Maria Monteiro nació en Recife, Brazil y actualmente ocupa el puesto de Lecturer en Música Sacra en Baylor University, en la ciudad de Waco, Texas. Ella también trabaja como Directora de Música en la Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana de San Antonio, Texas. Antes de unirse a Baylor, Maria enseñó música y adoración por diecisiete años en la Universidad Bautista de las Américas en San Antonio. Su experiencia como docente universitaria y directora de música congregacional le ha provisto una conexión esencial entre sus intereses académicos en la música sacra y la vivencia práctica musical en una congregación local. Maria cumplió su carrera universitaria (1987) y su maestría (1991) en el área de historia de la música en Baylor University. Así también tiene un certificado de estudios de posgrado en musicología (1998) en Duke University. En 2021, Maria obtuvo su doctorado (PhD) en el área de música sacra en Baylor University.
Originally from Recife, Brazil, Maria Monteiro serves as Lecturer in Church Music at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and as music director at Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana (First Mexican Baptist Church), in San Antonio. Before joining the Baylor faculty, she taught for seventeen years at Baptist University of the Américas, also in San Antonio. These roles and activities have provided the essential connection between her academic interest in church music and the practical involvement in the musical life of a present-day congregation. Maria holds a Master of Music (1991) and a Bachelor of Music (1987) degrees in Music History and Literature, from Baylor, a certificate of graduate studies in Musicology from Duke University (1998), and a Ph.D. in Church Music (2021) from Baylor University.
Emorja Roberson is a pianist, conductor, workshop coordinator, composer, arranger and vocalist in world of classical and gospel. In 2016, debuted “Let’s Just Praise the Lord” with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra from his project, Rejuvenate Me, with Rejuvenation Gospel Choir January 2017.
Roberson graduated from the University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance, where he studied with Krzysztof Biernacki. As a young artist, he held lead roles in Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), The Consul, The Mikado and La Bohème with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and performed as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah.
In October 2016 Robert Kry’s The Dante Project and Mass for the Oppressed by Emerson Eads. He has premiered Evelyn Simpson Curenton’s “Sweet Lil Jesus” and was featured as the soloist for J.J. Wright’s O Emmanuel with the Notre Dame Children’s Choir. In March 2016, Roberson was casted as Duke Frederick in Roger Steptoe’s world-premiere opera of the Shakespeare’s play, “As You Like It”, under the direction of John Apeitos. Throughout his experience in the MSM program, Roberson has worked with world-renowned soprano, Deborah Voight, Carla Rae Cook, and vocal coach and pianist, J.J. Penna. Just recently, Roberson recorded with Grammy Award Winner, Arturo Sandoval, for the NDCC’s Christmas CD, which will be released September 2018.
August 2017, Emorja coordinated the Weekend of Worship in DeFuniak Springs, FL for churches of diverse communities, which provided workshops on the liturgical sacred music of the church and the fundamentals of reading music, which concluded with a concert of various genres of music.
As of May 2017, Roberson was coined as the first African-American to graduate with a Master of Sacred Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Notre Dame. Currently, Roberson is a student of Dr. Mark Doerries and is the first African-American student in the Doctor of Musical Arts program to study Choral Conducting with a focus in African-American repertoire. In addition to piloting the Voices of Courage choir at Madison Primary Center, Roberson serves as the Director of Music for Olivet African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Graduate Assistant for the Notre Dame Folk Choir.
In October 2018, Emorja recorded his second live project, The Evening Musicale, which has a release date of March 2019.
January 2018, Roberson’s compositions, “I Need Your Presence” and “Lord, I Am Grateful” were debuted by the South Bend Symphony Orchestra under the batons of Dr. Marvin Curtis and Dr. Alastair Willis. Roberson was the first place winner for the 2018 American Negro Spirituals competition and performed at Severance Hall in Cleveland, OH. In 2019, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra will perform Roberson’s recently recorded, “God Is My Refuge” and “Trust In The Lord” at the Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration.
Roberson’s personal website and resources can be accessed here.
Carolyn Moomaw Chilton writes and blogs as a spiritual discipline and an invitation to conversation with others. She a leadership development coach with clergy, clergy spouses and lay employees, as well as a spiritual director. She also works as a consultant with churches and vestries in the areas of formation, development and evangelism. She can be contacted through www.episcopalevangelist.com
Wendell is a composer, choir director, and music educator, with a particular interest in contemporary hymnody and choral music. He holds degrees in music composition from Wilfrid Laurier University (BMus), the University of Toronto (MMus) and Western University (PhD), and is a life member of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. Wendell’s compositions and choral arrangements have been performed by middle school, high school, college, community and touring ensembles in more than 20 states and provinces, as well as in Ireland, England, Scotland, Poland and Jamaica. In addition to his music work, he enjoys model trains, tree houses, aviation, rainy days, and life with his best friend Janelle and their four lively children.
Min. Rylan Harris is Minister of Worship & Arts at Ray of Hope Christian Church in Atlanta, Georgia while he pursues a Master of Religious Leadership with a concentration in Music and Worship at Candler School of Theology. He is a graduate of Hampton University in Virginia and remains active with the Hampton Ministers Conference each June.
Felicia Patton is a lifelong Chicago native and worship leader at Urban Village Church. Felicia received an undergraduate degree from North Park University followed by two graduate degrees from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.
David Bjorlin is a worship pastor at Resurrection Covenant Church (Chicago), a lecturer in worship at North Park Theological Seminary (Chicago), and a hymnwriter.
Ginny Chilton Maxwell is Music Minister at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hampton, VA.
Adam Perez is a doctoral student in liturgical studies at Duke Divinity School.
Rosa Cándida Ramírez is the Worship Pastor of La Fuente Ministries, an intercultural, intergenerational bilingual ministry in Pasadena, California.
