About CMI
The Church Music Institute (CMI) at Shenandoah University (SU) goes back many decades. Hundreds of church musicians from a wide variety of denominations have participated in these summer sessions. Teachers have included SU faculty plus outstanding guest clinicians. CMI is back in its full-two-week format, and credits can once again be earned toward a Church Music Certificate at either the graduate or undergraduate level. Check out our exciting plans for 2023 and plan to join us!
Nicole Keller | Organ
2023 Guest Clinician: Week 1
Nicole Keller is in demand as a concert artist, adjudicator and clinician. She has concertized in the states and abroad in venues such as St. Patrick Cathedral, New York; Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Paris; Dom St. Stephan, Passau; St. Patrick Cathedral, Armagh, Northern Ireland; and The Kazakh National University for the Arts, Astana, Kazakhstan.
The 2024 guest clinicians will be announced soon. Stay tuned for more information.
Mark Hayes | Piano & Organ
2023 Guest Clinician: Week 2
Now an internationally known writer, conductor and concert pianist, Mark Hayes’s career has blossomed into international tours to Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, South Africa and Canada.
The 2024 guest clinicians will be announced soon. Stay tuned for more information.
2023 Additional Presenters
Thursday, June 22 | 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Expanding the Canon: A Choral Reading Session of Historically Excluded Composers
As organists and conductors, we are the gatekeepers of the treasury of sacred music. Our choices of voluntaries, anthems, motets and service music define the canon of this repertoire for our congregations. By broadening the scope of this treasury and consciously including historically excluded composers, we can expand the canon of sacred music and expose our choirs and congregations to a wealth of music that has long been ignored.
Drawing on a wide breadth of resources, this choral reading session will illuminate the work of sampled historically excluded composers and provide a starting point for further exploration by attendees. Highlighted composers will represent a rich cross-section of sacred musicians including women composers, Black composers, non-binary and Asian composers. The featured repertoire will be geared toward music that is approachable for the average church choir.
About Jordan Prescott
Jordan Prescott, AAGO, is Organist-Choirmaster at Grace and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Baltimore, MD and serves on the faculty at Johns Hopkins University. He maintains an active recital career across the United States and is a sought-after clinician and presenter including appearances at the 2022 AGO National Convention in Seattle and AGO OrganFest 2020. His research is regularly published in The American Organist and Tracker magazines.
Sunday, June 25 | 7 p.m.
Worship
Thomas Keesecker will serve as the guest worship leader for the Sunday evening worship session.
Monday, June 26 | 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
New Sacred Piano Repertoire Workshop
Tom will give an overview of some recently published piano collections, from his own pen and others.
Monday, June 26 | 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Creating Your Own Hymn Based Piano Pieces Workshop
Tom will share how he writes his arrangements and also offer advice to participants who wish to share their compositions.
About Thomas Keesecker
Thomas Keesecker retired in 2019 after serving as a church musician for over 40 years in Lutheran and Roman Catholic parishes in Virginia, Montana and Maryland. His sacred choral music is published by several publishers. His tenth piano collection with MorningStar was published earlier this year. Besides being a new grandpa, he enjoys traveling and performing in informal concerts which blend his piano music, song, stories and poetry.
Monday–Thursday (each week) | 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Handbell & Piano Accompaniments Sessions
Heather Ankerbrand will lead sessions on handbell technique, repertoire and their use in worship, and will give opportunities for attendees to conduct. She will also lead a session on adapting piano accompaniments to the organ.
About Heather Ankerbrand
Heather holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance (Organ) from Shenandoah Conservatory, is director of music/organist at Front Royal Presbyterian Church, and has been active in the Winchester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
About Wayne L. Wold
Wayne L. Wold is director of the Church Music Institute (CMI) and adjunct associate professor of music at Shenandoah University; director of Music at First Lutheran Church in Ellicott City, Maryland; professor emeritus at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland; and an active composer, author, performer and clinician.
Shenandoah Conservatory’s Professor Emeritus of Organ and Church Music Steven Cooksey will serve as a guest presenter for the session, “The Collections of Bach’s Organ Music.” Dr. Cooksey will discuss the various collections of Bach’s organ works—their dates, intentions, and styles—and how 21st century organists can study and use them in recitals, liturgies and teaching during this session.
About Steven Cooksey
Dr. Steven Cooksey is professor emeritus and founder of Shenandoah University’s Church Music Institute and director of music at St. James Episcopal Church in Leesburg Virginia.
Sample Schedule
Sunday
| 4 p.m. | Registration & Social Time |
| 5 p.m. | Introductions & Dinner |
| 7 p.m. | Worship |
Monday – Thursday
| 8:30 a.m. | Morning Workshop with Discussion Time |
| 9:15 a.m. | Session I with Guest Clinician |
| 10:30 a.m. | Break |
| 10:45 a.m. | Handbell Rehearsal |
| 11:45 a.m. | Lunch & Prep Times for Worship Planners/Leaders |
| 1:15 p.m. | Session II with Guest Clinician |
| 2:30 p.m. | Break |
| 3 p.m. | Breakout Session with Other Presenters |
| 4 p.m. | Choir Rehearsal for Concert/Hymn Festival |
| 5 p.m. | Dinner & Break |
| 6:30 p.m. | Travel to Off-campus Location |
| 7 p.m. | Evening Worship/Concert |
Friday
| 9 a.m. | Opening Session, Wrap-up & Assignments |
| 10 a.m. | Worship Prep |
| 10:30 a.m. | Closing Worship |
| 12 p.m. | Lunch & Farewell |
Registration Information
Visiting students with a valid SSN can enroll and pay online via Instant Enrollment (SSN is required). Shenandoah University students in a current degree program can enroll via Hornet Hub or by enrolling and paying via Instant Enrollment.*
View Instant Enrollment Instructions
*Students receiving financial aid must enroll via Hornet Hub. Students registering via Hornet Hub follow the scheduled due dates, drop dates, etc. All balances must be paid prior to the course start date.
Tuition
Credit
The rate is $610 per week for participants seeking to earn credit. This rate applies for both undergraduate and graduate level participants.
Audit
The rate is $482 per week for participants seeking to audit. This rate applies for both undergraduate and graduate level participants.
Housing
Off-campus Housing
The Winchester area is home to numerous places of comfortable accommodation. Shenandoah University discounts are available at some area hotels.
On-campus Housing
If you would like to obtain on-campus housing during your stay, complete the 2023 CMI Housing Form and fax/mail in payment.
Church Music Certificate
Shenandoah University offers a Church Music Certificate which requires attendance at three consecutive two-week summer sessions of CMI.
Refund Policy
Church Music Institute participants may cancel their registration up to 7 days prior to the event for an 80% refund. Contact Wayne L. Wold for more information.
Contact Us
Dr. Wayne L. Wold, Director
Church Music Institute
Shenandoah Conservatory
cmi@su.edu
