GREENVILLE, S.C.—Furman University will host its 2011 Church Music Conference Thursday and Friday, Jan. 27 and 28.
Two concerts will be held as part of the conference. The Belcher Organ Recital, featuring organist Edie Johnson, will be presented Thursday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. in Daniel Chapel.
The closing concert, which will take place Friday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m. in Daniel Chapel, will feature pianist Joseph Martin performing his own hymn improvisations and performances by Furman’s choral ensembles.
Admission to the Belcher recital is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $3 for students. Admission for the closing concert is free and open to the public.
The annual conference is made possible through a grant from the Thomson Foundation. The conference, which began in 1971, draws church musicians from throughout the southeastern United States.
Each year the conference brings to campus clinicians who present lectures and conduct workshops pertaining to the practice of church music. This year’s conference welcomes three clinicians, all of whom are distinguished Furman alumni.
Hugh Ferguson Floyd (‘84), Furman’s newly appointed professor of choral music, will be joined by renowned composer and sacred piano recording artist Joseph Martin (‘84) and award-winning organist Edie Johnson (‘96) in presenting lectures on choral techniques, sacred music composition, sacred choral repertory and methods for achieving healthy and relaxed singing and keyboard performance.
The Belcher Organ Recital is named in honor of Posey and Jean Orr Belcher '54, and is made possible by an endowment created by the Belcher children. Since 2005, an outstanding regional or national organist has performed a recital on Daniel Chapel’s Hartness Organ as part of the conference. This year’s guest is Johnson, organist and music associate at Church Street United Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tenn.
The closing concert will feature choral selections presented by the Furman Singers (directed by Hugh Floyd), the Furman Chamber Choir (directed by William Thomas), the Furman Men’s and Women’s Chorales (directed by Vivian Hamilton) and the Furman Chancel Choir (directed by Furman senior Paul Thomas).
For more information, contact the Furman Music Department at 864-294-2086.