 pm Eastern
Recognizing that virtual community IS real community, you are warmly invited to join "Fourth Friday Happy Hour with ALCM" on Zoom every fourth Friday. Moderated by President Nancy Raabe and Executive Director Jim Rindelaub, discussion will be oriented around a general theme each month, but the larger purpose is to encourage conversation, sharing, and community. Bring whatever thoughts, comments, or concerns are on your mind, and of course a libation of your choice. Click on this recurring link to join each month.
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Events are published both in the website calendar and in the monthly e-newsletter. Do you have an event that you'd like to include? ALCM members should log in and follow the link on the main members area page. Non-members should send event details to office@alcm.org for consideration.
View the ALCM calendar
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June 30-July 28 - Lutheran Summer Music at Valparaiso University - with Livestream
July 7-12 - Lutheridge Music Week, Arden NC
July 9-12 - 2024 Institute on Liturgy, Preaching and Church Music (LCMS)
July 14 - 3:00 pm EDT - Janet Voyles & Friends, Joy Lutheran Church, Ocala, FL
July 18-21 - Anglican Lutheran National Worship Conference (ELCIC)
July 19-20 - Augsburg Fortress Music Clinic, Columbia, SC
July 22-25 - From Generation to Generation: Ponder Anew - Valparaiso, IN
July 24 - 7:30 pm CDT - St. John Passion - Chapel of the Resurrection, Valparaiso University
July 26 - 6:00 pm EDT - Fourth Friday Happy Hour with ALCM (virtual)
July 30-August 2 - National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts (WELS)
August 1-2 - Augsburg Fortress Music Clinic, Philadelphia, PA
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Post your own event!
Adding your local event to the calendar is easy. Just log in to the members area of the ALCM website and follow the "Add an event to the calendar" link under "What would you like to do?" Click on the "Post Your Event" button and complete the form. Your event will appear on the main event calendar, on the main page of the website, and in the e-newsletter for the month in which the event will take place. Good advertising - and it's free to ALCM members!
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Hymn Resources
As summer continues, be sure to check your hymn selections against the list of Hymn Settings in the members area of the website. (See the link under the "Quick Links" heading.) There are hundreds of hymn settings to support congregational singing.
Here are two hymn settings for your use:
UNSER HERRSCHER – Boehler (brass parts)
UNSER HERRSCHER – Otte harmonization
In addition to the above two pieces, Paul Otte has also prepared a piece on Military Service Themes.
Having difficulty logging in to the members area? First check to be sure that you are using the email address that we have on file (the address at which you receive copies of the newsletter). Click on the "Forgot your password?" link in the login box and follow the instructions to re-set your password. If you still have difficulty logging in, send an email to office@alcm.org and we'll be happy to help.
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There's still time to purchase the 2024 Winter Webinar Series!
The winter 2024 webinar series featuring the three people/topics listed below will continue to be available as a reduced price package through July 1, 2024. After that, the recorded webinars will be available only as individual purchases at $25 per webinar for ALCM members and $39 for non-members. Buy the complete package of three recorded webinars now--three for the price of one!
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You are invited to freely make use of the ALCM virtual hymn "O Day Full of Grace" during Pentecost and other times. Share the hymn with everyone. All copyright restrictions are waived. If you own a One License subscription and offer the hymn recording in worship, please include it when submitting your One License report. | |
Are you getting the most out of your ALCM membership?
Did you know that new member benefits are being added all the time to the members area of the ALCM website? You will want to log in whenever you visit the site to be sure that you have access to everything available to members. Can't remember your login information? In almost every case, your username is your email address. You can change or reset your password by following the "Forgot your password?" link in the login box.
Items in the members area are available for unlimited use as long as your membership remains active. Here are a few items for members only:
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All issues of CrossAccent (from the very beginning) and In Tempo are available for viewing. These items are for sale in the Marketplace to non-members;
- Advertise your local events on ALCM's calendar;
- Listen to all ALCM CD recordings for free;
- Hymns, accompaniments, descants, concertatos, and hymn stanza alternations for choir;
- Other free downloadable seasonal and non-seasonal resources;
- Discounted registration fee for ALCM-sponsored webinars and conferences;
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Past issues of ALCM's original practical resource, Grace Notes, from 1997-2011;
- Discounts on purchases of CDs and other items in the Marketplace; and
- A host of other resources free for viewing and downloading.
If you have any difficulty logging in or if you have questions or comments about the website or your membership, please feel free to contact us by email at office@alcm.org.
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Are you a congregation looking for a musician?
A musician looking for a position?
ALCM can help!
Employment resources have been developed to assist congregations in the process of searching for and hiring a musician. Presented in a step-by-step format, these resources will guide you through the entire employment process.
The ALCM job listing service connects those looking for positions in the field of church music with congregations and other institutions that have openings. By completing an online job posting form, congregations can post their positions on the ALCM website where those looking for employment may view them.
Musicians searching for a job may view posted job openings on the ALCM website, where those looking for positions can view them. Both full-time and part-time positions are listed, and new positions are added as received.
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The Association of Lutheran Church Musicians
nurtures and equips musicians
to serve and lead the church's song.
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