Conference XLIII - Birmingham, AL - January 5–8, 2026

We welcome you to The Magic City: Birmingham, Alabama! Come join us for a little mid-winter warmth in Sweet Home Alabama! Since 1872, we have been in the heart of historic Birmingham, Alabama under the patronage of the great Saint Paul. The Cathedral is well-known for its reverent, well-executed liturgy and its Downtown Concert Series, which brings world-class choral and organ performers to our city. The southernmost Appalachian foothill, Red Mountain, provides a platform for Vulcan (shown above), our civic symbol. Birmingham is a city that welcomes all and has great culture and diversity. Come enjoy this year’s conference, and stay to explore all that Central Alabama has to offer!

Monday
Plan to arrive mid-afternoon; in the evening, Solemn Mass for the Memorial of St. John Neumann will be celebrated by our Bishop, the Most. Rev. Steven Raica (who is himself a church musician!) Cathedral Choir will assist; a heavy hors d’oeuvres reception follows in the Cathedral’s Great Hall.

Tuesday

The day begins with sung Lauds and presentations. After lunch, enjoy a visit to local pipe organs, including Independent Presbyterian Church (2012 Dobson, III/86), and a visit to Vulcan, the famous statue which overlooks Birmingham! In the evening, a concert will be presented by renowned organist Isabelle Demers on the Cathedral’s Anna Catharine Grace Memorial Pipe Organ (2021 Noack, III/75).

Wednesday

After Lauds, we’ll enjoy presentations. After a lunch on-campus, Didier Grassin, president of Noack Organ Company, will give a presentation on the Cathedral’s organ, followed by a “crawl” of the instrument and open console time. The evening features Solemn Vespers celebrated by the Cathedral’s Rector, the Very Rev. Bryan W. Jerabek. Music includes Jan Zelenka’s Magnificat in C, ZWV 107, sung by Cathedral Choir and assisted by chamber orchestra. Afterward, enjoy dinner out: Birmingham is renowned for its food culture regionally and nationally.

Thursday

Lauds begins our day, followed by talks before and after lunch. There is plenty of free time today to explore the city. Time on the Noack organ is available. We will conclude our time together with a festive closing banquet at the historic Florentine Building, a premier downtown venue just blocks from the Cathedral and our conference hotel.

Presentations/Talks

We are very excited about the lineup of talks for this year’s conference. Dr. Joseph Sargent (University of Alabama) will speak on the Masses of William Byrd, exploring their musical brilliance and cultural relevance. Dr. Fred Teardo (Cathedral Church of the Advent, Samford University, formerly St. Thomas Church, 5th Ave.) will present thoughts on choral training, choral foundations, and preparation as a conductor and organist. Francisco Carbonell (St. Mark’s Church, published composer by Schott, alum of PIMS) will present on the compositional process and music in the American church, with a special focus on Hispanic music. Marc Cerisier, CRCCM Steering Committee Chair, will educate us on music notation programs and technology in our shared work.

Local/Regional Attractions

As mentioned, the Appalachians begin here: many will be surprised that the city is mountainous once leaving downtown! There is much to do in the city proper: the Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham Art Museum (which has a large and notable Christian art collection), Rickwood Field (the oldest surviving professional baseball park in the US), EWTN Global Catholic Network, Botanical Gardens, Sloss Furnace National Historical Park (the only preserved steel mill museum in the US), Southern Museum of Flight, and many beautiful parks. Further afield, the world’s largest motorcycle museum (Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum) is nearby (and has cars, too!), St. Bernard Abbey and the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament are spiritual centers of our state. Alabama is the most biodiverse state East of the Mississippi, and our watersheds are the most diverse in the country. Outdoors opportunities abound...after all, January here is very temperate. Come and see what there is to offer!

Lodging

The Tutwiler Hotel, a historic Hilton property blocks away from the Cathedral, is on conference hotel.  A convention rate of $119/night, including free breakfast, is available through December 5.

Transportation

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Air-port (BHM) is just 5 miles from downtown and is serviced by all major carriers. While there is not a hotel shuttle to the airport, taxi and rideshare are inexpensive, and “Birmingham OnDemand”, a city-sponsored rideshare, is available for less than $2 one-way. Amtrak provides service on the Cresent line from New Orleans to New York.