2021 Annual Conference of the Music-Thanatology Association, International
ENTERING KAIROS:
LISTENING DEEPLY
WITH THE EAR OF THE HEART
This past year has been described as the abnormal year, the year when life as we know it stopped, the year of isolation. It has indeed been a year when we were invited to step out of chronos time and enter Kairos time, an opportune moment of grace that calls for action and transformation. It has been a year of waiting, experimenting, wondering. And so it is fitting that we enter this Kairos with an intention of deep listening with the ear of our hearts to what has been, what is manifesting itself in the present, and what dreams may come in the future. For this reason our virtual conference this year will be in more of a retreat format. Each one of us will be a “presenter” and a “listener” as we delve into our past, present, and future communal experiences. We will be fed by ritual, music, media and our guest speaker as well as by times of quiet and “ensemble” sessions.
Please proceed to the Dues & Fees page to complete your registration.
Below is a draft of the conference schedule as of 7/14/2021.
Expect changes and refinements:
*Please note: All times listed below are in Pacific Time. This schedule is meant to accommodate participants from eight time zones.
Friday, October 1st, 2021
| 5:00pm | WELCOME – ENTERING KAIROS
Introduction to conference theme and format Personal preparations for the conference |
Conference Committee |
| 7:00-8:00pm | Open forum for visiting (Optional) |
Saturday, October 2nd, 2021
| 8:00am | DEEP LISTENING Opening Ritual led by Noirin Ni Riain, PhD from Ireland Followed by Noirin’s presentation on Deep Listening |
Noirin Ni Riain |
| 9:30am | Personal time for quiet reflection | |
| 10:15am | Shared reflections on Noirin’s presentation | |
| 11:00am-12:00pm | Lunch break and optional open forum | |
| Noon | WHERE WE HAVE BEEN: HONORING OUR LEGACY This session will help us to identify the essentials of our LEGACY that we want to preserve and carry forward. |
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| 1:35pm | Break | |
| 2:00pm | WHERE ARE WE NOW? ANSWERING THE COLLECTIVE CALL Looking at current elements which are PRESENT in our life as an MTAI community. |
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| 3:30pm | Personal time | |
| 4:15pm | WHERE ARE WE GOING? COMPOSING OUR DREAMS Looking into the FUTURE – “To go where no music-thanatologist has gone before.” Fun brainstorming – what’s next?!? |
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| 5:00pm | Presentation on progress of plans for future training program | Jane Franz, TBD |
| 6:00pm | Open forum for visiting (optional) | |
Sunday, October 3rd, 2021
| 8:00am | Weaving it all together
Ending ritual of commissioning and personal commitment – led by Noirin Ni Riain. |
Noirin Ni Riain |
| 10:00am | Break | |
| 10:30am | MTAI business meeting (Full and Retired Members only) |
Kieran Schnabel |
Nóirín Ni Riain PhD
Bio
Nóirín Ni Riain PhD. is an internationally acclaimed Irish spiritual singer who has performed worldwide and recorded extensively.
A theologian and musicologist, she was awarded the first ever doctorate in theology from the University of Limerick. Her thesis was on The specificity of Christian Theosony, an in depth study and representation of sounds – primarily vocal sounds – as a means to religious experience from a Christian perspective.
She has written several books including her autobiography: Listen with the Ear of the Heart, Gregorian Chant Experience and Theosony: A Theology of Listening.
Born in Caherconlish in County Limerick on the west coast of Ireland, as a young girl, Nóirín used to visit Glenstal Abbey on a regular basis, singing and listening to the Gregorian Chant of the monks. Later she performed and made several recordings with them.
Nóirín toured the United States with John O’Donohue, in 1997 to launch his best selling 1st book Anam Cara. Inspired by having beheld a painting from Georgia O’Keefe’s series ‘Blue and Green Music’, he later commented to Nóirín ‘You could express how the aural meets the visual in listening to God in the same way that O’Keefe expresses how the visual encounters the aural.’
Sinéad O’Connor, who collaborated with Nóirín in 2004 said, “Nóirín is my biggest influence and heroine in music.”
Nóirín has presented workshops all over the world and her work is very much in tune with performance in the ritual space.
Nóirín, in July 2017, was ordained an Inter-Faith minister in London and now has now embarked upon a new role of spiritual counsellor, and celebrant of rituals, blessings and sacred ceremonies. With her two gifted sons, (with whom she has recorded 3 albums), Nóirín weaves a magic spell of transformation and transfiguration around all who choose to attend.