I wanted to pass this along here in case you haven't already received a mailing about this conference we'll be hosting at St. Joseph's Seminary (Dunwoodie) in New York. The deadline for proposals (Monday, Oct. 24th) is quickly approaching.

dunwoodiemusic.org/conference

Call for Participation – National Conference
Gregorian Chant in Pastoral Ministry and Religious Education
Friday, March 10 – Saturday, March 11, 2017
St. Joseph’s Seminary (Dunwoodie), Yonkers, New York

What role does the Church’s treasury of sacred music play in contemporary pastoral ministry and religious education? How does one build a sacred music program of excellence which serves as an integral part of the sacred liturgy and is also effective both in drawing souls to Christ and forming people in the Catholic faith? This national conference will bring together clergy, seminarians, scholars, musicians, teachers, and Catholic school administrators to consider the place of Gregorian chant and excellent choral music in the life of the Catholic Church in America today. The conference seeks to inspire attendees with ideas for starting or continuing to develop sacred music programs of excellence in Catholic parishes and schools. The conference organizers also hope to encourage discussion about the vitality and necessity of beauty and sacred music in the catechesis and formation of Catholics, as well as in the evangelization of non-Catholics and non-practicing Catholics.

This two-day conference will feature:
-Keynote addresses (Msgr. Robert Skeris, Mr. Mark Langley, Fr. Christopher Smith)
-Presentations, workshops, and panel discussions on topics related to the conference theme
-Masses and the sung Divine Office with distinguished children’s and parish choirs
-Opportunities for informal discussions

The conference committee welcomes proposals for presentations, workshops, teaching demonstrations, panel discussions, and concerts related to the conference topic. Concerts may be 30–45 minutes in length, while all other sessions will be 30–45 minutes in length plus 15–30 minutes for discussion for a total of one hour.

Topics arising from the theme include, but are not limited to:
-The role of beauty or sacred music in conversion, evangelization, formation, or catechesis
-The sacred liturgy as it relates to conversion, evangelization, formation, or catechesis
-The place of the treasury of sacred music in the contemporary Church or modern society
-Historical studies of specific parishes, schools, or institutions of excellence
-Detailed expositions of contemporary successful sacred music programs
-Practical issues in the development of parish sacred music programs
-Building choral programs in multi-lingual parishes
-Building sacred music programs in parishes with limited financial resources
-Vernacular-language chant and polyphony
-Methods for recruiting and retaining excellent musicians and teachers
-Training Catholic school teachers in sacred music
-Music curriculum and standards in Catholic schools
-Choral programs for children and choir schools
-Historical studies of pedagogical methods
-The Ward method
-Performances of sacred music which relate to the conference theme

The deadline for proposals is October 24, 2016.

Proposals are to be submitted via email to Dr. Jennifer Donelson at jennifer.donelson@archny.org.

For presentation, workshop, teaching demonstration, and panel discussion proposals (30–45 minutes in length plus 15–30 minutes for discussion for a total of one hour), please send an e-mail including:
1. Title and Abstract (250 word maximum)
2. Your name and affiliation
3. Your phone number and email address
4. Bio (250 word maximum)
5. A brief bio of the group of students (teaching demonstrations only)

For concert proposals (30–45 minutes in length), please send an e-mail including:
1. Selections to be included on the program (including title, composer, and length of each piece)
2. A 100 word abstract (for lecture recitals only)
3. Your name and affiliation, as well as the name and affiliation of each performer/ensemble
4. Your phone number and email address
5. Your bio (250 word maximum)
6. A brief bio of each performer/ensemble included in the recital program (100 word maximum)
7. One or two recordings in mp3 format which demonstrate a recent performance. The selections need not necessarily be recordings of the pieces proposed for the conference recital program. Attachment limit: 8 MB.)
8. Performance space requirements (instrumentation, configuration, need for music stands and chairs, etc.)

Performances will take place in the chapel of St. Joseph’s Seminary. If submitting a recital program for compositions other than those for organ, recitalists must provide all performing personnel (e.g. choir, string ensemble, etc.) No piano, musical instruments (other than organ), or sound amplification will be provided for the recitals, except for a microphone for the presenter speaking during the recital if requested. The organ at St. Joseph’s Seminary is a three-manual, 41-rank Casavant, the specifications of which may be found here: http://database.organsociety.org/SingleOrganDetails.php?OrganID=8233.

The conference committee invites presentations in English or Spanish.

Presenters must register for the conference ($75) and will be responsible for their own expenses.

Click here for a downloadable PDF of this Call for Participation.

Questions regarding the conference may be directed to Jennifer Donelson via email or phone:
jennifer.donelson@archny.org
(914) 968–8212