Northcutt Lecture Series

Since its inception in 1985, The Northcutt Lecture Series has become an integral part of the academic and spiritual life of the Baylor University School of Music. Designed to bring nationally and internationally known church music scholars to Baylor University, The Northcutt Lecture is made possible by an endowment from Cassandra Northcutt and the late LeGrande Northcutt of Longview, Texas.

The Northcutt Lecture remains of the most prestigious lectures on church music in the world and has attracted the top national and international scholars in the field.

Spring 2023 - James Abbington - April 4th @ 4:00PM

Dr. Abbington's research interests include music and worship in the Christian church, African American sacred folk music, organ, choral music, and ethnomusicology. Dr. Abbington serves as executive editor of the African American Church Music Series by GIA Publications (Chicago). He served as co-director of music for the Hampton University Ministers' and Musicians' Conference. In 2010, Hampton's Choir Directors'-Organists' Guild honored Abbington by naming their Church Music Academy after him. He has also served as the national director of music for both the Progressive National Baptist Convention and the NAACP.

Past Presenters Include:

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 Norcutt Lecture Series presentations visit our Academic Research & Resource Library.