Conference Report: “Christian Congregational Music: Local and Global Perspectives,” Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford, 4-7 August 2015 Laryssa Whittaker (Royal Holloway, University of London) he third biennial Christian Congregational Music as historical texts (Lester Ruth, Duke Divinity School); TConference was held again at Ripon College Cuddes- theoretical intersections of gender, musical practice, and don, a location that previous and new attendees cite as liturgy (Teresa Berger, Yale Divinity School); affect and the instrumental in creating a stimulating sense of community ineffable in early church music traditions (Carol Harrison, among participants. The organising committee, Martyn Oxford); and a flm screening on the documentation of Percy (Dean, Christ Church, Oxford), Monique Ingalls Aramaic (Syriac)-language Christian liturgical traditions in (Baylor University), Mark Porter (Max-Weber-Kolleg India (Joseph Palackal, Christian Musicological Society of Universität Erfurt), Tom Wagner (University of Edinburgh), India). and Laryssa Whittaker (Royal Holloway, University of Another new and very welcome feature this year was London), were pleased to welcome 90 participants from an outing to Oxford. Participants had the opportunity to 20 different countries. take a guided tour of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, or New this year was the addition of a study day, held a walking tour of the city, and to participate in an intimate the frst day of the conference, with seminars led by choral eucharist held at the cathedral in the evening. The invited speakers creating opportunities for in-depth, small service was followed by a reception generously hosted by group discussion. Participant feedback indicated that the Martyn Percy in the gardens of his residence, the Deanery readings selected by speakers and the opportunity for of Christ Church Cathedral. Participants soaked in the discussion was invaluable and rewarding. Participants history of the college and the deanery, from its establish- also enjoyed the addition of organised music workshops ment by Cardinal Wolsey and King Henry VIII to its history this year – a Sacred Harp and Convention Gospel work- as the home of Dean Henry Liddell, father of the real-life shop run by Joshua Busman, Deborah Justice, Stephen Alice of Lewis Carroll fame. Shearon, and Sue Gray, and a Gospel choir workshop led The reception also celebrated the launch of the Ashgate by Donna Cox. Congregational Music Studies Series, noting the volumes Ethnomusicologists again represented a large propor- previously published and announcing the addition of new tion of participants and special guest speakers, but the projects in development. Following in November, confer- growing interdisciplinarity of the feld was also evident ence participants received a complimentary copy of Con- by a healthy representation of theologians, historians, gregational Music-Making and Community in a Mediated and anthropologists, in particular. This interdisciplinarity Age, an edited volume of papers focused on three provoked new perspectives, suggesting that the musico- themes of the 2013 conference. Also launched at the logical and ethnomusicological felds that have been key conference was The Spirit of Praise, edited by Monique contributors to Christian congregational music scholarship Ingalls and Amos Yong, and the forthcoming Oxford may fruitfully gain new insights about both their research Handbook of Music and World Christianities, edited by subject and their disciplines. Jonathan Dueck and Suzel Ana Reily, was previewed. In addition to the rich seminars they led on the frst day, Participants once again enjoyed the opportunities to so- the seven invited speakers focused on the conference cialise on the beautiful campus grounds or in the village, theme of theoretical perspectives and methodological and cited the community and collegiality of the event and approaches for the study congregational music, contrib- the interdisciplinarity of the themes and the new perspec- uting a wide historical, geographical, and disciplinary tives yielded as highlights. The next conference, already range of perspectives. These included singing as a bodily in planning, will be held 18-21 July 2017 in the same discipline in charismatic Nigerian churches (Vicki Bren- location. nan, University of Vermont); the potential of Christian View conference details at: http://congregationalmusic. music to promote wellbeing amongst Yolngu people in org. View information about the Ashgate Congregational Australia (Fiona Magowan, Queen’s University, Belfast); Music Studies Series. To join the conference listserv, visit the perceptibility of ‘a common faith’ through the theoreti- https://groups.google.com/group/christian-congregational- cal juxtaposition of religious conviction and ‘the ethics of music. Any additional questions can be directed to confer- style’ in Trinidadian musical practices (Timothy Rommen, [email protected]. University of Pennsylvania); the methodological ap- § proaches of liturgical scholars studying Christian hymns 14.