Northcutt Lecture Series
Since its founding in 1985, the Northcutt Lecture Series has grown to become a cornerstone of the academic and spiritual life within the Baylor University School of Music. With a distinguished history spanning decades, this esteemed lecture series was established through a generous endowment from the late LeGrande and Cassandra Northcutt of Longview, Texas, whose vision and support have left a lasting legacy in the field of church music scholarship.
The purpose of the Northcutt Lecture is to bring prominent and influential scholars from across the nation and around the world to Baylor University, enriching the intellectual and spiritual community through thought-provoking lectures and scholarly dialogue. These lecturers represent the pinnacle of academic achievement and thought leadership in church music, contributing fresh insights and fostering meaningful discussions on worship, theology, liturgy, music history, congregational song, and more.
Recognized as one of the most prestigious lectureships in the field, the Northcutt Lecture has attracted many of the most respected voices in church music scholarship. These events serve not only as academic milestones but also as moments of inspiration, challenging and encouraging students, faculty, and the wider Baylor community to think deeply about the role of music in the life of the Church.
Spring 2026: John Bell
John Bell is a liturgical composer who writes co-operatively with colleagues in Glasgow; he has a deep interest in music from non-European cultures and a passion for the song of the assembly. Though his primary vocation was as a preacher and teacher, he spends much of his time working in the areas of music and liturgy, both at conferences and in small parishes. His work takes him frequently into Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
With his colleagues, he has produced over 15 collections of songs and octavos, and a wide range of liturgical materials, particularly for use by laypeople, and he oversaw the production of a substantial hymnal for the Church of Scotland which, in North America, goes by the title Hymns of Glory, Songs of Praise. (Canterbury Press).
THE ESSENTIAL HETEROGENEITY OF CONGREGATIONAL SONG - An Important Issue for Church Musicians
Just as the books of the Bible have different authors and are in different literary forms, so the song of the church encompasses a wide variety of materials in both the sung texts and the accompanying tunes. 'O come, O come Immanuel' is musically and verbally an entirely different composition from 'Mary had a baby, yes, Lord.' The texts and tunes associated with shape-note singing bear little resemblance to the latest offerings from the Australian Hillsong tradition.
For many church musicians, attention to detail is exemplified in the way a choir or praise band will present their offering. Organ registration, instrumentation, appropriate repertoire, suitable tempo, choice of voices and accompaniment for particular verses, location of musicians - these are all up for consideration in order to enable the best performance.
What often misses out on such musical integrity is the song of the congregation, and this not least because what a congregation believes is in no small measure dependent on how and what they sing.
Past Presenters Include
Karen, Westerfield Tucker, Anton Armstrong, James Abbington, Mary Louise Bringle, David Music, Constance Cherry, John Witvliet, Lester Ruth, Jeremy Begbie, Ruth Duck, Carl Shalk, Brian Wren, I-to Loh, Carl P. Daw, Jr., Emily Brink, Don Sailers, Harry Eskew, Carlton Young, Helen Kemp, Donald P. Hustad, Paul Westermeyer, Thomas Troeger, Marva Dawn, Alice Parker, Jane Marshall, Benjamin Harlan, Michael Hawn, Terry York, Allen Walworth, Harold Best, Gordon Borror, Jerry Warren, Robert Shaw, Paul Manz, Milburn Price, William O'Brien
View Past Recordings
To view recordings from past Northcutt Lecture Series presentations visit our Academic Research & Resource Library.