Church Music Graduate Students, Faculty, and Alumni Share Their Research Around the World
Over the past several weeks, our students have taken their research well beyond the classroom, participating in academic conferences across the United States and around the world. Alongside faculty and alumni, they have contributed to important scholarly conversations about worship, music, and global Christian practice, sharing original research, lecture‑recitals, and performances with diverse academic communities. These gatherings highlight not only the depth of our students’ work, but also the collaborative ethos that connects generations of scholars as they carry our green and gold into the wider world.
The Society for Christian Scholarship in Music held its annual meeting at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL, from February 26-28. Sylvia Jones (D.M.A. candidate, voice) shared a lecture-recital on African American spirituals and how we can reimagine them for use in congregational worship. Her performance was accompanied by Isaac Montgomery (D.M.A. student, piano). Sen Kikon (Ph.D. candidate) shared a paper from her dissertation research on worship practices in Nagaland, India. Kyle Berry (M.M./M.Div. Church Music, thesis track) also shared a paper analyzing Trotta's "Last Seven Words," which he performed with his former church choir. Two of our alumni, Dr. Eric Amouzou (Ph.D. '24) and Dr. Emily Andrews (M.M./M.Div. '12), also presented at the conference. Lastly, our Senior Associate for Contemporary Worship Programs, Dr. Shannan Baker, served on the program committee for the annual meeting.
During Spring Break, the Society for Pentecostal Studies held its conference on Baylor's Campus through the Department of Religion. Kristi Noel (M.M. Church Music, thesis track) presented part of her thesis research on the Pentecostal radio broadcast, Revivaltime, and its choir. Geraldine Latty-Luce and Carey Luce, international visiting scholars, also accompanied a lecture-recital focused on expanding musical styles in worship to include genres that better accompany the full breadth of the Psalter, including lament.
At the same time, we had faculty, alumni, and students sharing their research at the World Christianity Conference held in Recife, Brazil. Sylvia Jones (D.M.A. candidate) and Dr. Monique Ingalls shared papers in a session on gospel music around the world. Dr. Maria Monteiro, Armindo Ferreira (Ph.D. student), Sen Kikon (Ph.D. candidate), and Dr. Adekunle Oyeniyi (Ph.D. '24) shared papers in a session about congregational singing in global perspectives. Lastly, Dr. Marcell Steuernagel (Ph.D. '19) presented a paper about coloniality and Brazilian worship music.
Our students regularly share their research alongside our faculty and alumni at academic conferences around the country and around the world. We are proud to support them and their research endeavors as they fling their green and gold afar.