Hymn Society 2015 Conference in New Orleans

I’m at the 2015 annual conference of the Hymn Society in New Orleans: “Somebody’s Call’ My Name: Jazz, Jambalaya, and Jubilee.” We’re meeting at Loyola University.

There are four plenary addresses:

• “Congregational Singing (Praising God) from the Margins” by Miguel & Deborah De La Torre
• “Psalmody and Hymnody in Jewish Congregational Singing” by John H. Baron
• “Spirituals and Gospel Song in African-American Congregational Singing” by Roy Belfield, Jr.
• “The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology” by Carlton R. Young

There are five hymn festivals:

• “Jambalaya Festival: When the Storms of Life Are Raging – Hymns in Times of Crisis and Recovery”
• “Down By The Riverside: Jazz and Congregational Song”
• “Shiru L’Adonai – Sing unto the LORD: A Feast of Jewish Congregational Hymnody”
• “African-American Spirituals & Gospel Songs”
• “Jubliee Festival: The Big Easy”

There are also six groups of sectionals (break-outs).

The business meeting is tomorrow. Watch this space for a coming announcement.