Overview
July 25-31, 2021
logo by Zach Dishman
You are invited to this wonderful event that features something for everyone. Excellent clinicians provide a meaningful opportunity for continuing education to church music professionals and music lovers alike. Choir members, handbell ringers, harpists, organists, and others will hone their craft and enjoy connecting with others who love sacred music. There is also programming for the whole family. Children and youth will have their own opportunities for singing, ringing, and more through the Camp Connections program.
If your family or church group has a wide variety of interests, The Church Music Conference is blessed with the Bible Conference and Camp Connections program running concurrently. From young to young at heart, there’s truly something for everyone.
Questions? Please feel free to get in touch with the Director of Programs or the Registrar at 540-434-3829 or registrar@massanettasprings.org
Union Presbyterian Seminary alumni are invited to attend the UPSem Luncheon during the Conference! Please check ‘yes’ next to the Union Seminary Alumni Luncheon in your registration form to sign up.
CMC Clinicians
Church Music Clinicians
Adult Choir
David Schwoebel
David Schwoebel is a graduate of McKendree University in Lebanon, IL and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Voice and Organ Performance, and Master of Church Music with an emphasis in Composition. After nearly 40 years of local church ministry, including 22+ years as Minister of Music/Composer in Residence at Derbyshire Baptist Church in Richmond, VA, David has transitioned to full-time work as a composer, arranger, pianist, accompanist and clinician. Possessing such diverse education and practical ministry experience enables him to arrange and compose in multiple mediums including piano, organ, handbells, and instrumental, as well as choral music for all ages. As an established composer of sacred music with over 200 publications in 29 different publisher’s catalogs, David is known specifically for giving musical life to lyrics through sensitive melodies, well-crafted choral writing and rich-sounding accompaniments. A lover of hymnody, his MICHELLE hymn tune included in the 1991 Baptist Hymnal was named for his first, now deceased wife. The BRITTANY, ASHLEY and COURTNEY hymn tunes, named for his three daughters, and ROSE MARY, HENDRICKS AVENUE, as well as an arrangement of IRBY hymn tunes, are included in the hymnal, Celebrating Grace. The tunes, COURTNEY and ROSE MARY are also included in Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal. David resides in Richmond, VA with his wife, Keadron, and her daughter, Ashley Higgs.
Handbells
Ed Tompkins
Edmund F. Tompkins has served as Minister of Music and Organist at Morning Star Evangelical Lutheran Church in Matthews, North Carolina, since February 2004. Prior to this, Ed had served as Director of Music/Organist in churches in Durham, NC; Nashville, TN; and Richmond, VA. Ed directs two adult vocal choirs, two inter-generational handbell choirs, a youth handbell choir, and two instrumental ensembles as well as vocal and instrumental opportunities for children. Ed is a graduate of Duke University and Scarritt Graduate School. He has conducted handbell festivals in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Maryland and served on the handbell faculties at Montreat Conference on Worship and Music, Massanetta Church Music Conference, Music and Worship Arts Week at Lake Junaluska, Lutheridge Summer Music Week, and Lutheridge Handbell Weekend. He and his wife Judy live in Indian Trail, North Carolina.
Youth Choral - Coming Soon!
Terri Butler
Terri Butler teaches Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Choirs, Class Piano, Musical Theater and serves as the Music Instructor for the annual Musical Production at East Rockingham High School in Elkton VA. Terri is a native of the Shenandoah Valley, having grown up on a Dairy Farm in the lovely hamlet of Port Republic. Having become interested in singing and music in high school, she went on to pursue a career in Music Education. Terri is a graduate of James Madison University and holds certificates in Kodaly and Orff instruction. She has taught music on the Elementary, Middle and High School levels and has served several area churches as Music Director. She enjoys spending time with her husband Jim and their 5 children and has recently begun to enjoy her new role as grandmother to two sweet grandsons. Terri is delighted to be working with the youth choir at Massanetta this year.
Children’s Choral
Marianne Houff
Marianne Houff grew up in Bethel, PA, where she began singing and playing chimes and handbells as a young child at Palmyra Church of the Brethren. Marianne received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Bridgewater College. Her passion for music education and love for children's voices led her to an Orff certification from James Madison University and a Kodaly certification from Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Indiana. As children's music director at Bridgewater Church of the Brethren, Marianne directs two leveled children's choirs and the "Yorffs", the church youth Orff ensemble. Marianne currently serves as music specialist at John Wayland Elementary School in Rockingham County, Virginia. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the young musicians of the Massanetta Church music Conference.
Organ and Worship
Karen Areheart Ives
Karen Areheart Ives is Director of Music at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Williamsburg Virginia. Karen holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance from Wittenberg University (Springfield, OH) and her Master's from the University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC). She has a vocal performance degree from Columbia College where she was the Faculty Staff accompanist for eighteen years. She taught piano in CC's pre-college program and class piano in the college’s music department. Karen accompanied Columbia’s Sandlapper Singers, a semi-professional choral ensemble specializing in American music. She served six Lutheran churches in the Columbia area, and most recently was Cantor at Lutheran Church of the Nativity in Arden, NC. She assists Augsburg Fortress Publishers with music clinic events around the US, and she has been accompanist and keyboard clinician for Lutheridge’s Music Week (Arden, NC) and for the Presbyterian Association of Music conference at Massanetta Springs (Harrisonburg, VA). Karen is the accompanist for the Williamsburg Choral Guild, a mixed SATB chorus of approximately 100 singers. She is the rehearsal pianist for the Williamsburg Women’s Chorus and also accompanies the Jamestown Youth Chorale. She is a member of the American Guild of Organists and the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians.
Harp
Sue Richards
Sue Richards is returning as our Harp Clinician for a second year! We are excited to have her back.
Sue Richards is a traditional Celtic harper; she studied classical harp as a teen at Oberlin College and then Ohio State University. When she discovered Celtic harps, she turned to the Irish and Scottish music of her heritage, winning the American National Scottish Harp Championship four times. She has played for Presidents Clinton and Bush, Queen Elizabeth of England, and sat in with the Chieftains Irish band. She currently teaches and directs the harp program at the Ohio Scottish Arts School at Oberlin, Ohio, has taught and performed at most of the major Celtic harp festivals in the US, and has toured with the HARPA Ensemble in Norway and Scotland. Sue performs and composes with Ensemble Galilei in multi-media concerts sponsored by the National Geographic Society and the Metropolitan Museum of Art photography collection. She has three solo recordings on the Maggies Music label (www.maggiesmusic.com), and three books of arrangements of Celtic music for harp. She also has published a book of her own compositions, "Morning to Midnight." Currently Sue teaches in Asheville, NC.
Drums - Coming Soon!
Schedule
Daily Schedule
7:30 - 8:25 Breakfast
8:30 - 8:45 All-Conference Devotions at The Springs
8:45 - 10:00 Adult Advanced Handbells
9:00 - 10:00 Piano class & Beginning Harp
10:10 - 11:25 Adult Conference Choir
11:30 - 12:25 Reading Sessions - Tues/Weds: Adult Choir, Thurs: Youth ChoirMon: "Going Back in Person With Your Choir"
1:30 - 2:25 Intermediate Handbells
2:30 - 3:25 Chamber Choir & Intermediate/Advanced Harp
3:30 - 4:30 Reading Sessions Tues: Handbells, Thurs: Children's Choir
5:15 - 6:15 Dinner
7:00 Evening Worship
8:30 Special Evening Activity
And more!
Adult Choral Sessions, twice daily
Chamber Choir Sessions, once daily
Youth Choral Sessions on 2 age levels
Children’s Choral Sessions on 2 age levels
Handbells for adults and older youth on 2 levels
Art for High School youth
Handbells for 3rd-5th graders
Handbells for Middle School youth
Orff for Kindergarten- 8th Graders
Music emphasis in evening worship!
Organ Classes daily at Massanutten PC
Harp Classes daily: Two Levels (maybe three levels in 2019)
Massed Choir for Opening Worship Sunday night
Morning and Evening worship with the Bible Conference
Morning Devotions at the Springs
Resource and Reading Sessions for Choral and Handbell ministries
Instrumental and vocal ensembles leading in worship
Opportunities for one-on-one conversations with music and worship leaders
All Conference Children and Youth Concert
JW Pepper Music Store on campus
Camp Connections- a program for children, youth, and collegiates - for 2019, newly expanded camp activities and child participation in conjunction with Netta Day Camp!
Time to rest, rock, renew
CMC Registration
Registration is closed for 2021 Church Music Conference.
Questions?
Please feel free to get in touch with the Registrar for Church Music Conference or the Director of Programs at 540-434-3829.
Children, Youth, and College
Camp Connections
July 25-31, 2021
There is something for the whole family during the Bible Conference and Church Music Conference.
Wee Connect: For infants- preschool age children. Spend time with our loving caregivers in our updated nursery. The day will include playtime, story time, rest time, and music time.
Kids Connect: For children in completed Kindergarten- 5th Grade. Children will spend the day doing a variety of Camp Activities including, water play, archery, swimming, canoes, Bible Study and lawn games. All children will participate in choir. Upper Elementary students will participate in handbells.
Youth Connect: For youth in completed 6th- 12th Grade. The day will be anchored by Bible Study, Choir. Middle School youth will participate in handbells. High School youth have the option of signing up for Intermediate and advanced handbells (this requires pre-registration). There is a lot of time to hang out, explore Massanetta, do the Challenge Course/Zipline, and spend time with friends.
Camp Connections for children and youth are led by HS Juniors/Seniors and College Students who have leadership experience working with Children and youth. Many of them are children and youth of Massanetta programs and camp and love coming back each year to share Massanetta with a new generation.
You Register for Camp Connections when your family registers for the Bible and Church Music Conference. Your confirmation material will include an additional youth information form that will help us register your children/youth.
Click HERE for a downloadable version of our latest Youth Mailer
College Connections
So many of the youth who grew up coming to Bible Conference and Church Music Conference are now in College. Many come back to experience the conference. College Connections is for collegiates (completed freshman year- 23 years of age) to have an opportunity to reconnect and dig deeper. College students are invited to register normally for either Bible or Church Music conference and there will be opportunities just for college students planned throughout the day.
Camp Counselors
Interested in serving as a 2021 Camp Connections Counselor?
We are looking for youth (completed 11th/12th Grade) and college students who are excited about leading at Massanetta to help add numbers to our full time summer staff for this week of music and camp.
Dates of commitment are July 23-31, 2021.
Applications will be received on a rolling basis, dependent on room and availability. Camp Connection Counselors will be hired after Day Camp Counselors are hired.
Questions? Email daycamp@massanettasprings.org