Bayoubüchlein Announcement

The New Music Committee for the AGO Convention in Houston (2016) is delighted to announce the results of the Bayoubüchlein composition contest and publication for the upcoming convention.

The Bayoubüchlein was conceived as a collection of new chorale preludes for solo organ, representing every season of the liturgical calendar and with each prelude based on chorale hymn tunes composed since 1960. The first step in creating the Bayoubüchlein was to commission seven works from composers selected by the AGO Houston New Music Committee. These original works are:

  • Chelsea Chen (Forest Hills NY),”Bethold (Jesus on the Mountain Peak)”, adapted from the work by Mark Sedio (Augsburg, 2006).
  • David Dahl (Tacoma WA), “Dunedin”, adapted from the work by Vernon Griffiths (Faber, 1971).
  • Hans-Ola Ericsson (Montreal QC), “Hymn for Michaelmas”, adapted from an unpublished composition by Bengt Hambraeus (1992).
  • Nancy Galbraith (Pittsburgh PA), “Mississippi”, adapted from the work by William Bradley Roberts (Augsburg, 1995).
  • Aaron David Miller (Bloomington MN), “Rejoice, Rejoice”, adapted from the work by Marty Haugen (GIA, 1983).
  • Anne Roberts (Tulsa OK), “Seed Scattered”, adapted from the work by Dan Feiten (Ekklesia Music ILP, 1987).
  • Rebecca TeVelde (Stillwater OK), “Judas and Mary”, adapted from the work by Sydney Carter (Stainer & Bell/Hope, 1969).

The Houston New Music Committee launched the Bayoubüchlein competition in January of 2015. Open to composers or any age or nationality, the new music committee received dozens of submissions for consideration by the panel of judges. The judges selected eleven works that will be performed at the convention next June.

  • Robert Train Adams (Lafayette CA), “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”, adapted from “Houston” by Kathleen Thomerson (Celebration, 1970).
  • Matthew Corl (Lakeland FL), “Contemplation on Julion”, adapted from “Julion” by David Hurd (GIA, 1983).
  • Matthew Corl (Lakeland FL), “Paean on Augustine”, adapted from “Augustine” by Erik Routley (Hinshaw, 1976).
  • Benjamin Cornelius-Bates (Pittsburgh PA), “Chorale on O God You Search Me”, adapted from “O God You Search Me” by Bernadette Farrell (OCP, 1992).
  • Michael Emmerich (Houston TX), “Prelude on Pescador de Hombres”, adapted from “Pescadors de Hombres” by Cesario Gabarain (OCP, 1977).
  • Thomas Fielding (Kalamazoo MI), “Prelude on Bread of Life”, adapted from “I am the Bread of Life” by Susan Toolan (GIA, 1966).
  • Gregory Hamilton (Irving TX), “Fanfare: Castlewood”, adapted from “Castlewood” by Richard Proulx (GIA, 2002).
  • Joyce Schupe Kull (Arvada CO), “Telos”, adapted from “By Gracious Powers” by Robert Buckley Farley (Augsburg, 2006).
  • Brenda Portman (Cincinatti OH), “Toccata on Meadville”, adapted from “Come Let Us with Our Lord Arise” by Walter Pelz (Hinshaw, 1977).
  • Joyce Moon Strobel (Pittsburgh PA), “Prelude on Shillingford”, adapted from “Shillingford” by Petter Cutts (Hope, 1977).
  • Donald VerKuilen (Little Rock AR), “Toccata on Gather Us In”, adapted from “Gather Us In” by Marty Haugen (GIA, 1979).

The judges selected an additional sixteen submissions that will be included in the final publication. The complete list of composers from the competition selected for the published volume include: Robert Train Adams (Lafayette CA), Andrew Birling (Minneapolis MN), Viola Hon Ki Cheung (Lawrence KS), Matthew Corl (Lakeland FL), Ben Cornelius-Bates (Pittsburgh PA), Ruth Draper (New Haven CT), Michael Emmerich (Houston TX), Thomas Fielding (Kalamazoo MI), Gregory Hamilton (Irving TX), Joyce Schupe Kull (Arvada CO), Louise Mundinger (Medford MA), Brenda Portman (Cincinatti OH), Bernard Sanders (Tuttlingen, Germany), Joyce Moon Strobel (Pittsburgh PA), Larry Taylor (Harrisonburg VA), Donald VerKuilen (Little Rock AR) and Kathryn Sparks White (Houston TX). Congratulations to all our selected composers and their works.

Every member registered for the Houston convention will receive a complimentary PDF copy of the completed Bayoubüchlein. The New Music Committee is delighted to announce that they have partnered with Selah Publishing to make the Bayoubüchlein available both during and after the convention. Selah will coordinate the PDF file members will receive at the convention and will make the printed work available for purchase both at the convention and after. This will be an excellent opportunity for organists around the world to have a wonderful collection of new music for use at their congregations. Thank you to Selah Publishing for taking on this important project and promoting this collection of outstanding composers.

The Houston AGO New Music Committee congratulates all of the commissioned and selected composers for their commitment to building new repertory for the organ. Many of them are planning to attend the convention and will be in attendance at their performances. Check your convention book for performance dates and times when you get to Houston!

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