word and sacrament in text and music: saturday, april 29, 2006
An opportunity for church musicians, organists, choir directors to enjoy a day of poetry, hymnody, singing and conversation.
Location: First Lutheran Church, Decorah, IA
Facilitated by Luther faculty Kate Narveson, Andrew Whitfield, Greg Peterson with special guest, Walter Pelz, nationally known church composer, arranger and conductor.
Workshop Schedule
9:00-9:30am. Welcome and short worship
9:30-10:30 am. Discussion and demonstration of George Herbert's "Love Bade Me Welcome" by Kate Narveson and Andrew Whitfield
10:45-noon Presentation and demonstration by Walter Pelz
12:00-1:30 pm. Luncheon
1:30-3:00 p.m. Rehearsal with Dr. Pelz for afternoon performance
3:30 p.m. Public performance of Dr. Pelz' works by participants and First Lutheran Chancel Choir (Tim and Sandra Peter, Directors) with assistance from Gregory Peterson
All materials and meals are free of charge to participants. Each participant will receive a packet of octavos of Dr. Pelz' works chosen for the day for your music library.
Dr. Walter Pelz is a renowned composer, choral director, organist and educator. He regularly performs recitals, dedications and hymn festivals and appears as a clinician for organ and choral workshops throughout the United States. He has composed several hundred compositions including verses and offertories, anthems, solos, cantatas, hymns, choral symphonies, and organ works---many with instruments. He is affiliated with nine publishers. Several of his hymn tunes and harmonizations are included in recent hymnal supplements. Most recently he produced a CD Joy of Sounding for the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM) which was released in 2002 and is available through them. His compositions have been performed in churches, colleges, on radio and television in the United States as well as in Europe.
A native of Chicago, Dr. Pelz studied organ at the American Conservatory of Music under Edward Eigenschenk while attending and receiving his undergraduate degree from Concordia Teachers College-now Concordia University-in River Forest, IL. He received his master's degree from Northwestern University where he studied organ under Theodore Lams. His doctorate in Theory and Composition was from the University of Minnesota where his organ instructor was Heinrich Fleischer. His composition instructors were Paul Fetler and Pulitzer prize winner Dominick Argento.
He joined the Bethany College, Lindsborg, KS music faculty and taught theory, composition, piano, organ, directed choirs and was the college organist until retirement in 1989. Dr. Pelz was named Kansas Composer of the Year in 1978 by the Kansas Federation of Music Clubs. In 2001 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Concordia University, River Forest, IL, for his "outstanding contribution to Christian Education through scholarly research and publications which are widely recognized and appreciated in the church and nation".
Over many summers he was involved in numerous nationwide workshops to help introduce the Lutheran Book of Worship. He has served as organist at regional and national church conventions and has also performed in England and Germany. During his retirement he continues to maintain an active performance and composing schedule.
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