Eugene and Mary Sukup Church Music Program
Lutheran Summer Music is pleased to announce the creation of The Eugene and Mary Sukup Church Music Program through a grant from the Sukup Family Foundation of Sheffield, Iowa.
The Program will renew LSM’s focus on preparing the next generation of church musicians and organists and expand LSM’s curriculum and educational offerings. In its 2023 inaugural summer, the program’s initiatives and priorities include:
Provide scholarships for organ students. LSM 2023 is seeing a 300% growth in applications from organ students compared to 2022. Many of these high school students are already serving their home congregations as organists and filling in with local churches as substitutes when needed.
Fund a guest artist residency by nationally known church musician Paul Vasile, who will be immersed with the worship team and community during week three of LSM 2023
Create a new Liturgical Composer-in-Residence position, with Anne Krentz Organ serving during this inaugural year
Of particular significance will be Anne Krentz Organ’s new position. As a widely published composer and versatile church musician, Anne will work to enrich the worship experience during LSM 2023. LSM has also commissioned Anne to compose two new compositions to be premiered, recorded, and published during LSM and then shared widely for congregations to use throughout the year.
One of Anne’s compositions will be a liturgical piece, which could be sung by a congregation as the table is set for communion or as a gospel acclamation. In other settings, it could be sung as a call to worship, to frame prayers, or as an offering is received. The piece will be flexible enough to be used in a myriad of ways. It is inspired Colossians 3:15-17, with the following text:
May the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.
Be thankful.
May the word of Christ dwell in our hearts.
Be thankful.
May we sing with joy, giving thanks to God,
Alleluia, Alleluia.
May we sing with joy, giving thanks to God,
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Anne’s second commissioned work will be written for solo instrument and keyboard in a theme and variations format. The solo line will be printed in versions for all instruments and transpositions so that any student will be able to play the piece. The piece will be based on the American folk tune Holy Manna. Holy Manna first appeared in William Moore’s Columbian Harmony (1825) and now has wide ecumenical usage. It is found in over 200 hymnals today, including both LSB and ELW. The piece will be able to be used in worship or a secular recital format.
Both compositions will be published by LSM and freely shared after the summer session. LSM students will be able to perform these compositions in their home congregations, schools, and recitals, and church musicians will be able to incorporate the works into services throughout the year. The Holy Manna arrangement will serve as an ideal way to get young musicians to participate in worship at their congregation, as the piece is set up to be flexible in its usage and instrumentation.
Charles and Mary Sukup
Additional support from the Sukup Family Foundation underwrites LSM’s annual Bach Cantata Service, ensuring the tradition of young musicians embracing Bach’s music on a deep level continues each summer.
Charles Sukup, a former Lutheran Music Program board member, shares that “Worship is the grateful response of the living Church. The deep faith of my parents and the importance of worship have been a blessing to us. Church music and particularly organ, the king of instruments, can nurture spiritual growth as well as provide mountain-top experiences. Lutheran Summer Music is an extraordinary program that focuses on Christian faith, musical excellence, and mutual care to inspire young people in the glories of worship.”
The Eugene and Mary Sukup Church Music Program advances LSM’s strategic goal of establishing LSM as a laboratory for the creativity and innovation that fuels the future of sacred music. LSM is committed to articulating the ongoing work of reformation in the church through a Lutheran lens that embraces a holistic understanding of music. LSM will continue to be a prominent national organization that inspires, educates, and trains the next generation of church music leaders and advocates.
