Music in Worship Chair's blog

Music with a Mission is just around the corner

Let me begin by recognizing two gentlemen who have made a tremendous effort to bring this festival and concert to life: Jim Larrabee and Dana Sloan. Thank you so much.

So, the exciting development for this the eighth edition of the Omaha Church Choir Festival--now called MUSIC WITH A MISSION--is that we've more than doubled the number of choirs and the number of singers who are participating this year. We are expecting 16 choirs, 250 singers.

Announcing repertoire for Church Choir Festival

It is not too late to express interest in bringing your choir to the Church Choir Festival. If you are not yet decided maybe this repertoire will pique your interest.

When Morning Gilds the Skies—James Biery, MorningStar Music Publishers (MN.60-7022)
Christ Be Our Seed—Carl Schalk, Concordia, (98-3602)
Adonai Ro’I—Gerald Cohen, Transcontinental, (993121)
O How Amiable—Vaughan Williams, Oxford University Press (OU.9780193851245)
My Good Lord’s Done Been Here—Hoses Hogan/Rollo Dilworth, Daybreak Music (HL.8745951)

Church Choir Festival

Save the date: the Omaha Area Church Choir Festival is set for Sunday, February 19, 2012. To let me know of your interest in participating email me at gzielke@graceu.edu.

The format of the festival includes two main activities: a mass choir rehearsal and a concert to benefit the Open Door Mission. Participating choirs can opt to perform individually on the concert.

We haven't met to select the music for the festival so stay tuned. Of course, we would your input as well.

Announce panelists for music in worship discussion at the summer NCDA conference

I am very pleased to announce the participants in the panel discussion on Monday, July 11, 2:30.

Dr. Paul Barnes, pianist, Professor at UNL and head chanter at Annunciation Greek Orthodix Church in Lincoln
Pay Smolen, Pastor of Music and Worship at LifeSpring Church in Bellevue
Dr. Marie Rubis Bauer, Director of Music at St. Cecelia Cathedral, Omaha
Swehla Hunt, vocal music instructor at Monroe Middle School, Omaha, and church muscian in the Seventh Day Adventist Church
Cantor Wendy Shermet, Temple Israel in Omaha

Music in Worship focus at summer conference

Our Summer NCDA conference is July 10-13. The theme of the conference is “Lucky 7s in 2011: All in for Music.” The focus is on advocating for Choral Music in all settings. With this in mind with have designed Monday afternoon and evening just for you. We have planned three music in worship sessions:
1. “How to Plan for and work with Praise Bands,”
2. “Various faiths on the Function of Music in Worship: A panel discussion,”
3. “a choral repertoire session where we explore music used in 10 different faith traditions.”

Music with a Mission: Church Choir Festival follow-up

Thank you to all who made Music with a Mission an inspiring and rewarding event. My steering committee of Dana Sloan (Presbyterian Church of the Cross), Jim Larrabee (Countryside Community Church), Michael Kesar (St. Mark Lutheran), and Charles Cohen (Divine Shepherd Lutheran)did a tremendous job designing and conducting the event. Thank you so very much.

For a sampling of the sights and sounds of the Festival concert, follow this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dGvFx3p_vc

Music with a Mission: Church Choir Festival

Music with a Mission is in it's Sixth edition. This year seven Omaha area church choirs will collaborate in a benefit concert for the Open Door Mission. I, along with a faithful steering committee comprised of Jim Larabee, Dana Sloan, Charles Cohen, and Michael Kesar are eagerly looking forward to another rewarding and fulfilling evening. Participating church choirs include Community Bible Church, Countryside Community Church, St. Mark Lutheran, Good Shepherd Lutheran, Presbyterian Church of the Cross, Faith Christian Church, and Bensen Presbyterian Church.

the reason we sing

Those who have ever received an email from me probably noticed my signature SING! It’s something I set up in the automatic email signature, but it also is a reminder to me to keep singing each and every time I pop up a new email screen and rattle off a note to someone (which seems like 50 times a day).

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