Lutheran Church Composer-in-Residence Program

So far, $620 has been donated separate from this Chipin Website. Thus, the current donation total is $780.

~ Russ & Shirley Christian
~ Robert Imholz
~ Louis & Martha Jander
~ Michael Kneemueller
~ Kathryn Crumrine
~ Richard Mintzlaff
~ Patricia Nelson
~ Bethany Schmidt
~ Carol Stewart
~ Shirley Woods

This is a request for your support to do something very unique, that is to help fund a distinctive composer-in-residence program established in St. Louis, MO.

In this case, it is a very realistic goal, to raise at least 2/3 of the stipend needed which is $4,000, with the total stipend being $6,000.

Donations of any amount are accepted. One of the goals is for every person who donates to be a part of this residency. Therefore, the following THANK YOU GIFTS are being offered for your online contributions.

Level 1 - $1-$50
-YOUR NAME ON THE RESIDENCY BLOG & DONATION WEBSITE

Level 2 - $51-$150
-YOUR NAME ON THE RESIDENCY BLOG & DONATION WEBSITE
-A PERSONAL LETTER OF THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION

Level 3 - $151-$300
-YOUR NAME ON THE RESIDENCY BLOG & DONATION WEBSITE
-A PERSONAL LETTER OF THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION
-A MUSICAL BIRTHDAY WISH JUST FOR YOU

Level 4 - $301+
-YOUR NAME ON THE RESIDENCY BLOG & DONATION WEBSITE
-A PERSONAL LETTER OF THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION
-A MUSICAL BIRTHDAY WISH JUST FOR YOU
-SET OF THE SCORES PRODUCED DURING THE RESIDENCY

You will receive an email within one week of your contribution with a request for your contact information, if necessary, for you to receive your thank you gift.

***Donations are not tax deductible***

You may be asking yourself, “What is a Lutheran Church Composer-in-Residence?” Such a position can take on a variety of characteristics. The goal of this program is to invigorate sacred music and to provide the composer an opportunity to create fresh music for the worship setting. The composer will collaborate with a single congregation to create new works and arrangements reflecting the Lutheran Church. Once the music has been premiered for the host congregation, it will become available to other churches and organizations. This host congregation will be benefited as this position, through publicity, will draw people to visit and inquire about the uniqueness of the residency; enhance the worship experience; and show that the congregation has the desire to build on its reputation of music. Finally, this distinctive post can be a source of pride for the congregation.

I believe God has called me to write music for the church ever since I began composing. With this calling in mind, I am seeking to firmly establish the Lutheran Church Composer-in-Residence Program with Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd which has a long history of excellent music. Over the past year, collaborating with two congregations has been a wonderful experience and blessing. I have witnessed a growth in their passion for praise and using music to bring them more into the presence of God. However, there is a need to financially stabilize this program for the next two years. With your help this can happen.

Blessings to you!
Theodore Jander

Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, located in Hazelwood, Missouri, is made up of about 450 baptized members. The congregation is 53 years old with a history of mission among its neighbors and the world. They have been able to move forward together, listening, creating, partnering, brainstorming and experimenting through their involvement in the Partnership for Missional Church. Good Shepherd has hosted the “Jesus Love Feast” with an Ecumenical group focused on working with the poor and homeless. The members regularly collect and donate clothing and books to area schools. Each spring you can find the congregation busily preparing for their annual BBQ, garage sale and community children’s fair. One of the areas that is growing is that of youth and family ministries. The Kid-Friendly Worship, which opens its doors and embraces children who can be a little more rambunctious, has been a wonderful addition to the ministry. Music at Good Shepherd is a core means of communicating and growing in God’s grace. With the addition of the Composer-in-Residence Program, the gift of original music is heightened among the congregation and the community. The God-given gifts of one composer are brought into the worship setting for growth and delight, while nurturing this gift for the whole church and its mission in the world.

Theodore (b.1972) has been composing and arranging for a little over twelve years. The majority of his musical output has been sacred choral music. However, over the past few years he has been focusing more on writing for other instruments, particularly the piano. Theodore also dabbles in the world of electronic/mixed music.

Throughout his compositional training, he studied with Dr. Claude Baker, Professor Kim Portnoy and Professor Robert Chamberlin, with whom he continues to study. While at the European American Musical Alliance program in Paris, France, in July 2005, Theodore’s teachers included Dr. Philip Lasser, Michel Merlet and Narcis Bonet.

Currently, Theodore is the Artistic Director for the Greenleaf Singers (a St. Louis-based Early Music Vocal Ensemble) and is the Choral Director at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Hazelwood, MO. On January 1, 2011, he began his Composer-in-Residence post with two St. Louis area churches as part of the Lutheran Church Composer-in-Residence Collaborative which he recently established. Theodore also enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

If you would like more information about this program, contact Theodore via email at: wm@musicrealm.org (with “Lutheran Church Composer-in-Residence

Program Inquiry” as the subject heading) or visit the blog at: LCCRP Blog