Faculty
Nan & Dennis Allen - Featured Professors & Worship Arts Clinicians
Dennis & Nan live in Arrington, TN and have two grown and married sons, Mark and Drew. They are freelance writers and clinicians, primarily in the areas of choral music and drama. Three-time winners of the GMA Dove Award for Musical of the Year, they have written and produced several hundred musicals and collections for children, youth and adults, with approximately 3 million copies sold worldwide. Nan is also a book author, her first being a Christian fiction work entitled ASYLUM, published by Moody Press. Nan’s second book THE WORDS WE SING is published by Beacon Hill Press. They have also created a self-publishing venture entitled Allen House Productions, featuring dramatic musicals, and specialty music projects.
In addition to writing, Nan is also a studio singer in Nashville. They attend Judson Baptist Church, in Nashville, TN where they are both active in the music ministry.
Other Faculty
Children's Choir Coordinator - Vicki Schmidt
Vicki has served as the Children’s Music Minister at First Baptist Richardson since May 2004. She graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in accounting in 1989, when she moved to Dallas to work in public accounting. Although her education is in business, she has been involved in church music all of her life. She participated in children’s choir and youth choir and then went on to sing in the Bisonette Glee Club at Oklahoma Baptist University. She was president of the Bisonettes her senior year. As a summer job in college, she also served as the music director at the state GA Camp in Davis, Oklahoma.
Children's Choir Coordinator - Angela Kelley Irby
Angela Kelley Irby is the Music Associate at The Heights Baptist Church since June of 1997. She coordinates the Children's Choir program which currently has an enrollment of over 300 children. She also directs the Sr. Adult Choir ministry, and assists in the adult choir and praise team ministries. Angela is a 1989 graduate of Lee University in Cleveland, TN with a BA in Music and Communications. She received her Masters of Music degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in May of 1995. She has served in music ministries previously at Westwood Baptist Church, Cleveland, TN, First Christian Church, Cleveland, TN, and Fielder Road Baptist Church, Arlington, TX. Angela's has written resource materials for Made For Praise (LifeWay) for Older Children, (Volumes 2 & 7), and has written curriculum and resource material for children's choir musicals "In God We Trust" written by Chris & Diane Machen, and "Promise U." written by Kathie Hill. Angela is married to Alan (A.J.) Irby. She enjoys singing, traveling, and spending time with family!
Preschool Choir Leadership - Nan Grantham
Nan Grantham holds a Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music degree from Mississippi College, Clinton Mississippi, where she received the Order of Golden Arrow and Distinguished Music Alumni awards.
She has been a curriculum writer and conference leader for LifeWay for over 3 decades, receiving the Editor’s Choice Award in 1993, author of The Language of Music series and articles for Choristers’ Guild. Nan has served churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Recently retired from Second Baptist Church, she still serves as a volunteer and continues to work with the Houston Children’s Chorus, as Preparatory Choir Director. She says that "My greatest joys are my children and grandchildren and the blessing of being married to my husband, who is now with the Lord, for 50 years".
Younger Children (Gr 1-3) Choir Leadership - Keith Watson
Keith is the Associate Minister of Music at FBC of Columbia, South Carolina. He is a frequent clinician for LifeWay and contract consultant for the South Carolina Baptist Convention. He has written for LifeWay’s CMS and DoveTail Music. He has been a clinician for numerous states, associations, school districts, and churches. Keith is married and has 2 sons.
Older Children (Gr 4-6) Choir Leadership - Karen Gosslein
Karen Gosselin, a native Oklahoman, is currently the State Music Specialist for the Alabama State Board of Missions, Alabama Baptist Convention in the Office of Worship Leadership & Church Music. She has recently taught at Lifeway’s Worship Music Week at Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina as well as teaching music conferences in the states of South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas.
She has taught music education in day cares, public schools (elementary and secondary) and was the interim choral director and music education specialist for Judson College for 2 years. She also currently teaches 3 homeschool choirs (preschool, elementary, & secondary) as well as teaches Music Makers and assists with Youth Choir in her local church.
Children's Instruments - David Tallaquit
David was born in Olongapo City, Philippines where he fell in love with church music ministry at age 9 (thanks to Psalty the Singing Songbook), and directed his first children's chorus at 14. He used to climb mountains to gather kids for their church choir which he directed by ear; he never read music until his college days in Dallas, Texas. He started as a Voice Major at SMU's Meadows School of the Arts but later switched to Music Education where his love and passion for music and ministry deepened even more. This is his 10th year as a full time elementary music educator for Mesquite ISD. He also helps DBA and BGCT in their Children's music ministries.
Technology for Children's Leadership and Children's Choir Summer Camps - MJ Gallop
M.J. has been serving First Baptist Church, Valley Mills as Minister of Music since September 2005. He is a recent graduate of Baylor University and Truett Theological Seminary with a Master of Music and Master of Divinity. He received a Bachelor of Music in church music/piano from Mississippi College, Clinton MS. At FBCVM, M.J., among other things, directs children's, youth, and adult choirs.
Technology for Children's Leadership and Children's Choir Summer Camps - John Woods
John Woods, Pastor of Music & Worship, Northside Baptist Church, Victoria, Texas is a native of Austin, Texas and attended Baylor University, receiving a Bachelor of Music in Church Music. He continued his education at Baylor University and George W. Truett Theological Seminary, earning a Master of Music in Church Music with an emphasis in choral conducting and a Master of Divinity in theology. His wife Lindsay works for a non-profit in Victoria. When they are able to get away, John and Lindsay enjoy traveling anywhere and everywhere together. When there’s time, John likes cluttering up his Mac, reading Dan Brown, listening to This American Life, and exploring the interaction of music, faith, worship, and community.
Sandy Stephenson - Electives
Sandy Stephenson is Children's Minister at Double Oak Community Church in Birmingham, Alabama. She also teaches piano lessons and serves as the Music Director for the Youth Programs of Red Mountain Theatre Company. Sandy is married to Kelly Stephenson who is the Pastor of Worship at Double Oak Community Church. They have three grown children: Adriane, Lindsey and Benjamin. Sandy received her music degree from Oklahoma Baptist University, and has served in churches in Oklahoma, Texas and now Alabama. Sandy's passions are God, children and music and loves to see children grow in their relationship to God, and in the gifts that He has given them.
Schedule
Class titles and descriptions coming October 1, 2010
Friday, January 21, 2011 |
2:00 pm | Registration |
3:00 | PreGame Instructions |
3:30 | Session I |
4:30 | Exhibit Break |
5:00 | Session II |
6:00 | Dinner Break/Exhibits |
7:00 | Musical Premiere |
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Saturday, January 22, 2011 |
8:30 am | Half Time Pep Talk (Devotional) |
8:45 | Session III |
9:45 | Exhibit Break |
10:30 | Keynote - Dennis & Nan Allen |
11:15 | Exhibit Break |
11:30 | Session IV |
12:30 pm | Lunch |
1:30 | Session V |
2:45 | Post Game Show - Grand Prize Drawing |