The 2004 National Keyboard Symposium will be held Oct. 23-26, at Charleston Southern University and First Church Charleston. 

The event will begin with a piano concert at 7:20 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23, at Charleston Southern University.  Friday and Saturday activities include piano, organ and electronic keyboard classes, an organ concert, free time in downtown Charleston and an “Organ Crawl” tour of historic organs in Charleston-area churches.  The event concludes Sunday, Oct. 26, with worship opportunities in local churches. 

Registration is $135 per person and includes three meals – Friday lunch, Saturday lunch and dinner - and a Thursday evening fellowship at Lightsey Chapel.  Participants may register through LifeWay Christian Resources, event co-sponsor with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. 

Breakout session topics include adapting keyboard music to different styles of worship and skills, reading chord charts, modulation, playing with orchestras and bands, MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface), personal worship and how accompanists can reach others for Christ.

Event faculty include Bruce Greer, a concert artist and accomplished accompanist for contemporary artists such as Cynthia Clawson.  Dr. Becky Lombard, an associate professor of music at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, is a popular teacher for national conferences.  Dr. Michael Sharp, also an associate professor of music at the New Orleans Seminary, has a special interest in keyboard ensembles in the local church and has published keyboard and choral music.

According to Paula Joye, Music & Creative Arts contract worker with the convention, the symposium is a cutting-edge workshop.  “In addition to a variety of classes offered by accomplished musicians and teachers, we will also be discussing the place of an organist in the future and how the organ is relevant to 21st century music,” Joye said.

The National Keyboard Symposium is held every three years, and includes participants from as far away as Hawaii. 

To register, contact LifeWay Christian Resources at (800) 254-2022 or online at www.lifeway.com.  For more information about the event, including a detailed schedule and lodging information, contact the Music & Creative Arts Group at (800) 723-7242, ext. 4800, by email at janetaltman@scbaptist.org or online at www.scworshiparts.info.