Bless O Lord, us thy

servants who minister in

thy temple. Grant that

what we sing with our

lips we may believe in our

hears, and what we believe

in our hearts we may show

forth in our lives, through

Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

Inside this issue:

John Bertalot’s Master Course 2

New Faces, New Places 3

Dorothy Lyall - A Remembrance 4

Summer Courses 5

Go for the Bronze & Silver 5

Ben Hutto Honored by RSCM 6

Notes from the RSCM America Office

7

Music Reviews 6

RSCM Publications 8

Royal School of Church Music in AmericaRoyal School of Church Music in AmericaRoyal School of Church Music in AmericaRoyal School of Church Music in America Royal School of Church Music in America

Do The Little Things

Volume 2, Issue 1 � Winter 2006

Greetings to all and Happy St David’s Day! (March 1)

“Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about.” These are said to be words of St David from his final sermon to his followers before his death on March 1, 589. ‘Do the little things’ (Gwnewch y pethau bychain) is today a very well-known phrase in Welsh, and I commend it to you.

The RSCM isisisis its members, joined together to promote the best use of music in worship, church life, and the greater community. It is a big thing, but it happens by all of us trying our best to do the little things. I encourage you to:

� Call up your colleague in a nearby parish or school and join your choirs together for a Sunday service, a small concert, to sing at a nursing home

� Register yourself and your choristers for a summer course � Encourage adult choir members to attend a course � Using Voice for Life, teach a music reading and singing class to your parishioners/chorister parents/adults in the community

� Have lunch with a colleague to share ideas and encourage one an-other

� Invite someone in your area to join the RSCM movement by becom-ing a friend, member or affiliate

� Tell us about the little things you are doing and we will share your news with others on our website and in the newsletter

In this publication, you’ll find ways to get involved locally and beyond. You’ll learn about changes in the Board of Directors and ongoing initiatives. You’ll read reviews of repertoire. You’ll hear of a “saint,” Dorothy Lyall, who ex-celled in doing the little things and whose life had a great impact on many.

My hope is that you will find encouragement in knowing that the little things you do are a significant part of what the RSCM is. I am honored to serve as your president, am always inspired by what you do, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Faithfully, Cindy

Cynthia DeDakis, ARSCM President

Page 2 Royal School of Church Music in America

By Dr John Bertalot, FRSCM Director of Music Emeritus, Trinity Church, Princeton, NJ

Q: “Why should I send my chorister(s) to a summer course?”

A: THEY ARE NEVER THE A: THEY ARE NEVER THE A: THEY ARE NEVER THE A: THEY ARE NEVER THE SAME AFTERWARDS!SAME AFTERWARDS!SAME AFTERWARDS!SAME AFTERWARDS!

MUSICAL I had a young chorister in my choir at Trinity Church, Princeton NJ, who was par-ticularly talented, BUT he didn’t fulfill his potential. Several times I ‘had a word’ with him, but nothing changed. Then I sent him on an RSCM summer residential course and everything changed!

His enthusiasm knew no bounds, his singing was so outstanding that he began to lead choristers who were older than he and, of course, he made an outstanding head boy. When his voice changed he stayed on as an alto – and sang many solos, including Gibbons’ This is the record of John.

He was accepted to study music at one of the Ivy League Universities, gave organ recitals, conducted concerts and, after graduat-ing, became a soloist and tour manager of one of the most prestigious choirs in the US…

… and all that stemmed from his attending an RSCM sum-mer residential course when he was a boy! LIFE-CHANGING A few years ago I was in Bel-fast, Northern Ireland, and met a man who’d been a boy chorister on a course I’d di-rected many years previously. He became quite dewy-eyed when he told me how much that course had meant to him. He was now directing a

successful business, but con-tinued singing in his local church choir because of the experience of taking part on that RSCM residential course.

I know many other young choristers whose lives were changed by attending resi-dential courses. Some choris-ters have made music their career and done very well. Others have pursued differ-ent careers, but all have re-tained the gifts of music-making they received when young – gifts which were rein-forced by attendance at an RSCM course. Attending such courses will strengthen the desire in many of your choris-ters to remain in your choir until they graduate from High School. How important that is!

And, of course, it’s from the ranks of today’s young choris-ters that most of the tomor-row’s church musicians will also come. The importance of encouraging and educating our choristers to the highest standards cannot be over-stated. And it’s often through their attendance at a residen-tial RSCM course that the spark is ignited. SOCIAL When I was a student and still very green musically, I was organist-choirmaster of a village church in Sussex on the south coast of England. I sent two of my boys on an RSCM residential course and they came back so enthusias-tic that they could hardly con-tain themselves!

Why? Because they’d sung some great music (which we could never attempt with our limited resources) and they’d discovered that other chil-dren sang in church choirs just like theirs – and they didn’t know that! That’s a problem about singing in our

own church choirs; we have very little opportunity to mix with other choristers. It’s only when we live and work for a week with other singers that we find (a) that we’re all very similar, (b) that it’s great fun singing music which we may not have had the opportunity to sing before, and (c) that some children may be more advanced than we are: how do they do it? Can I learn from them this week? Yes!

And it’s not all music on such courses. There are fun times with lots of other activities for children and adults alike. They’re a real vacation experi-ence, and every day there’s something new to enjoy. EDUCATIONAL But what about us choir di-rectors?

Those two boys from Sussex told me that they had found it so easy to sing high notes. ‘How did you do it?’ I asked, because at that time I didn’t know. ‘We don’t know – we just did it!’

John Bertalot’s Master Class

Well, that wasn’t much help to me. I needed to know what they had learned so that I could teach it to my choir. I only found out how to do it (and learned so many other choral skills!) when I at-tended RSCM courses myself.

And so whenever I direct courses for choristers I al-ways encourage their choir-masters to come along too; we can all learn from each other, and an RSCM course is the ideal way for us choral directors to find out ‘how it’s done’. DO IT NOW! So, choirmaster / choir direc-tor / church musician / par-ents, if you haven’t yet sent some of your choristers on an RSCM residential course, try it this summer! You will be thrilled by the enthusiasm with which your choristers return to you, and if you go yourself, you’ll polish your own techniques so that you can enthuse your whole choir. You’ll never be the same!

Choristers from St Alban's Episcopal Church, Wash-ington, DC welcomed the members of the Chorister Academy from St John's Church, Lafayette Square to sing with them on December 18, 2005. Sonya Sutton is director of Parish Music Ministries at St Alban's and Cynthia DeDakis is director of the Chorister Academy.

Page 3

continued from back cover

New Faces, New Places

At the January Board meet-ing, we welcomed two new members to our Board and two other Board members assumed new positions. Courtney DaniellCourtney DaniellCourtney DaniellCourtney Daniell----KnappKnappKnappKnapp of Houston, TX and Ernest Ernest Ernest Ernest PlunkettPlunkettPlunkettPlunkett of Atlanta, GA are the new Board members. Ernest Ernest Ernest Ernest will serve as Treas-urer and brings a wealth of business acumen and ex-perience. CourtneyCourtneyCourtneyCourtney is an active musician and teacher with wonderful ideas and experience to encourage regional RSCM events and local activities. Courtney and Ernest are pictured below, along with bios to help you get to know them better. Ben Hutto, Ben Hutto, Ben Hutto, Ben Hutto, has been appointed Past Past Past Past President,President,President,President, and will be an advisor to the Board for 2006 and Graham ElliottGraham ElliottGraham ElliottGraham Elliott has been named to the position of Coordinator, Coordinator, Coordinator, Coordinator, RSCM AmericaRSCM AmericaRSCM AmericaRSCM America and will oversee the daily opera-tions of the organization. Each of these persons brings to our mission great energy, wisdom and pas-sion.

A native of Atlanta & gradu-ate of the University of Georgia, Ernest PlunkettErnest PlunkettErnest PlunkettErnest Plunkett

has served for many years as Organist/Choirmaster at St. David's Episcopal Church, Roswell, GA (suburb of Atlanta). In addition to his music pro-fession, Ernest has a BBA degree in Accounting, owns a real estate management firm (managing Condomin-ium and Homeowners As-sociations) and maintains several professional desig-nations. He has served as Treasurer of the Atlanta Chapter, AGO, Treasurer of two annual conferences of the Association of Anglican Musicians and on the Fi-nance Committee of an AGO National Convention.

Courtney DaniellCourtney DaniellCourtney DaniellCourtney Daniell----KnappKnappKnappKnapp is the Director of Music at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church, where she admin-isters the music depart-ment and conducts the choirs alongside her hus-band Brady Knapp. In their work at Palmer, Courtney and her husband Brady have worked to make sa-cred music a means of ex-pression for as many peo-ple as possible. There are music-making opportuni-ties available for all ages, newborns through seniors,

through Kindermusik classes, a graded choir pro-gram for children age four through high school em-ploying the Royal School of Church Music curriculum as well as varied adult choir opportunities. The Palmer adult, youth and children’s choirs have made summer pilgrimages to England (2002, 2003, 2004), At-lanta, Georgia and Louisi-ana where they have sung for resident choirmasters Malcolm Archer, Richard Marlow, Timothy Brown, Paul Trepte and Bruce Nes-wick. In addition to her work at Palmer, Courtney

teaches kindergarten through fourth grade music at Presbyterian School, where the principles of the Kodàly philosophy of music education are utilized to encourage a rich singing culture in the lower school. A native of Marietta, Geor-gia, Courtney holds a bachelor’s degree in French from Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree in music from Rice University. When not encouraging the world to sing, Courtney can be found at home playing with her boys, Emerson, 4, and Theodore, 2.

Carols for Life, vol. 1 This volume presents songs and carols for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany for unison, two and three part upper voice and equal voice choirs. It includes some standards of the repertoire but among over 40 carols it has lots of newly commis-sioned pieces. Choristers with more experience will find plenty to challenge

them in this collection. Along with the extensive training and performance notes for each piece, there are sam-ple service outlines for an Advent Carol Service and Christmas Carol Service.

Awards Training ResourcesAwards Training ResourcesAwards Training ResourcesAwards Training Resources

The Bronze Collection and The Silver Collection Choirmasters who are pre-paring choristers for exter-

nal examination will find these very useful resources. Each collection contains anthems appropriate to the exam level of that book, along with sample hymns and psalms. A chorister who masters these pieces will be well prepared for the exam process. As with the other Voice for Life support-ing materials, these collec-tions have extensive train-

ing notes to help choirmas-ters confidently teach their awards candidates. The Bronze and Silver collec-tions also include a model syllabus for the respective exams, complete with infor-mation about what to pre-pare and what the examiner will be looking for in evalu-ating the singers in each of the five modules.

RSCM Publications

Page 4 Royal School of Church Music in America

Dorothy Lyall - A Remembrance

The Royal School of Church Music had no greater friend, nor more passionate advocate than the late Dorothy Lyall, who died on November 19, 2005. Her devotion to excellence in church music naturally pro-pelled her into the RSCM, an organization dedicated to its propagation. For dec-ades Dorothy was an inde-fatigable promoter of the RSCM and its goals. My first encounter with Dorothy and her late husband, Fr. Gordon Lyall, was on the steps of the Temple Church, London in 1974, following Matins. We had just emerged from a sublime service during which the famed Temple Choir and organ had been presided over by the legendary Dr. George Thalben-Ball. Doro-thy and Gordon, who were, at the time, respectively Organist/Choirmaster and Rector of St. David’s Episco-pal Church in Glenview, Illinois, recognized me as a Chicago maven. With her “Oh, dear heart!” and her dazzling trademark smile, Dorothy swept me up under her generous wing. She and Gordon took me out for an extended lunch. Fresh out of college and on my first $5-a-day trip to Europe, I was exceedingly grateful for their hospitality. They re-galed me with stories of Dr. Thalben-Ball and other leg-endary English cathedral musicians and luminaries they had known and enter-tained. I had just graduated from Northwestern and taken the Organist/Choirmaster position at St. Luke’s in Evanston, and they were eager to share their colorful stories about

life in the Diocese of Chi-cago -- the “Buckle of the Biretta Belt.” They knew stories about everyone, and were happy to share with me, in their most loving, humorous and forthright way, their version of who was who, and what was what. It turned out to be an invaluable roadmap in the years to come. They offered me mentorship at its finest and most loving, and, to this day, I remain grateful for the wisdom imparted over that lunch.

In the ensuing years, Doro-thy served on the Bishop’s Advisory Committee on Church Music in Chicago, and was energetically in-volved in every diocesan and deanery service that came along. Her real love was the work of the RSCM. Any visit to Chicago by an RSCM dignitary -- Gerald Knight and Lionel Dakers come to mind -- was indeed a royal occasion. Inevitably, a local RSCM festival ser-vice was organized, involv-ing as many area choirs as possible, followed by a party at the St. David’s Rec-tory to honor the visiting luminary. I remember how one very tiny Lyall grand-child had been rehearsed to proclaim: “Dr. Dakers! Dr. Dakers!” when Lionel walked into the room.

As a measure of Dorothy’s unfailing doggedness and optimism, one memory stands out. In preparation for an RSCM festival in Evanston, our planning committee had organized regional rehearsals prior to the event. One April Sunday afternoon, Dorothy and I were deployed to Joliet, IL

for such a rehearsal. It was one of those rare gorgeous Midwest spring afternoons on which everyone bolts for the outdoors, reveling in the reprieve from the long win-ter. Dorothy and I piled into the car for the 2-hour trek down I-55. We had been told that at least two dozen singers would be present for the rehearsal. In fact, only one choir member showed up. Undeterred, we proceeded with our “rehearsal for one.” On the way home, we alternately laughed and spit nails that we had spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon in pursuit of a single chorister. In the end, that RSCM festival was successful, and that single Joliet chorister sang out with gusto.

In her retirement and wid-owhood, and despite crip-pling health issues, Dorothy continued to play the organ, direct church choirs, make musical pilgrimages to Eng-land, and promote the RSCM to anyone and every-one. Her relentless insis-tence on the highest stan-dards for music in worship never wavered.

This past August I answered the phone to hear Dorothy’s voice. “How are you, Doro-thy?” I asked. With the au-thentic cheerfulness that comes from only a place of deep faith, she replied, “Well, dear heart, I’ve just come from the doctor, who told me I’ve got cancer, that there’s nothing he can do for me, that I’ve got three months to live, and that I should go home and do those things which I’ve left undone, and do them in a hurry.” “Oh, Dorothy, I’m so

sorry.” Waving off my sympa-thy, she went on. “Oh, dear heart, I’ve had the most sen-sational life, and now I get to plan my funeral. We’re going to do it right, you know, and it will be glorious!” Speech-less, I let her go on. “Now, dear heart, here are the an-thems I want sung.” Howells Like as the hart was at the top of her list. “Now darling, do you think you can put to-gether a choir? Will you come and play? You’ll make sure that everything is right, won’t you?” “Why yes, Dorothy, of course. We’ll put together a choir and do our best.” I made notes of all her hymn, anthem and service music requests, and assured her that we would carry out her wishes. Then, without a trace of irony, she proclaimed “Isn’t it wonderful that I get to plan the music for my own funeral?” the implication be-ing that, short of her absolute control, the task might fall into the hands of Philistines, and Lord only knows what that would look like. Once the “I’s” were dotted and “T’s” crossed, Dorothy still had a few things to say. Funny how impending death both frees and focuses one’s thinking. She continued “Dear heart, I love the Church, and I do think it still has some things to say, but I’m sick and tired of watching it attempt suicide every afternoon.” Dorothy always told it like she saw it.

At her funeral on December 3 at St. David’s in Glenview, Dorothy’s longtime and be-loved friend, Bishop James W. Montgomery (retired of Chicago) officiated. The Rev.

“Dorothy Lyall - A Remembrance” continued on page 5

Page 5

tact information for register-ing. More complete infor-mation about each course is available on our website.

Wow! Some of our courses are already over half full! In the column on the right you will see a listing of all the summer courses and con-

Summer Courses are Filling Fast

Dr. Graham M. Smith, Rec-tor of St. David’s, offered a colorful homily that recalled Dorothy’s vibrant life and deeds. W. Benjamin Hutto, President of the RSCM in America, traveled from Washington to read the lesson from Lamentation and sing in the choir, which had been enlisted from several area churches and choral organizations. Doro-thy’s musical wishes were honored as the congrega-tion sang “O God, our help in ages past,” “Dear Lord and Father of mankind,” “The King of Love,” and “Ye watchers and he holy ones.” The choir offered anthems by Wesley, Brahms and Howells. Fol-

lowing an overcoat-clad procession to the outdoor columbarium, Dorothy’s ashes were laid to rest in the precincts of the parish that she and her husband had loved and served for a generation.

Those whose lives have been blessed by the RSCM owe profound gratitude to Dorothy Lyall, who worked more courageously and tirelessly toward its aims than anyone could imagine. May she now join the heav-enly choir and continue her unending hymns of praise. Richard Webster March 2006

Dorothy Lyall - A Remembrance

continued from page 4

Awards Exams at Summer Courses

We know lots of singers around the country are working hard to get their awards. Many of our 2006 Summer Courses will have awards examiners present. If you have choristers and adult singers who are pre-paring for an exam, or are interested in doing so, con-tact course managers to see if an examiner will be at

Go for the Bronze and Silver

their course. As soon as that information is avail-able, it will appear on our website.

Please note: Course manag-ers cannot register anyone for an exam. That must be done by the national awards coordinator. To make arrangements for an exam, contact Garmon Ashby, Garmon.Ashby@ stphilipstucson.org.

Courses for

Boys and Adults:

Tulsa Course for Boys, Teen Boys

and Adults

July 10-16 Gerre Hancock, Music Director

Contact: Sara Arnold 918.584.7027

saraarno@swbell.net

Montreal Course for Boys

July 30 – August 6 Malcolm Archer, Music Director Contact: Cynthia Hawkins

416.544.8226 cynthiahawkins@earthlink.net

Courses for

Girls and Adults:

Carolina Course for Girls and Adults and Organ Institute

July 10 – 16 Dale Adelmann, Music Director Contact: Charles Hogan CarolinaRSCM@aol.com

Gulf Coast Course for Girls and Adults

July 17 – 23 James Rightmyer, Music Director

Contact: Betsy Calhoun 850.222.2636 ext. 20 betsy@saint-john.org

Rocky Mountain Course for Girls, Teen Girls

and Adults

July 31 – August 6 Bruce Neswick, Music Director Contact: Karen Knowles

303.709.5815 knowkaren@aol.com

Mixed Courses for

Girls, Boys and

Adults:

New York City Course for Young Men and Women

June 18 – 25 David Dunnett, Music Director

Contact: Joann Dull 740.296.4459

joanndull@bellaire.k12.oh.us

Charlotte Course for Girls, Boys,

Teens and Adults

July 3 – 9 Gerre Hancock, Music Director Contact: Alan Reed or Tracy

Reed 704.849.9791 or 704.408.7489

RSCMCharlotte@aol.com

St. Louis Course for Senior Girls, Girls,

Boys and Adults

July 24-30 Cynthia DeDakis, Music Director

Contact: Philip Brunswick BVMCentral@aol.com

Kings Course for Girls, Boys,

Teens and Adults

July 24 – 30 Andrew Lumsden, Music Director

Contact: The Rev. Linda Rosengren

904.387.5691 lrosen-

gren@goodshepherd23.org

Washington Course for Advanced Treble Girls

and Boys

July 24 – 30 Jeffrey Smith, Music Director Contact: Douglas Beck

301.654.7767 Dbeck@stjohnsnorwood.org

2006 Summer Courses

Page 6 Royal School of Church Music in America

Ben Hutto Honored by RSCM America

A festive reception was held in Washington, D.C. on 13 January 2006 to celebrate the lengthy and distin-guished service to the RSCM of Ben Hutto, Ben Hutto, Ben Hutto, Ben Hutto, out-going President of RSCM Amer-ica. Hosted by the RSCM America Board of Directors, the reception was attended by RSCM Direc-tor General Prof. John Harper, past Board mem-bers, and many friends and colleagues.

Ben is well known by RSCM members in the U.S. and by many in RSCM International because of his energetic and wide-spread involve-ment in numerous RSCM events and programs. In 1987, he attended the RSCM 60th Anniversary Fes-tival Service in Royal Albert Hall and more recent Inter-national Summer Schools in Durham and York. In addi-

tion to visiting many RSCM programs and courses in the US, he has traveled to South Africa to visit RSCM

affiliates there. In 2002, Ben chaired the Festival Service in Washington Na-tional Cathedral for the 75th Anniversary of the RSCM which included a choir of over 600 American singers.

Mr. Hutto met Dr. Gerald Knight in Charleston, South Carolina in the early 70’s while serving as Organist/Choirmaster of the Cathe-dral Church of St Luke and

St Paul. In 1975 he attended the first Overseas Summer Course in church music at Addington Palace, directed by Lionel Dakers.

In 1980, after at-tending the Prince-ton Course for Boys and Adults for several summers, Mr. Hutto was in-vited to start a “satellite” course in Charleston. When he became Organist/

Choirmaster at Christ Church, Charlotte, NC the course moved there. Ben contin-ued to manage it, assisted by Clara Godshall, until 1999. All who at-tended have fond memories of those weeks, the excel-lent and inspiring music, the great fun, and Mr. Hutto’s hospitality and affable pres-ence pervading the scene.

When Mr. Hutto was appointed Director of Cho-ral Activities (later Director of Performing Arts) at St. Albans School for Boys and National Cathedral School for Girls in Washington DC,

he organized and managed the Washington, DC, Course for Advanced Treble Girls and Boys and helped start the Washington, DC, Course for Young Women and Men.

Ben joined the RSCM Amer-ica Board in 1985. He be-came Secretary of the American Board in 1996

and has served as its Presi-dent since 2003.

Throughout his career, Mr. Hutto has consistently dem-onstrated a keen interest in the work and mission of the

organization. In recognition of his dedicated and wide-ranging ser-vice to RSCM and his professional-ism in the areas of choral and church music, he was awarded the ARSCM in 1991 and the FRSCM on 4 July 1998.

Those of you who have had the pleasure of meet-ing and working with Ben will re-member, above

all, his gracious and gener-ous hospitality – to Summer Courses staff and partici-pants, to RSCM Interna-tional members traveling through town, to the board and guests whenever we've met in Washington, and to countless others.

Board members Courtney Daniell-Knapp and Enid Oberholtzer

RSCM affiliate member Jason Abel (Christ Church, Alexandria, VA) with honoree Ben Hutto

RSCM President Cynthia DeDakis with honoree Ben Hutto

Board member Richard Webster with Hulene McLean (Charlotte, NC), retired Board Treasurer

Page 7

Music Reviews

By Graham Elliott, Coordina-tor, RSCM America TTTTHANKHANKHANKHANK YOUYOUYOUYOU … … … … to those who have already paid their dues for the year. Your names are entered in the database, and we are also making every effort to check that we have contact details correct. Please be sure to check the revised conditions for the three dif-ferent membership catego-ries, and ensure that you have signed on for the one

appropriate to your needs. Sunday by Sunday will be mailed to all Affiliate Or-ganization members, but it will not be sent to the other two membership catego-ries.

AAAANDNDNDND ABOUTABOUTABOUTABOUT THETHETHETHE M M M MAILAILAILAIL … … … … From time to time I hear that members have not received all the mailings that they should have had. PPPPLEASELEASELEASELEASE contact the office if you miss anything and I will do my best to get you up to

date, and to try to find out where the failure lay. Simi-larly, PPPPLEASELEASELEASELEASE notify us of any change of address, or name of the person who should receive materials.

AAAANDNDNDND ABOUTABOUTABOUTABOUT THETHETHETHE E E E E----MMMMAILAILAILAIL … … … … In 2005 we made a start with sending out regular e-mail letters. Many people ex-pressed appreciation for that. We do need to have your up-to-date e-mail ad-dress. It is also helpful if you could adjust your spam

Notes ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ from the RSCM America Office

filter to accept e-mail from RSCMAmerica@rockcreek-parish.org

RRRREMEMBEREMEMBEREMEMBEREMEMBER … … … … the most im-portant 'please' is that you remember that we want to offer you the best service we can. We value your membership and we want to expand our outreach across America. Let us know if you have concerns or suggestions; you will re-ceive a swift response.

By Ray Urwin

Peter Mathews: Two Com-munion Hymns. SATB, op-tional kybd. Morning Star, MSM-50-8309.

These two fine tunes were published in 1992. The first, By Christ redeemed, has a fine tune and har-mony, but at six stanzas seems to go on too long, making it difficult to main-tain interest throughout; one might dress it up a bit with a solo verse or two, or reserve stanzas 4 and 5 for use on Maundy Thursday or during the Easter season. But the stately, sarabande-like tune for Bread of heaven to the Josiah Conder text is a real gem, though sadly of only two stanzas. Mathews’ parts are interesting without be-ing difficult.

Joel Martinson: Rejoice in the Lord always. Two- or Three-Part mixed voices, Organ. GIA, G-4450.

Two-part mixed and SAB music in general has the reputation of being low-

quality, dumbed-down mu-sic for choirs which can’t manage SATB pieces. This piece is a stellar exception, and will give even proficient SATB choirs (and organists) a real run for their money. With its often syncopated entrances and slightly un-usual harmony, it is espe-cially a challenge when one person is both playing and directing (as I am), calling for greater self-reliance from the choir. Appropriate for Advent, it is also fitting for general occasions. This piece is carefully written and includes very specific organ registrations. This was my ”challenge” piece for my choir last fall; they had to work very hard but they did it, and enjoyed the challenge. I highly recom-mend this piece, which de-serves many performances. Try omitting the ‘s’ in the word ‘always,’ it makes those cutoffs much easier to manage.

William Billings: A Cluster of Canons. Ed. By Craig Timberlake. Paraclete, PPM 09336.

I found this mini-collection last summer. It contains three canons (including When Jesus wept) in four parts, and one in six. We used one after our printed Communion motet to proc-ess up a side aisle back to our chancel seats, and the effect was stunning. The most difficult (and interest-ing) is Wake every breath, in six parts with a ground bass. These pieces would be good for teaching begin-ning part-singing as well as more liturgical and proces-sional use.

Jan Sweelinck: Lift up your voice. SATB unacc. Ed. By William P. Rowan. GIA, G-5707.

This fine piece, part of GIA’s excellent Ars Antiqua Choralis series, is from Sweelinck’s Cantiones Sac-rae and is given an English text adapted from Psalm 96, making it useful much of the Church year. Rowan includes dynamics, stress and unstress markings, and other performance sugges-tions, all appropriate and helpful. This is a good all-

purpose polyphonic piece, by a composer who should be heard more in the Church. If your sopranos and tenors can soar, try it up a step in E, or even F.

Ed. Note: Dr. Urwin has con-tributed articles, reviews and interviews to The American Organist, The Living Church, Clavier magazine, and the Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians. As a composer, he has written for The Hymnal, 1982, and his compositions and editions have been published by Boosey and Hawkes, Morning Star, Selah, Oxford University Press and others. Since 1989, he has been Director of Music at St. Francis Epis-copal Church, Palos Verdes Estates, California, and prior to that was for ten years at the Cathedral Church of St. John in Wilmington, Dela-ware. His association with RSCM America began in the 1960’s where he sang and accompanied at the summer courses at Princeton Univer-sity and was mentored by the late Robert Hobbs.

RSCM America

Board of Directors

Cynthia DeDakis ARSCM, President

The Rev. Edmund Pickup Secretary

Ernest Plunkett Treasurer

Garmon Ashby

Frank Boles Courtney Daniell-Knapp

Charles Hogan Karen Knowles Enid Oberholtzer

Richard Webster

Ex Officio members of the Board:

Ben Hutto FRSCM, Past President

Dr. Graham Elliott ARSCM, Coordinator RSCM America

Dr. Michael O’Connor Special Advisor, RSCM North America

Tel: 202-726-2080, x11 or x15

Fax: 202-726-1084

Website: www.rscmamerica.org

Royal School of Church Music in America

St. Paul’s Church - Rock Creek Parish

Rock Creek Church Rd. & Webster St., NW

Washington, DC 20011

The RSCM has, over the years, published some wonderful anthems and collections for choirmas-ters who work with smaller choirs and perhaps some-what limited resources. Maybe you find yourself in a new situation where your old “tried and true” anthems won’t yet work. Here are some sugges-tions for you to consider:

Twelve Easy Anthems This is a collection of an-thems for unison, two, three and four parts repre-senting various styles and idioms from plainsong to contemporary. Several are very useful for combining younger choristers with the adult choir – giving each group an opportunity to shine. Some exciting

RSCM Publications - Some things Old, Some things New

and challenging unison pieces for younger choris-ters are also included, as well as a few offering good two-part sections.

Songs for Life, vol. 1 This is a resource to use along with your Voice for Life training and rehearsals. It includes short (and some longer) songs in unison and two parts, and canons. Each piece has accompany-ing performance notes and the Voice for Life level(s) (light blue, dark blue, etc.) of each is indicated. The pieces are both sacred and secular. Many are fun to use as warm-ups or as a little ‘break’ during re-hearsal. The canons provide excellent preparation for part-singing.

Songs for Life, vol. 2 This collection also has short songs and canons, but also a number of more ex-tended songs and anthems ranging from unison to three-part arrangements. It’s a good resource to use with a mixed choir having boys with changing voices. Clear and helpful training and performance notes are included for each piece. In addition to a wide range of repertoire from the Middle Ages to the present, it in-cludes spirituals, gospel songs, music from Iona and some from the popular id-iom, giving a choir an oppor-tunity to explore different vocal styles and techniques appropriate to the music.

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