Composers Symposium

It is a unique and somewhat challenging time for church music composers. The steady decline of involvement in the church of our current culture was exacerbated by the recent pandemic, affecting the size of our worship gatherings and the number of participants in music programs. With fewer human resources, composers and publishers are reflecting on ways to address the needs of our worshiping assemblies and those who seek to serve them. At the same time, the recent announcement of the discontinuation of an industry “staple” music software used for composition has jarred composers, some of whom have been working with the software for multiple decades.

The purpose of this symposium, Where do we go from here, is two-fold. First, it will attempt to stimulate conversation regarding our efforts to be faithful, creative, and nurturing stewards of the church’s song – even where gatherings have limited human and material resources. Second, it will offer composers a focused opportunity to explore newer music software. Through these two primary goals, this gathering of musicians will offer opportunity for meaningful worship, insightful conversations, informal sharing of manuscripts, and skillshops to develop one’s craft. Participants are invited to bring their laptops/iPads to use for software tutorials, and copies of a piece they would like to share in an informal exchange.

As ALCM prepares to host the 2025 Biennial Conference, For all that is to be, this Composers Symposium provides additional avenues of connection for the church music composer. With another opportunity to hear VOCES8 and a discounted rate offered when registering for both events, this will be a meaningful event at the right price.

Note: Skillshop topics will appeal to those with some composing experience.

Special thanks to the Fred Jackisch Memorial Fund and Trinity English Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, IN for their generous financial support of this Composers Symposium.