A lot has been happening at the Center for Church Music. Check out these recent offerings…

NEW IN “PROFILES IN AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH MUSIC” (video series)

https://www.cuchicago.edu/academics/centers-of-excellence/center-for-church-music/profiles-in-american-lutheran-church-music/video-interviews/

Martin Seltz, longtime AF worship, music & hymnal editor,  – interviewed by Robert Buckley Farlee

Bryan Gerlach, longtime WELS director of music and worship – interviewed by Grace Hennig

Steve Starke, Lutheran pastor and hymn writer – interviewed by Barry Bobb

Paul D. Weber, Lutheran pastor, university professor and hymn writer – interviewed by Barry Bobb

[Coming soon…an interview with David Cherwien]

 

OTHER NEW VIDEOS (See “Conversations)

https://www.cuchicago.edu/academics/centers-of-excellence/center-for-church-music/conversations/

John Witvliet – “Church Music as a Pastoral Task”

John Witvliet – “Singing the Psalms”

Matt Janssen – “Using Instruments in Worship”

Lois and Sam Eatherton – “Teaching Children to Sing Beautifully”

Benjamin Kolodziej – “American Lutheran Sacred Music: 1847-1947”

Paul Soulek – “Sing Boldly: Creating a Singing Culture at Church and School”


NEW IN MANUSCRIPT ARCHIVES

Steve Starke  - Over 250 individual hymn files of the Lutheran pastor and prolific hymn writer


NEW PUBLICATIONS

Benjamin Kolodziej – Portraits in American Lutheran Sacred Music: 1847-1947

(Available from CPH or Amazon.com) [See also video presentation above]

Barry Bobb, Lisa Clark, David Rogner, Steve Starke – Beyond the Hymnals: Choosing Christian Song for the Lectionary/Series A

(Available as a free, downloadable PDF. (176 pp) See “Publications”)

https://www.cuchicago.edu/academics/centers-of-excellence/center-for-church-music/publications/

Barry Bobb, William Braun – Source Documents in American Lutheran Hymnody: Volume II

(Available as a free, downloadable PDF. (80 pp) See “Research and Discoveries”)

https://www.cuchicago.edu/academics/centers-of-excellence/center-for-church-music/discoveries/


NEW IN STUDENT AWARDS

The deadlines for the 2026 awards are approaching…see link for details.

https://www.cuchicago.edu/academics/centers-of-excellence/center-for-church-music/about-the-center/student-awards-2026/

Wolfram Award in Liturgical Art

Deadline: May 1st, 2026

Prize: $1,000.00

Hillert Award in Student Composition

Deadline: June 1st, 2026

Prize: $1,000.00 and possible national performance during summer of 2027


MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE CENTER…

The Liturgical Choir Reference Library is constantly being updated. Thousands of choral octavos arranged by psalmody, Scripture passage, hymn tune, liturgical song, days and times of the Church Year, collections, major works.

Readily accessible any time the Klinck Library is open. Lots of natural light and table space for perusal and planning. And there’s a Starbuck downstairs!