The Caedmon Conference
An Annual Celebration of Beauty in Anglican Liturgical Music
July 8 – 11, 2025
Chapel of the Cross, Dallas TX
The Caedmon Conference exists to inspire, equip, and encourage musicians and clergy who are building traditional music ministries in the Anglican way.
“The Caedmon Conference serves a critically helpful role in the life of Christians. It will teach you how to sing back to God with the antiphonal worship that He intended and revealed. I encourage you to make the upcoming Caedmon conference a priority, and not only to send musicians, but clergy and laity from your parishes as well.” – The Most Rev. Dr. Ray R. Sutton, Presiding Bishop REC, Dean of the Province ACNA
Lectures and Practical Instruction in:
Conducting and Singing
Whether one looks to the model of the Old Testament tabernacle and temple, or to the New Testament model of the heavenly throne room in Revelation, one finds choirs and singing. Traditional Anglicanism has patterned its worship after these models by sustaining a long tradition of congregational and choral singing. And further following in the tradition of the tabernacle and temple, traditional Anglican churches have cultivated singing as a skill—an activity that flourishes with training, effort, and sacrifice. “Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful….” (1 Chronicles 15:22) The Caedmon conference cultivates that skill among choral conductors and singers, providing basic training to those who are new to the field, and supplying resources, continuing education, and peer interaction for those who are already advanced.
Theology and Liturgy
When we make music to God in church, we are giving ourselves to him as an offering. Producing beautiful music is not the ultimate end; rather, it is one of the means by which we transform ourselves into a living sacrifice of praise. Worshipping God is the purpose, and music merely one of the vehicles. Hence, there can be no effective training in church music without training in theology and liturgy; church music without theology or liturgy is a ship without its rudder or its compass. The Caedmon conference brings priests and musicians together for teaching and dialogue, building up a common vision of how music can serve the theology and liturgy of the church.
Organ
The traditional instrument of the Anglican liturgy is uniquely suited for the whole width and breadth of Anglican church music—everything from congregational hymns to Anglican chants to choral anthems to incidental music such as preludes and postludes. But using an organ to its full capacity requires extensive training and skill. The Caedmon conference cultivates that skill among organists, nurturing fledgling players who are new to the instrument, and supplying resources and continuing education to those who are already proficient.
What is the Caedmon Conference?
Named after the 7th century English hymnodist, of whom Bede wrote: “… in this monastery there was a brother, to whom the gift of song was divinely given,” the Cædmon Church Music Conference exists to promote the continuing music education and mutual encouragement of Anglicans throughout North America, especially those who minister in a traditional, prayerbook context. To that end the Caedmon Conference is missional and visionary, instructional and practical, and Anglican.
Missional and Visionary
Missional and Visionary
Small to medium-sized Anglican parishes, missions, and church plants often face unique challenges in cultivating and reaching a vision for beauty and excellence in their music ministries. Can small and medium-sized congregations have excellent music ministries? Yes! Join us as we explore strategies for growing music ministries, and why we believe that developing a vision for excellence and beauty in church music is a key component of Anglican parish life.
Instructional and Practical
Instructional and Practical
Lectures that will help us think of church music in the light of Scripture will be balanced with practical instruction. Daily worship will allow participants to hone skills (in congregational hymnody, Anglican chant, choral anthems, and organ music), as we praise God in and through Jesus Christ. Attendees will leave with new ideas, resources, and skills with which to serve their parishes.
Anglican
Anglican
Musicians, pastors, church planters, organists, and choir directors trained and experienced in the Anglican way will help attendees to grow in their profciency and understanding. We will explore the unique patrimony of a classical (prayerbook) approach to Anglican liturgical music, and the wonderful opportunities that this tradition offers.