Church musicians from 27 states and the Virgin Islands gathered on the mountain at DuBose Conference Center in Monteagle, Tennessee, for the 56th annual Sewanee Church Music Conference July 10–16. Robert Delcamp, Professor of Music, University Organist and Choirmaster of the University of the South, planned and directed the conference. Heading the faculty were Jeffrey Smith, Canon Director of Music of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco; Peter Richard Conte, Grand Court Organist of the Wanamaker Organ at Lord & Taylor, Philadelphia and organist-choirmaster of St. Clement’s Church, Philadelphia; and The Rt. Rev. Joe G. Burnett, Bishop of Nebraska and conference chaplain.
The conference opened with evening prayer led by Bishop Burnett, who was also the officiant for the daily Eucharists with psalms. Peter Richard Conte and Jeffrey Smith were organists for the services that used Rites I and II with various settings of the canticles and different types of chant for the psalms. These different types of chanting the psalms and issues concerning their performance were the focus of two classes held by Dr. Smith. He also presented two sessions offering practical suggestions for founding, reinvigorating and polishing children’s choirs. Bishop Burnett shed light on three profound reforms that are at the heart of the 1979 Prayer Book. And Mr. Conte took a fresh look at creative hymn playing by drawing inspiration from the poetry of hymns. He also held a crash course for beginners in improvisation for service playing and presented two classes devoted to accompanying.
Adjunct faculty led a variety of classes and reading sessions. Wendy Klopfenstein, principal violinist with the Mobile Opera Orchestra, the Mobile Symphony and the Pensacola Symphony, discussed the process of hiring strings to augment one’s music program. The discussion included how to deal with a contractor, conducting strings vs. choral conducting, payment, rehearsal times and length, and other considerations. Ms. Klopfenstein also gave a presentation on working with small churches. Susan Rupert, vocal professor at The University of the South and The School of Theology, led classes in vocal techniques for choir directors and Episcopal basics for those new to the Episcopal Church.
Reading sessions enriched the conference program. These were led by Jane Gamble, Canon Organist-Choirmaster of St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Memphis; John Spain, organist at St. Anne Episcopal Church in the Cincinnati suburb of West Chester; and Jennifer Stammers, soprano soloist, composer, music teacher and choir director at Trinity Episcopal Church, Atchison, Kansas. Mark Schweizer, composer, bass soloist and editor of St. James Music Press, presented recently published choral works, and Thomas Pavlechko, cantor, composer in residence and organist-choir director at St. Martin’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Austin, Texas, showed two hymn collections published by the new publishing company, E-Libris Publishers, based in Memphis.
A highlight of the week was the organ recital played by Conte in All Saints’ Chapel of the University of the South. The program featured many of Conte’s transcriptions—Bernstein’s Overture to “Candide,” Kreisler’s Variations on a Theme by Corelli, Cortège et Litanie transcribed from Dupré’s orchestral score, William Bolcom’s Graceful Ghost Rag, Brahms’s Variations on a Theme of Haydn, ending with a transcription of Rossini’s Overture to “The Barber of Seville.” Conte provided a rare treat later in the week when he accompanied the showing of the silent film The Kid, featuring Charlie Chaplin.
The 130 conferees formed the choir for two services in All Saints’ Chapel. Evensong featured George Dyson’s Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D preceded by Barry Smith’s African Versicles and Responses. Psalm 139 was set to an Anglican chant by Thomas A. Walmisle, and the anthem was Edward Bairstow’s monumental Blessed City, Heavenly Salem. The service was framed by two voluntaries—Choral by Jongen and Franck’s Pièce Héroïque.
In the Festival University Service on Sunday morning Jeffrey Smith’s Mass in C provided the settings of texts for the Holy Eucharist. Psalm 85 was sung to an Anglican chant by Herbert Howells. The offertory anthem was Charles Wood’s O Thou sweetest Source of gladness, and during Communion the commissioned anthem, Jesu, the very thought of Thee by David Briggs, was sung. The organ prelude to the service was the Allegro maestoso from Sonata in G by Elgar. The postlude was “Marche Pontificale” from Symphony No. 1 by Widor, played by Conte and followed by the ringing of the bells of the Leonidas Polk Memorial Carillon.
Participating in both services were Jeffrey Smith, conductor; Peter Richard Conte, organist; and The Rt. Rev. Joe G. Burnett. Bishop of Nebraska.
