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These are open sessions. There is no need to make choices when you register.
I.
Old Tunes New Texts (Dr. Amanda Udis-Kessler)
Thursday at 9:45 am
Your congregation loves those old tunes, but not that old theology! Be not afraid – there are resources available for just this situation. This interest session will help you track down new hymn texts that can be sung to those well-known melodies. You will also learn tips and tricks for writing new hymn texts yourself – a great way to make sure the hymn text lines up perfectly with the sermon or other service element. Suggestions for small and rural church music programs will be included.
Attracting Singers: Ideas For Recruiting and Growing Your Choirs (Amy Johnston Blosser)
Thursday at 9:45 pm
“I’m really busy and can’t handle the commitment.” “I’ve never sung before, and I’m not comfortable singing in front of people.” “I’m not a real singer, you don’t need me!”
Most church music leaders have heard some variation of these sentiments throughout their ministry. These few examples are just from church members or regular worship attendees, what about the many outside of our congregations? How can we widen our reach to our communities in an authentic, inclusive way which works with the modern church goer? This session will offer ideas and techniques focused on bringing singers to your choirs and creating a true sense of community.
II.
Ready, Set, Ring! (Jared Ogier)
Thursday at 12:45 pm
You've got some bells and a handful of willing participants to try and ring them. Now what? Jarod Ogier will offer advice for planning rehearsals, choosing repertoire, starting new ringers and building them up with achievable metrics, and creating a culture of inclusion and growth based on sound musicianship and basic principles of ministry through music. We'll have equipment on hand to try out practice techniques and play through different types of music with an eye toward beginner and intermediate skill development and growth.
The Aging Voice: What Can Be Done to Slow This Down? (Dr. C. Andrew Blosser)
Thursday at 12:45 pm
The aging voice is something that every church choir director will encounter. This session will address the inevitable and give exercises and strategies to help your aging singers sound their best.
III.
Tips for Church Organists (Clinician TBA)
Thursday at 5:00 pm
From Song to Street: Where Inclusive Worship Meets Real-World Impact (Rev. John Girard)
Thursday at 5:00 pm
What happens when the songs we sing actually shape the way we live? In this interactive workshop, participants will explore how worship—especially music and language—can move a congregation beyond inclusion as an idea into justice as a way of life. Grounded in the lived ministries of First Community, we’ll examine how worship can reflect, inspire, and deepen engagement in food justice, refugee support, LGBTQ+ affirmation, racial equity, environmental stewardship, and more. Participants will leave with practical tools to connect what happens in worship with what happens in the world.
IV.
Singing a Wider Story: Inclusive Worship in Contemporary Christian Music (Janelle Rogers)
Friday at 9:45 am
This session explores how progressive contemporary Christian music can help congregations “sing a wider story” by embracing inclusive language, diverse theological perspectives, and expansive images of God. I will share practical resources for selecting and planning worship music that reflects these values while remaining accessible and meaningful for modern communities. Drawing from my own experience, I’ll also offer personal insights and lessons learned about cultivating authentic, engaging worship that resonates deeply with a broad and evolving congregation.
When Words Shape the Music: Approaches to Text, Stress, and Range in Choral Writing (Innocent N. Okechukwu)
Friday at 9:45 am
This informal presentation and demonstration explores my compositional approach to writing for choir, focusing on the relationship between text and musical gesture. In my work, the words themselves guide many musical decisions—particularly the placement of pitch, vocal range, and melodic contour. I will discuss how the natural stresses of language should influence whether a note is placed higher or lower, and how respecting textual prosody can significantly enhance clarity and expressiveness in choral music.
Too often, choral works are written without sufficient attention to the natural stresses of the text or the expressive possibilities of word painting. When this happens, the music can obscure rather than illuminate the meaning of the words. In contrast, my compositional process begins with careful attention to the rhythm, emphasis, and emotional weight of the text. By allowing these elements to shape melodic and harmonic decisions, the choir becomes a vehicle through which the text can speak more vividly.
The session will include score examples and brief demonstrations showing how textual stress can influence melodic direction, register, and phrasing. Through these examples, I will illustrate practical techniques composers can use to ensure that the musical setting reinforces rather than conflicts with the natural flow of language.
Although the presentation will take the form of an informal conversation with participants, it will provide practical insights for composers, conductors, and singers interested in the craft of text setting in choral music.
V.
Composition 101 for Church Musicians (Dr. Tim Sarsany)
Friday at 12:45 pm
Dr. Sarsany will explore arranging and compositional techniques that help create music that is both impactful and approachable for church choirs. In this session, he will showcase not only his own arrangements and compositions but also highlight works by other arrangers and composers that are particularly well suited for church settings. Additionally, Dr. Sarsany will discuss the use of descants and strategies for adapting music to fit the resources and needs of church musicians.
Canadian Church Choral Music and Resources: Exploring Accessible Music from our Neighbours to the North (Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt)
Friday at 12:45 pm
This session will provide context on Canadian choral music for traditional worship, spanning the influence of Healey Willan through current-day composers such as Stephanie Martin. Participants will also learn about Canadian organizations that promote church music which can be used internationally.
Reading Session I
Choral Music Reading Session (Amy Johnston Blosser)
Thursday at 1:55 pm
Sight-Ringing: Reading New Music for Handbells (Jarod Ogier)
Thursday at 1:55 pm
Join our conference bell director, Jarod Ogier, for a relaxed read-through session of new handbell titles aimed at groups of all shapes and sizes. We'll discuss the unique details of each piece, read and ring together, and explore potential worship usage for each one. Jarod will also cover basic bell techniques that arise along the way and offer advice for problem solving in bell assignments, sharing, weaving, etc. It's a great way to learn more about the instruments and varied repertoire that is available in a low-key way.
Reading Session II
Choral Music Reading Session (Amy Johnston Blosser)
Friday at 1:55 pm
This session offers new material and is not a repeat of Thursday's session.
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