Calvin Worship Experts Accept Award

July 29, 2010 — John Witvliet and Charsie Sawyer stood onstage in early June before a throng of African-American and white church leaders to accept an award for excellence in church music.

Witvliet, the director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW), and Sawyer, a Calvin professor of music, accepted the Charles H. Flax Award of Excellence in Church Music on behalf of the CICW at the closing concert of the Hampton University Ministers' Conference and Choir Directors-Organists Guild Workshop. The awarded was given on June 9, 2010.

"It's a big event, and we were happily surprised by it," said Witvliet, who learned of the honor via e-mail a week before he and Sawyer accepted the award. "It was a very wonderful e-mail to receive."

The Flax award, named for a former director of church music at the Hampton Institute (now Hampton University), annually recognizes an institution for its work in improving church music and church music programs. The award also honors that institution’s musicians for their achievements in composition and performance of church music.

The CICW was recognized in particular because of its support for the Hampton Church Music Academy, support that has included hosting academy members at the Calvin Symposium on Worship. "The institute provided stupendous support for the church music academy," said Dr. James Abbington, the co-director (through this year) of music for the Hampton workshop. To read entire story by Myrna Anderson, Calvin college communications and marketing, click here Music Award.

—Calvin College Communications

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