The conference will be offered in an all-virtual format. Registration is open!

Join us online for workshops, worship services, a wonderful concert, vendors and networking. We will be virtually hosted by the First Church of Christ, Congregational, UCC in the historic town of Glastonbury, Connecticut. From Thursday evening through the Saturday 4 pm closing worship service, we provide a plethora of activities that will enhance your music skills and give you resources and ideas for new ways of expressing God's Spirit in these pandemic times. We also provide glimpses of the historic scenery around the church in Glastonbury, which you would have enjoyed if you had come in person as originally planned. Join us instead online for a mental reset and spiritual refreshment with a taste of Connecticut.

Thank you to Our Co-Sponsors

Our Presenters

Note our Connecticut-based talent!

Choral Clinician Gabriel Löfvall, Director of Chorus Angelicus and Gaudeamus
Organ Clinician Jeffrey Brillhart, Yale School of Music
Handbell Clinician Lawrence Berdensey, Director of the Hockanum Valley Ringers

Plus

Walden Moore -- Yale Institute of Sacred Music
Patrick Evans -- University of Alabama, formerly of Yale University
Rev. Lisa Clayton -- Director of the University of Connecticut's Voices of Freedom Gospel Choir
Miriam Therese Winter -- Feminist Theologian at Hartford Seminary
Michelle Horsley -- Director of Music Ministries, Trinity Episcopal Church, Hartford
Angela Salcedo -- Director of Music Ministries, First Church of Christ, Glastonbury and Professor of Organ, University of Connecticut
Susan Aziz -- Puppet maker
Keith Hampton -- Director of the Chicago Community Chorus and composer
Joe Utterback -- Director of Music, First Congregational Church, Stratford, CT and jazz musician/composer

and

Kasha Breau, organist, planning committee member and wildlife rehabilitator who will show us historic Glastonbury and wildlife along the Connecticut River.

Our Concert

On Friday evening we will present a video concert of music featuring seven-time Grammy award winner, Connecticut resident Paul Winter and the Paul Winter Consort with an additional appearance by Connecticut's Chorus Angelicus and Gaudeamus conducted by Gabriel Löfvall. Chorus Angelicus is an acclaimed Connecticut-based children's choir and Gaudeamus is their adult component. Also appearing will be the Hockanum Valley Ringers directed by Lawrence Berdensey and UConn's Voices of Freedom Gospel Choir directed by Rev. Lisa Clayton.

Our Closing Worship Service

The conference will culminate in a worship service at 4:00 pm on Saturday that will showcase the creative possibilities of video worship. Our preacher will be the Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ. Also included will be organ improvisations by Jeffrey Brillhart, the Hockanum Valley Ringers, Chorus Angelicus, and the premier of the winning hymn of UCCMA's hymn competition.

Workshops 

Most workshops will consist of a 45-minute video followed by 15 minutes of live questions with the clinician.

• Musical Treasures for the Organ: Something Old, Something New, Something Ghoul! – Angela Salcedo
• Sing of a Blessing – Miriam Therese Winter
• New Heartbeats: A Worldly Approach to Congregational Rhythm – Michelle Horsley
• Exploring the Jazz of Spirituals – Joe Utterback
• Rethinking and Developing New Paradigms for our Children's Choirs – Gabriel Löfvall
• Bold Composing in a New World – Keith Hampton
• New Worship Platforms: Re-imagined Concepts – Susan Aziz
• Improvisation: A World of Possibilities – Jeffrey Brillhart
• Rebuilding our Choirs Post-COVID Using the Lessons We Learned – Walden Moore
• Global Hymnody in North American Worship – Patrick Evans
• Singing in the Gospel Music Tradition – Rev. Lisa Clayton
• What are Those Funny Looking Handbell Symbols? – Lawrence Berdensey
• Conference Choir Rehearsal – Gabriel Löfvall

The Online Experience

All events will be streamed at the times listed (Eastern Time). Most of the material will be prerecorded, but portions will be live and interactive, such as the Q&A following the workshop presentations, the biennal meeting, and the social time. The website platform will make these transitions seamless. All of the conference material will be available to you for one month after the event is over. We fully expect the conference schedule to be challenging and we invite you to attend as much as you can absorb and catch up later on the sessions that you missed.

Micah House Interior

Conference 2021 Planning Committee

Many thanks go to our hardworking committee members.

Dr. Angela Salcedo, Chair
Director of Music Ministries, First Church of Christ, Glastonbury, CT
Jim Boratko
Organist and Music Director, First Church of Christ, West Hartford, CT
Kasha Breau
Music Director and Organist, First Congregational Church, Portland, CT
Leanne Connolly
Commissioned Minister of Music, First Congregational Church of Vernon, CT
Dr. Jo Deen Blaine Davis
Director of Music Ministries, The Congregational Church of New Canaan, New Canaan, CT
Larry Picard
Director of Music, South Congregational Church, Springfield, MA
Joan Pritchard
UCCMA Board Liaison and Publications Coordinator