Annual Conference 2026
This year this society celebrated 90 years of commitment to exploring, encouraging, understanding and supporting hymnody.
The highlight of the year for members is always the annual Conference, and in 2026 it was a very special occasion. Since 1936 the Society has brought together hymn writers, composers, clergy, academics, and hymn enthusiasts of every kind for a week of learning, singing, and celebrating.
Some of the highlights of 2026:
Anniversary Gala Dinner: speaker Professor J R Watson
Announcement of winners of Hymn Writing Competition (see below!)
Speakers on inspiring future generations to sing, Artificial Intelligence and its effect, hymns to help change the world, and more.
Conference Speakers
Our Conference speakers this year included:
Graham Adams – ‘Hospicing the old world, Birthing the new – through hymnody’
Gordon Giles – ‘AI and Hymnody’
Michael Gisbourne – ‘What does a Precentor look for in a hymnbook?’
Graham Kings on Reginald Heber (d.1826)
Elise Massa ‘Jesus Went Doon the Toon: the gift of local community for kingdom building’
Hugh Morris – ‘The Royal School of Church Music and the Impact of Hymns’
Noël Tredinnick – Workshop on Tunes
Winners of 90th anniversary Hymn Competition
To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Society, new hymns were invited on the theme of “Ages Past — Years to Come”.
The competition honoured the legacy of Elizabeth Cosnett (1936-2024)
with an opportunity to set one of her texts to a new tune.
Hymn were invited in the following categories:
A Original text to a well-known melody
B Original text to an original melody
C Original melody to an Elizabeth Cosnett text
Awards were made in the categories A & C
A
Original Text to a well-known melody:
Winner: Colin Thompson for “So many voices echo through the ages”
C
Original melody to an Elizabeth Cosnett text:
Winner: Stephen Barber for THORNLEIGH for “Shaping Spirit, move among us”
These are available subject to the usual copyright restrictions.
“So many voices echo through the ages” text Copyright Stainer & Bell Ltd. CCLI or One License copyright licence is essential.
Congratulations to the winners!