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Moravian Music Foundation

Moravian Music Foundation

Preserving, Sharing, and Celebrating Moravian Musical Culture

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Notes from Nola: Your Moravian Music Elevator Speech

The Moravian Music Foundation preserves, shares, and celebrates Moravian musical culture.

Imagine this. You’re on an elevator with 4 or 5 other people, and you’ve got 5 or 6 floors to traverse – in a hotel, or in an office building. And someone says, out of the clear blue, “What is all this about Moravian music?” You’ve probably got 30-45 seconds to answer that question.

However much we love our Moravian history, now is not the time to begin, “The Moravians count our beginning with John Hus, a Catholic priest and reformer who was burned at the stake in 1415 …” or even “Count Zinzendorf let a group of refugees settle on his estate in 1722 …”. The question wasn’t “What was this about Moravian music?”, but “What is all this about Moravian music?” Remember, you’ve got 30 seconds.

Panicked yet? Maybe! I had a similar experience a few weeks ago, but I had time to think about it. I was working on a letter to invite current and former members of the Moravian Music Foundation’s Board of Trustees to consider the Moravian Music Foundation in their estate plans. And I needed to tell them why. This is what I wrote:

Paul and I have included the Moravian Music Foundation as a beneficiary in our will. We did this, several years ago, because we are fully committed to the mission of the Moravian Music Foundation, recognizing that music has helped shape our faith in ways that words alone cannot; that through music we express our faith beyond the power of the spoken word; and that the Moravian musical culture we both grew up with carries meaning and depth that the world so badly needs.

Not too bad. But it took me a half hour to write that, and I hope you don’t get stuck on an elevator for that length of time – if you do, it’s not likely you’ll be trying to clarify your thinking about Moravian music!

So what about this?

“Moravian music might have begun within the Moravian Church, for worship, but it speaks to the hearts and souls of people of every denomination. It’s well-crafted and beautiful and expressive of our faith in Jesus Christ.”

Or this:

“The Moravian musical tradition dates back hundreds of years, but many Moravian musicians are still writing music that expresses their faith in today’s musical traditions.”

Or even this:

“I play [or sing] in my church’s band [trombone choir/brass ensemble/choir/handbells], and it gives me pride in the music we make together and helps me feel closer to the people I’m playing [singing] with because we’re worshiping as we make music.”

Or this:

“For Moravians music is always a part of life, both “secular” and “sacred”, because the Moravians know that all life is really sacred. I can’t imagine being in a gathering of Moravians without music.”

And follow up with,

“You should take a look at the Moravian Music Foundation’s website. Do you have a few minutes to come to my office and look at it with me, or look on your phone? It’s really easy to find – just think MoravianMusic.org.”

Yes, friends, I’ve been at the Moravian Music Foundation for 26 years, but these weren’t all that easy to write. Don’t wait ‘til you’re in that elevator – if you’re reading this, you have an interest in Moravian music and the work of the Foundation, so be ready to speak about it!

What’s your Moravian music elevator speech?

Next time … Moravian composer Jacob Van Vleck (March 24, 1751-1827)

 

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457 South Church St.
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Phone: (336) 725-0651
Email: info@moravianmusic.org

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A recent inquiry to MMF - Subject: Copyright/Streaming

 

Dear MMF,

I have a question about copyright and streaming. We have CCLI license and streaming license at my church, but it does not cover many pieces for organ. Would the ASCAP license provide that protection for us to stream and include copyrighted organ music? I’ve read their website, and it seems like it would.  https://www.ascap.com/music-users/types/church-or-ministry

Thanks!

____________________________________________________

Dear Worship Leader,

We have been instructing folks to follow CCLI and OneLicense guidelines, which, as you discovered, unfortunately, rarely cover instrumental/keyboard music.

Yes, it appears as though ASCAP offers a “WorshipCast” streaming license, which is set up in much the same manner as CCLI and OneLicense licenses – i.e., the fee structure is based on worship attendance:

https://apps.christiancopyrightsolutions.com/purchase-license.aspx?svc=wc

A quick click brought up this fee structure:
1 – 199 (in attendance): $284.00
200 – 499 (in attendance): $424.00 (obviously it goes up from here)

Some further good news – the WorshipCast license offered above is controlled by Christian Copyright Solutions (a division of CCLI, and it appears as though purchase of this license would allow you to broadcast both ASCAP and BMI titles, opening up even more possibilities.

I don’t think, however, that this license includes SESAC titles; thus, if you wished to perform anything under the SESAC umbrella (Dan Gawthrop, for instance), you would need to approach that entity directly for a license:

https://www.sesac.com/#!/

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Blessings to you in your music ministry!

Gwyneth Michel, Assistant Director, Moravian Music Foundation      – – (with edits by Erik S.)

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Construction began on the building in the fall of 1999, and the facility was completed and occupied in July 2001. In September 2001, the building was dedicated as the Archie K. Davis Center. More about the man, the building, and a quick, visual tour of our beautiful home.

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