GIA at NPM
We are pleased to feature a variety of GIA artists at this year's National Association of Pastoral Musicians Convention in Washington D.C. This article contains our full slate of offerings.
We are excited to sponsor a variety of workshops and resource sessions at this year’s National Convention. Check out the full listing below and make your schedule now:
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
11:00am - Breakout A
Effective Piano Leading (Not Just Accompanying) Across the Musical Spectrum
PETER KOLAR
Location: Hannan Hall 106
From traditional hymnody to contemporary praise and worship, liturgical pianists have to be adept at a vast variety of musical styles encountered in the Catholic repertoire. It is not enough to play the notes on the page—pianists must be confident and convincing in their playing. Learn tips for an orchestral sense of variation, timing, anticipation, vocal breathing, as well as how to improvise and extend for the sake of the accompanied ritual action.
Obstacles to Full, Active, and Conscious Participation
TONY ALONSO
Location: Hannan Hall 108
Why does the “full, conscious and active participation” envisioned by the Second Vatican Council seem so elusive in many Roman Catholic parishes even fifty years later? This workshop will explore a series of challenges—liturgical, pastoral and cultural—which may inhibit rather than encourage the sung prayer of the liturgical assembly.
12:00pm
Taizé: A Pilgrimage of Trust (NPM Premier)
Location: Caldwell Auditorium
This inspiring short film follows nine teenagers from Dover, Massachusetts—both Catholic and Protestant—on a transformative weeklong pilgrimage to the Taizé Community in France. Through their eyes, viewers experience the beauty of Taizé’s sung prayer, the depth of silence, the power of reconciliation, and the simple joy of Christian community. Blending documentary storytelling with the gentle spirituality of Taizé, the film offers musicians, liturgists, and pastoral ministers a moving reminder of how contemplative prayer can shape young hearts and renew parish worship. Perfect for anyone seeking fresh insight into ecumenical prayer, youth engagement, or the enduring impact of Taizé’s musical tradition. The viewing of the film will be followed by a discussion with the producer/director Kathy Kuczka.
2:00pm
GIA New Music Showcase
Location: Pryzbyla Center – Great Room
Join the GIA Publications team for a new music showcase featuring choral, assembly, and instrumental music for the Church year in a variety of styles!
Come ready to sing!
If you can’t make it to NPM this year, the above video is the link to the livestream.
3:45pm
The Music of the Paschal Triduum
TONY ALONSO
Location: Pryzbyla Center – The Nest 300
Over the past two decades, Tony Alonso has established himself as one of the most significant contemporary composers of music for the Great Three Days. This resource session will highlight the rich contributions he has made from collections like Cantemos al Señor: Bilingual Psalms for Holy Week, I Shall Live: Ritual Music for the Paschal Triduum, Gloriosi: Music of the Paschal Triduum, and Blessed Be God: Acclamations, Hymns and Chants for the OCIA.
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
11:15am - Product Resource Sessions
Tu Pueblo Canta: a Hymnal Worthy of Today’s Hispanic Church
PETER KOLAR
Location: Pryzbyla Center – The Nest 300
GIA proudly presents an advanced look at its brand new Spanish-language hymnal, Tu Pueblo Canta. Meticulously curated and beautifully presented, Tu Pueblo Canta is sure to uplift the worship experience of your entire community. Discover more about this groundbreaking and definitive new resource for the Hispanic church of today!
New Releases from Walton Music
KATE WILLIAMS & MICHAEL SILHAVY
Location: Pryzbyla Center 327
Walton Music is one of the world’s leading choral music publishers. With a catalog spanning over six decades and music from across the globe, Walton editions are performed by professional, community, school, and church choirs worldwide. Come sing through what’s new and take home a packet of the very best Walton has to offer for all of your choirs!
5pm - Product Resource Sessions
Unbound: Exploring New Hymn Texts and Tunes
MICHAEL SILHAVY
Location: The Nest 300
Explore the possibilities of introducing new hymn texts and tunes into your parish’s repertoire! For decades GIA has been a leading publisher of texts and tunes for congregational singing, often in bound collections. Unbound makes thousands of texts and tunes available as individual downloads at the click of a button, All include full accompaniment and are covered by One License permissions. Learn more about this ever-evolving, relevant resource for worship.
8:30pm - Concert Event
Voice of My People
M. ROGER HOLLAND, II
Location: Pryzbyla Center – Great Room
Led by Pastoral Musician of the Year recipient Dr. M. Roger Holland II, this immersive worship experience is a feast of word and song, built on the powerful foundation of the Mass setting Voice of My People. Each Mass movement highlights a different musical style reflecting the African diaspora: gospel, jazz, chant, reggaetón, Afro Cuban music, and R&B. The Sanctus (Mtakatifu) is set in Kiswahili to represent African language and culture. Come and be part of this truly beautiful expression of the diversity of the Black Catholic Church!
Thursday, July 23, 2026
9:45am - Breakout D
Is Your Catholicity Truly Catholic?
M. Roger Holland, II
Location: Pryzbyla Center – The Nest 300
Catholicism and its musical expression in the twenty-first century is multicultural. What does it mean to be Catholic in the second quarter of the twenty-first century? Especially in the United States, matters of human dignity, hospitality, and cultural inclusivity should be paramount. To be Catholic cannot simply be a reverence for the Holy Eucharist that is solely enacted in adoration. Our catholicity must be demonstrated in our acknowledgment of the imago Dei in all people that ultimately reveals itself in the source and summit of our faith—the liturgy. Join Dr. M. Roger Holland II in this deep and challenging exploration of how the fullness of Catholic expression is manifest in multicultural liturgy not only in body but also in song.
How to Read a Rite
KATHY KUCZKA
Location: Caldwell Hall 109
Every liturgical rite tells a story—through structure, language, gesture, and silence. But how do we read a rite in a way that uncovers its inner logic and pastoral purpose? This workshop will introduce practical tools for interpreting the Church’s ritual texts, exploring how their order, symbols, and rubrics shape the community’s prayer. Participants will learn how to move beyond “what to do” toward “why we do it,” gaining insights that can enrich preparation, celebration, and music choices.
9:45am - Breakout E
Social Media and Ministry: Content Creation & Cracking the Algorithm
ZACK STACHOWSKI
Location: Hannan Hall 108
Zack Stachowski, social media creator for GIA Publications, will offer ideas and best practices for using social media to support parish ministry. Topics will include content creation, building and sustaining engagement, and tricks of the algorithm.
Ministerial Bridge-Building Between Anglo and Hispanic Choirs
PETER KOLAR
Location: Hannan Hall 106
The disconnect between parallel Anglo and Hispanic music ministries in the same parish can feel like more than just a language barrier. When it comes to bridging this divide, those in parish music leadership often struggle to navigate the nuances, especially non-notation-based music-learning conventions. How can these differences be overcome, or better yet, turned into building blocks that edify a healthy intercultural trust, respect, and ministerial camaraderie within the community?
Other GIA Artist-Led Sessions:
Forever Singing: The Practical Theology of the Liturgical Year John Kyler - Tuesday, July 21 - 11am - Caldwell Hall 121
Music Ministry Z: Strategies for Engaging Young Adults Jeremy Kiolbassa - Wednesday, July 22 - 3:45pm - McGivney Hall 106
Music from John Angotti John Angotti - Wednesday, July 22 - 5pm - Hannan Hall 106
Forever We Will Sing Richard Cheri, Aaron Matthews & W. Clifford Petty Thursday, July 23 - 3pm - Pryzbyla Center Great Room
Full, Conscious, Active, Go!: Readying the Young Church for Mission Kathleen M. Basi, Shannon Cerneka & Orin Johnson Thursday, July 23 - 3pm - Pryzbyla Center 327