Bonclarken Music Conference 1962 – 2021 Bonclarken60th Anniversarymusic Conference 1962 – 2021 60Th Anniversary

1 1 Bonclarken Music Bonclarken Music ConferenceConference 19621962 –– 20202121 th 6060th Anniversary Anniversary JulyJuly 1 111 –– 16,, 20202121 As you Asread you this read booklet, this booklet, we wehope hope you you enjoy enjoy hearing about about all all of theof the memories memories and heritage and heritage that is a part of this unique and special conference. What a treasure the ARP Synod has in the that is a part of this unique and special conference. What a treasureth the ARP Synod has in the Bonclarken Music Conference. We hope you have enjoyed the 60 Anniversaryth Celebration Bonclarkenthat weMusic have Conference. experienced this We summer. hope you Lynn have Grimsley, enjoyed Norma the Jean 60 Huffstetler Anniversary and I Celebrationhave that trulywe have enjoyed experienced looking at all this of the summer. pictures, Lynn displays, Grimsley, old recordings Norma and Jean memories Huffstetler that we and have I have truly enjoyedcome acrosslooking in ourat all preparation of the pictures, for this week. displays, In the old near recordings future, we ahopend memories to put together that a we have come acrossDVD/CD in of our pictures preparation from previous for this years, week. and to In possibly the near get future, all of our we recordings hope to from put pasttogether a DVD/CDyears of transferredpictures from to Compact previous disc years, for the and pres ervationto possibly of the get history all of of our this recordings incredible week. from past th years transferredThank you for to your Compact kind words disc and for your the wonderfulpreservation participation of the history in the 60 of Anniversary.this incredible To week. God be all of the glory in all or our worship, activities and singing. We look forwardth to seeing Thankhow you God for continue your kinds to words bless the and Bonclarken your wonderful Music Conference participation for many in theyears 60 and Anniversary.generations To God be all of the glory in all or our worship,to activities come! and singing. We look forward to seeing how God continues to bless the Bonclarken Music Conference for many years and generations to come! 66530_ARPC_MusicConf_60th_BOOK.indd 1 7/6/21 11:31 AM 2 2 66530_ARPC_MusicConf_60th_BOOK.indd 2 7/6/21 11:31 AM 3 3 66530_ARPC_MusicConf_60th_BOOK.indd 3 7/6/21 11:31 AM 4 4 66530_ARPC_MusicConf_60th_BOOK.indd 4 7/6/21 11:31 AM 5 5 5 2021 Bonclarken Music Conference Clinicians and Accompanists 2021 Bonclarken Music 60Conferenceth Anniversary Clinicians and Accompanists th Clinicians 60 Anniversary AntonClinicians Armstrong – St. Olaf College – Adult Choir Clinician TroyAnton Robertso Armstrongn – Tarleton– St. Olaf State College Univers – Adultity Choir– Youth Clinician Choir Clinician DavidTroy Robertso Mandt –n Birmin – Tarletongham State Boy ChoirUnivers – Middleity – Youth School Choir Choir Clinician Clinician AmandaDavid Mandt Smith – Birmin– New ghamYork, NYBoy – Choir Junior – ChoirMiddle School Choir Clinician ElizabethAmanda Smith Shepley – New – Northfield, York, NY –Minnesota Junior Choir – Cherub and Primary Choirs Elizabeth Shepley – Northfield, Minnesota – Cherub and Primary Choirs Accompanists AndyAccompanists Jacob – Middle School Choir and Conference Organist PhilAndy Biedenbender Jacob – Middle – Adult School Choir Choir and Conference Organist GingerPhil Biedenbender Smith – Youth – Adult Choir Choir PatsyGinger Surratt Smith – JuniorYouth ChChoiroir CarolPatsy GodfreySurratt – – Junior Cherub Choir and Primary Choirs Carol Godfrey – Cherub and Primary Choirs Clint Davis – Conference Minister Clint Davis – Conference Minister A History of the Bonclarken Music Conference A History of theBy: Bonclarken Anne Alexander Music Conference By: Anne Alexander In 1962, Dr. Charles Younts of Atlanta was Moderator of Synod. At that time only a few ARP Churches hadIn 1962, choir Dr. directors Charles with Younts any of training Atlanta in was Choral Moderator Music. ofDr. Synod. Younts At asked that Dr. time Marion only a Magill, few ARP Director Churches of Musichad choir Education directors for with the anyGreenville, training SC in schools,Choral Music. to direct Dr. a Younts choir workshop asked Dr. during Marion the Magill, meeting Director of of SynodMusic Educationin order to for improve the Gr theeenville, music SC in schools, ARP Churches. to direct For a choir the next workshop several during years, the Dr. meetingMagill directed of suchSynod a inworkshop order to withimprove 50 to the 70 musicparticipants. in ARP Churches. The musicians For therehearsed next several a couple years, of hDr.ours Magill every directed suchmorning, a workshop afternoon with and 50 night, to 70 andparticipants. presented The a concert musicians on Thursdayrehearsed evening. a couple A of great hours deal every of very goodmorning, music afternoon was learned, and night, which and was presented a great help a concert to local on directors. Thursday Men, evening. especially A great tenors, deal ofwere very scarce.good music College was studentslearned, withwhich good was tenora great voices help weto localre invited directors. to participate Men, especially and were tenors, given were room and boardscarce. and College were studentscalled “Workshop with good Assistants.” tenor voices They wer eran invited errands, to participate arranged chairs,and were etc. given room and board and were called “Workshop Assistants.” They ran errands, arranged chairs, etc. Not long after the choir workshop was established, Synod appointed a “Music and Worship Committee.”Not long after This the choircommittee workshop want wased to established, enlarge the Synod program appointed by adding a “Music a children’s and Worship choir, but this wasCommittee.” impossible This because committee Bonclarken wanted was to alreadyenlarge overflowingthe program during by adding the meetinga children’s of Synod. choir, but There this was neitherwas impossible housing because nor rehearsal Bonclarken space. was In 1969, already Rev. overflowing Jim McQuinton during and the I meetingwere co -ofchairmen Synod. ofThere the was committee,neither housing and norwe (therehearsal committee) space. decided In 1969, to Rev. ask Jim Bonclarken McQuinton for anda week I were in July co- chairmenfor a Music of the Conference.committee, and The we calendar (the committee) for Bonclarken decided events to ask was Bonclarken handled by for a committeea week in July of thefor aBonclarken Music Board.Conference. Dr. L. TheM. Allison calendar was for chairman Bonclarken of this events conference was handled committee by a committee, so I asked of for the an Bonclarken audience in 6 Board. Dr. L. M. Allison was chairman of this conference committee, so I asked for an audience in order to present our request. I remember sitting outside the room, waiting until I was called in to speak.order to We present were ourgiven request. a week, I earlyremember in July sitting of 1970. outside I then the had room, to go waiting to a meeting until I wasof Synod’s called inFinance to committeespeak. We andwere presen given ta a week, budget early for intheir July approval. of 1970. Mr.I then Guy had Castles to go ofto Columbiaa meeting was of Synod’s chairman. Finance I presented our budget with fear and trembling, but it was accepted. Thus, the first Music and Worship Conference was held in 1970. Dr. Magill directed the Adult Choir and Mrs. Mabel Boyter of Atlanta directed the Junior Choir of about 30 to 40 boys and girls. When I gave Mrs. Boyter her check for her honorarium, she took out her checkbook and wrote a check for the 66530_ARPC_MusicConf_60th_BOOK.inddtithe of her fee to 5back into the conference fund, because she said she “wanted to see this conference7/6/21 11:31 AM succeed and grow.” The next year, Dr. Magill had moved and could not come to the conference, so I went to Davidson and talked to Professor Donald Plott, who was also directing the Charlotte Oratorio Singers. Mr. Bill Renneckar, a personal friend who had a very fine music program in First Presbyterian Church of Flint, Michigan, directed the Junior Choir. Donald Plott directed the Adult Choir for several years. Rev. Don Elliott directed recreation activities for the juniors when they were not rehearsing. He did this for several years, and I remember him telling me that the Music Committee was the only group that paid him for doing it. Others expected him to do it free. After these first years, I rotated off the committee. The oldest Minutes of Synod that I have been able to find was for 1978. By that time a Youth Choir had been added to the Conference. The total of participants for the 1977 conference was 218, from 25 churches. The budget was $9,050. Directors for the next two years were announced. In 1982, the Youth Choir had 135 participants, so it was divided into Junior Highs and Senior Highs in 1983. The budget for 1984 was $14,375. 6 6 committee and present a budget for their approval. Mr. Guy Castles of Columbia was chairman. I presented our budget with fear and trembling, but it was accepted. Thus, the first Music and Worship Conference was held in 1970. Dr. Magill directed the Adult Choir and Mrs. Mabel Boyter of Atlanta directed the Junior Choir of about 30 to 40 boys and girls. When I gave Mrs. Boyter her check for her honorarium, she took out her checkbook and wrote a check for the tithe of her fee to back into the conference fund, because she said she “wanted to see this conference succeed and grow.” The next year, Dr. Magill had moved and could not come to the conference, so I went to Davidson and talked to Professor Donald Plott, who was also directing the Charlotte Oratorio Singers. Mr. Bill Renneckar, a personal friend who had a very fine music program in First Presbyterian Church of Flint, Michigan, directed the Junior Choir. Donald Plott directed the Adult Choir for several years. Rev. Don Elliott directed recreation activities for the juniors when they were not rehearsing.

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