Tune Writers Colloquium

We are happy to once again offer an online colloquium for tune writers. This year’s session will be co-led by Bex Gaunt and Zack Stachowski. The colloquium will be in two parts, with the first being more presentational on the art of tune- and song-writing and the second a chance to receive direct feedback from the clinician on your tune or song in progress*. 
 
*Each participant will be asked to submit ahead of time an unpublished tune or song, which could be something still very rough (just starting the idea) or something near completion. These submissions are not to be completed, as the point of the session is to get feedback on how to continue crafting/refining your work.
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Dates: February 25 and March 18
Time: 3:00-5:00 pm ET
Price: $40 (members) or $50 (non-members). If you register for both this and the Text Writers Colloquium, the price is $75 (members) or $90 (non-members).
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Bex Gaunt is an award-winning performer, composer, and conductor. Previously as the fiddle player for the GRAMMY® Award-winning Folk/Americana band, The Okee Dokee Brothers, Bex has toured the United States and Canada, and performed with the Minnesota Orchestra. As a liturgical composer with GIA Publications, Bex has published a range of congregational songs, psalms settings, and hymn tunes in collaboration with text writers such as Adam M.L. Tice, FHS, David Bjorlin, Chris Shelton, and Delores Dufner, FHS.

A noted fiddle player, she was grand prize winner at the 2014 Electric Strings Festival Competition as a member of a petite jazz ensemble, Rhythm and Bows. Bex has a rich history performing with VocalEssence in Minneapolis, (called “one of the irreplaceable music ensembles of our time” by Dana Gioia, past chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts) and even shared a stage with Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli. Bex loves to inspire and direct choirs of all ages: She has served as director for the Edina Singing Seniors, the Saint Helena School Choir, St. Catherine University Chapel Choir, Nativity Lutheran Church (St. Anthony, Minnesota) and the The Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis.

Zack Stachowski is currently the Director of Music at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in West Bloomfield, Michigan. A liturgical composer with GIA Publications, Zack released his first collection in 2017, “God Never Tires”. Since then, Zack has published many other choral octavos, congregational songs, and hymn tunes in collaboration with text authors such as Delores Dufner, FHS, Adam M.L. Tice, FHS, Mary Louise Bringle, FHS, David Bjorlin, and Jacque Jones, FHS.

In addition to his work in liturgical music, Zack has also published a variety of catechetical and prayer resources with Twenty-Third Publications and Liturgical Training Publications on topics including youth involvement, sacramental preparation, and liturgical planning. In May of 2017, Zack, along with Matthew Reichert, launched the successful podcast “Open Your Hymnal,” which breaks open the most enduring and consequential songs of the Catholic liturgical repertoire through interviews with composers and commentary. OYH can be found on iTunes and Google Play and most recently has been added to the Living Bread Radio Network.

Zack, along with colleagues Matt Reichert and Jes Garceau, recently founded the One Call Institute which held it’s inaugural year in June of 2018. OCI is a yearly summer institute dedicated to the engagement and formation of young liturgical musicians and their adult advocates.