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Association of Lutheran Church Musicians
February 1, 2024 e-newsletter
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Greeting from Director Omaldo Perez | |
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Dear ALCM Family,
Peace and grace to you on this Eve of the Presentation of Our Lord.
Over the years, ALCM has been a great source of personal inspiration. The graceful passion, dedication, and creativity of its members, as well as the educational focus of ALCM’s mission, have taught me everything I know about being a church musician. More recently, as a board member, I have witnessed firsthand the depth of commitment, strategic stewardship, and long-term vision for the organization ALCM’s leadership brings to the table. I can attest that this community has formed my life of service to the Church as a musician. Yes! I have been and continue to be nurtured and equipped.
In sharing my enthusiasm with you, I cannot help but think of Phillip, who, having received the invitation from Jesus, went on to invite others: “Come and see.” So come and see! Check out our superb resources in the members area of our website. Learn about all the exciting offerings taking place at our Valparaiso conference “From Generation to Generation: Ponder Anew.” I look forward to seeing you there. Finally, always remember to reach out and connect. We are here to help and love to hear from you!
Peace and Joy,
Omaldo Perez
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Join us on the campus of Valparaiso University and the beautiful Chapel of the Resurrection as we Ponder Anew how to communicate God’s saving grace to all peoples in meaningful, relevant ways. Through workshops, discussions, worship, and hands-on learning opportunities, we invite you to strengthen your gifts and develop new skills in topics such as worship leadership, technology, composition, enriching assembly song and more, all the while forming connections from Generation to Generation with young musicians attending the Lutheran Summer Music Academy (LSM).
The emphasis of this conference is on practical skill-building. Registrants will be able to attend in-depth learning sessions on a variety of topics. These sessions are 90 minutes long and typically consist of multiple sessions, with each session building on the previous. In addition to the in-depth learning sessions, a variety of workshops will round out this practical learning experience. Many fine presenters will be on hand to lead us in a variety of learning opportunities.
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St. John Passion
The conference 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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Register now for the opportunity to attend the remaining two winter webinars. You will also receive the recording and handouts for the first webinar. | |
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.
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This month we highlight our 2005 Raabe prizewinner John Ferguson and his composition "Arise, Shine." Although we were unable to record a conversation, we can share notes from a conversation between Paul Westermeyer and John Ferguson. His composition draws connections from Advent through Lent and helps us to bridge the gap into the coming Lenten season. "Who Is This?" is available for purchase from MorningStar Music Publishers.
Watch our salute to John Ferguson and his 2005 Raabe prizewinning piece"Who Is This?"
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New Additions to Members Area
Thanks to the dedication of ALCM board member Jean Boehler, more than 200 new hymn settings are being added to the members area of the ALCM website. Most are scored for Bb instrument, and each hymn setting includes parts for melody, harmony, and descant. As with other hymn settings, Jean's settings are listed by hymn tune name under the category Hymn Settings in the members area.
If you are having difficulty logging in to the members area of the website, 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.
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Direct Your 2023 Thrivent Choice $$$ by March 31!
Thrivent Choice Dollars allows eligible clients with membership to choose where Thrivent distributes a portion of its funding each year. A profound thank you to those of you who have designated ALCM to receive your Thrivent Choice dollars. In the past 10 years over $20,000 has been contributed to ALCM through Thrivent. Especially for those of you who still have 2023 dollars "in the pot," remember that March 31 is the last day to direct those dollars to participating organizations. After March 31 the 2023 dollars go away and 2024 dollars start to acrue. Once again, many thanks to all who choose ALCM as a recipient of Choice Dollars!
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Fourth Friday Happy Hour with ALCM
Friday, February 28 - 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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Live-Streaming Members Area Compositions
If you are a current member of ALCM, you automatically have permission to use any of the materials posted in the members area of the website as long as your membership remains current. This permission is being extended to live-streaming music during worship, but again only as long as your ALCM membership remains current. Already-posted materials in the members area do not include a permission statement on the copy covering live-streaming/recording of pieces for use during worship, although they are included in this live-streaming blanket permission. Going forward, new materials posted will include a more comprehensive statement.
If you have materials posted in the members area and you do not want to extend the permission to cover live-streaming, please email us at office@alcm.org, so that we can remove your compositions from the website. Also, remember to notify us if any of your posted compositions is published. We will remove them from the website and include a note on the that the material is now available from the publisher.
Any questions, let us know!
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Introducing two FREE compositions from Lutheran Summer Music 2023 by Anne Krentz Organ: Holy Manna, for solo instrument with keyboard accompaniment; and Be Thankful, for SATB chorus, descant, keyboard accompaniment, optional assembly, and handbells (full or condensed). Free sheet music download: LSMacademy.org/resources.
Also, just to keep you up on our communications, we recently published an article announcing our upcoming summer with ALCM.
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Bach Society Houston to Perform St. John Passion
New American English performance edition of the Bach St. John Passion will be performed by Bach Society Houston on Palm Sunday, March 24 at 6 p.m. CST at Christ the King Lutheran in Houston.
Celebrating the 300th anniversary of Bach's composing of this work, this new edition is the result of more than four years work. Translated by Madeleine Forell Marshall, with text-laying and collaboration with the Bach Society Houston, Rick Erickson, Artistic Director, this is a new and bracing version of this work.
As one hearer said upon first performance - "it is as if a veil had been lifted."
Featuring the Bach Society Choir and Orchestra, with Tony Boutte, Evangelist and Malcolm Merriweather, Jesus, this performance will be available to hear online at www.bachsocietyhouston.org.
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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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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.
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It’s time to nominate students for Lutheran Summer Music
Each year, the primary way that music students find their way to LSM is through the encouragement of their church musician! LSM offers opportunities for musicians of all kinds: brass, winds, strings, percussion, piano, organ, voice, harp, guitar, handbells, and more. Know a young person (grades 8-12) who would benefit from the life-giving and joyful musical community at LSM? Nominate them for LSM today at LSMacademy.org/nominate.
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Three Old Hymns and Your New Ideas!
Do you still sing any of these hymns listed below in church? If so, In Tempo invites your insights into (re-)introducing these hymns for worship, breathing fresh life into them, and adapting them to one's own context:
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Nun freut euch, Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice
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Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, Salvation unto Us Has Come
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Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir, Out of the Depths I Cry to You/From Depths of Woe, Lord God, I Cry
These three hymns are celebrating their 500th anniversary of being included in the first Lutheran hymnal, Etlich Christlich Lider, also known as the Achtliederbuch.
Send a short article with insights into your best practice for enlivening these ancient hymns in modern settings to: intempo@alcm.org.
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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 user name 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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