Conference Dates
In-Person
Week 1: June 18 – 23, 2023
Week 2: June 25 – 30, 2023
Online
June 25 – 30, 2023
Opening and Closing
The conference begins with opening worship Sunday at 7:30 pm. The last event of the conference is the Friday evening concert at 7:30 pm.
Registration Information
You may choose to attend the conference in-person at Montreat or online via PAM’s website.
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In-person rates allow for in-person conference participation at Montreat. This rate includes access to the online conference livestream and video & document library for registered Adults only.
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Online rates do not allow for in-person conference participation at Montreat. This rate includes access to the conference livestream and the video & document library.
In-Person and Online Individual and Group Rates
In-Person
Registration Categories By January 31 Feb 1 – Apr 30 After April 30
Early On-Time
Adult PAM Member $330 $380 $430
Adult PAM Non-Member $505 $555 $605
Children and Youth $290 $340 $390
Chaperone $50 $50 $50
Supporting Adult (group drivers, cooks, etc.) $50 $50 $50
Online
PAM Member: $175
Non-Member: $250
Scholarship Fund
PAM’s Scholarship Fund annually provides scholarships to conference registrants with financial need. The scholarship application deadline for first consideration is December 1, 2022 with award notifications being made by December 20, 2022. After that applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. To apply, please complete and submit a Conference Scholarship Application.
Conference Policies
Cancellation/Refund Policy
All but $50 of in-person registration fee may be refunded up to April 30th. On May 1st or later, no refunds will be issued without a doctor’s note or changes occur on behalf of PAM or Montreat Conference Center that warrant altering the in-person conference due to COVID-19. All cancellation requests must be in writing and received via email (pam@travelink.com) or U.S. Mail (Presbyterian Association of Musicians, 404 BNA Dr. Suite 650, Nashville, TN 37217). Payments by check will be refunded after the conclusion of the conferences (by July 31st).
The online conference registration is non-refundable as participants will have the option to live-stream and have access to all event recordings through the remainder of the year. However, online registrations may be converted to an in-person registration by sending a request to pam@travelink.com.
Requests for refunds of lodging, food, or other fees are subject to policies of the organizations with which these arrangements have been made. See the 2023 Registration FAQs for more information.
Please note: neither individual nor group registration includes permission to rebroadcast or redistribute the online event.
In Person Conference Information
Conference Check-In
Each conferee must complete the check-in process in Upper Anderson, located inside Anderson Auditorium at 303 Lookout Rd., Montreat, NC 28757, upon arrival at Montreat.
In order to check-in on-site, each participant (adults and children) must bring a completed Locator Form. Due to sensitivity of information, these forms may not be submitted electronically.
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Check-in hours are Sunday, 2:00 - 5:00 pm, and continuing after the opening worship service until 9:30 pm. You may also check-in on Monday beginning at 7:30 am in the PAM/Worship and Music Office (Allen Building, lower level).
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One choral music packet per registered participant will be distributed upon check-in.
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During conference check-in, all registered handbell players should check-in with the handbell clinicians to review each choir’s repertoire and sign up for a position.
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Choral packets for Adult and Senior High Chamber Choirs must be purchased at the on-site Beethoven & Company store Monday morning before the first rehearsal at 8:00 am.
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Handbell Packets must be purchased on-site at the Jeffers Handbell Supply Store.
Class Size Limits
All classes are assigned size limits based on rooms and class content. The earlier you register, the more flexibility you will have in choosing classes and times.
Lodging
The conference registration fee does NOT include meals and lodging. Reservations for lodging are NOT made through the PAM National Office and must be arranged by the participant. Housing options are available through Montreat Conference Center and private rentals in Montreat and the surrounding area.
Meals
Guests staying in Montreat Conference Center housing are able to purchase meals for the Galax Dining Room in Assembly Inn. Guests who are not staying in Montreat Conference Center housing will be able to purchase meals for the Galax Dining Room beginning March 31st. Only a limited number of meal tickets for the Galax Dining Room will be made available on March 31st, and when those are sold, no more meals will be made available. Conference participants will not be able to walk up and purchase meals at Galax Dining Room during the conference.
The newly redesigned Huckleberry in Montreat will be open and is an option for coffee and lunch Tuesday - Saturday.
Auditions
Adult and Senior High Chamber Choirs, Youth Talent Show, and Advanced Auditioned Handbells are auditioned activities. Auditions will be held Sunday from 2:00 - 5:00 pm and following the opening worship service until 9:30 pm.
New in 2023: Conferees will be invited to sign up for an audition time for Ault Chamber Choir, Senior High Chamber Choir, or Advanced Auditioned Handbells. The sign ups will be emailed to adults, senior highs, and chaperones with the pre-conference information.
Instrumental Ensembles
Instrumental Ensembles meet throughout the day during the conference. Interviews will be held Sunday from 2:00 - 5:00 pm and following the opening worship service until 9:30 pm. The purpose of the interview is to determine ensemble placement and best fit with your daily schedule. Location information for interviews will be posted in Upper Anderson at check-in.
Medical Insurance
*Neither PAM nor the Montreat Conference Center carries medical insurance on conferees. *
Children and Youth
All classes and choirs for children and youth are grouped according to the grade levels participants have completed.
Senior High: Completed ninth through completed twelfth grade
Middler: Completed sixth through eighth grade
Children: Completed third through fifth grade
Children and Youth Chaperones
Please review the Chaperone FAQs.
Middler & Senior High Small Groups
In an effort to form better relationships among all of the youth at the conference, youth will gather in small groups daily. Small group sessions will be led by Small Group Leaders (SGLs) who will guide conversations and lead small group activities centered around Scripture heard in worship. There will be separate groups for middler and senior high youth. Review the Small Group FAQs for more information.
Small Group Leaders
If you are 21 or older and are interested in applying to be a Small Group Leader (SGL), please submit an online application. If you originally registered to serve as a Chaperone and are selected as an SGL, then PAM will waive the Chaperone Fee ($50) and provide one discounted youth or child conference registration. (Note: SGLs will lead one senior high small group and one middler small group each day and are still expected to serve as a chaperone in addition to the SGL duties.)
Children Not Registered for the Conference
Children younger than completed 3rd graders may not register for the conference. However, Montreat's regular daytime childcare and recreation programs - Montreat Clubs - are available by pre-registration for children ages six months through high school. Childcare and Clubs fees are payable to Montreat Conference Center. Evening childcare is available at an additional charge. Registration is required for childcare, and space is limited. Registration for Worship & Music Conference participants opens March 3rd. You must register at least 30 days in advance of the conference to guarantee enrollment in the program. To register for childcare, go to www.montreat.org or call 828-419-9837 after March 3rd.
Youth Talent Show (Tuesday Evening)
Participants must audition for the youth talent show. Auditions are held Sunday from 2:00-5:00pm and following opening worship until 9:30pm. Talent Show acts are limited to three minutes in length. No more than three acts from any one church may audition. Participants chosen for the Talent Show MUST attend the mandatory tech check rehearsal in Anderson Auditorium on Monday evening. Participants not chosen for the Talent Show may perform at Open Mic on Thursday evening. Each group or solo act must supply their own accompanist.
Morning and Evening Prayer
Morning prayer will begin at 7:30 am, Monday – Friday, and evening prayer will begin 15 minutes after the end of the evening event, Monday - Thursday. We invite you to begin and end each day with prayer, scripture, and song in services intentionally designed to mirror the practices of smaller worshipping communities.
Worship and Evening Events
These daily events are free and open to the public.
Conference T-shirts
Conference t-shirts are $15 for in-person registrants. Sizes available: Youth S-XL, and Adult S-3XL. Deadline to purchase is April 30, 2023. T-shirts will be picked up during on-site check-in.
Continuing Education Units
C.E.U.s may be arranged by obtaining a form from the PAM Conference Office (Allen Building, lower level). Check with your school system prior to the conference for any pre-approval requirements. A $10 processing fee is required to be paid when the completed form is turned in.
FAQs
Online Conference FAQs
If I am an online conference participant, can I order a conference t-shirt?
Yes! Conference t-shirts for online registrants are $20 to cover shipping and handling. Sizes available: Youth S-XL, and Adult S-3XL. Deadline to purchase is April 30, 2023.
How do I get a choir packet if I am attending the conference online?
Call Beethoven & Company at (850) 894-8700 to place an order by June 1. The cost of a choir packet is not included in online registration.
Does the online conference include every in-person offering?
The online conference is made up of a subset of the in-person conference offerings. A slate of classes, worship, and evening events are live-streamed.
Are there opportunities to interact with the leaders of online classes?
Yes. Online participants are encouraged to send their questions and comments to a designated email address to be read and answered in real time.
Do online conference participants receive access to the video & document library?
Yes, all in-person and online adult registrants receive access to the video and document library through the end of the year.
Registration FAQs
How often do the classes meet?
Unless otherwise stated, all classes on the schedule meet Monday through Friday for 50-minutes.
New in 2023: One-time 50-minute submission-based Interest Sessions led by PAM members on 16 varied topics will be held Monday-Thursday at 10am and 4:30pm.
Am I required to register for a class for each hour of the day?
Absolutely not! Depending on the type of person you are, you may want to register for 7 hours of classes each day, but remember, this conference is 5 days long. Our prayer for you is to be refreshed and renewed when you return home, not exhausted. So please do what is best for you to ensure you have a full, but Sabbath-full week at Montreat. We find most registrants average 5 hours of classes daily.
Are adults required to attend both daily adult choir rehearsals?
If you plan to sing in the Adult Choir, yes. If not, no.
Are there required classes for children and youth?
Yes! All required classes will conclude by 3:20pm daily.
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Senior High - Sr. High Choir and Small Groups. This age may also choose up to 4 electives.
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Middler - Middler Choir and Small Groups. This age may also choose up to 4 electives.
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Children –Choir, Bible Study, Music, and Fun and Games. Children will be assigned classes by the Conference Administrator. The team will work to keep children from the same family, church, youth group, etc. together throughout the day. Groups larger than 8 may be placed into two groups. This age may also choose to participate in intergenerational drumming at 3:30pm (limited seats available).
Do I need to register for instrumental ensembles?
No. But, when you register, please indicate that you plan to participate in the ensembles. During conference check-in, you will need to meet with the Instrumental Ensembles Director, Mark Britt, to determine your ensemble placement. Mark will work with you and the needs of the conference to ensure you are placed with the appropriate group. Music is provided!
Do I need to register for the Adult or Senior High Chamber Choir or Auditioned Advanced Handbells?
No, these are audition-based ensembles. The directors will host auditions during on-site check-in. Results will be posted by 6am on Monday. If you are selected for Adult or Senior High Chamber Choir, you will attend those rehearsals twice daily (8am & 4:30pm for Adult and 8am & 1:30pm for Senior High), rather than the classes for which you originally registered. If you are selected for Auditioned Advanced Handbells, you will attend rehearsal (9am daily), rather than the class for which you originally registered. Music for these ensembles must be purchased on-site at Beethoven & Company (chamber choirs) and Jeffers Handbell Supply (handbells) prior to the first rehearsal on Monday morning.
NOTE: If you are 18-20 years of age, you are invited to audition for the Senior High Chamber Choir OR the Adult Chamber Choir, but not both.
May I register for more than one handbell class?
To ensure all conferees may register for a handbell class, all registrants are limited to two classes. However, during on-site check-in you may register for available slots in any of the handbell classes.
My child, spouse, etc. does not have an email address. How can I register this person?
Children, Middlers, Senior Highs, Chaperones, and Supporting Adults (church group drivers, cooks, etc.) registering in a family or with a church group do NOT require an email address as long as they are being registered by a group leader with an email address. All Adult participants registering individually must have a unique valid email address to register for the conference.
How do I register a group from my church? Can I add registrants to my group after I’ve already registered?
Step-by-step instructions for registering your group, making additions, or cancellations are available on the Registration page.
Do I need to register “extra” adults that I bring with our group to the conference? (ie, cooks, drivers, etc.)
You have the option to register extra adults – adults who come with a group solely to function as cooks, drivers, etc. – as a Supporting Adult (church group drivers, cooks, etc.) during the registration process. The cost for a Supporting Adult (church group drivers, cooks, etc.) is $50.
When coordinating your group, keep in mind that PAM requires a 1:6 adult to child/youth ratio in all its conference offerings. To ensure the safety of all children and youth, groups are required to register one chaperone for every six children they register.
New in 2023: Chaperones will have the opportunity to register for a specific age group: Children, Middler, or Senior High. Children’s chaperones will choose to attend morning or afternoon classes. Middler and Senior High chaperones will choose to chaperone two classes, one evening event, and they will be assigned a small group. Registered Chaperones are expected to fully participate in the classes or events they sign up to chaperone.
Are there options for children who are not old enough to participate in the Worship & Music Conference?
Children younger than completed 3rd graders may not register for the conference. However, Montreat's regular daytime childcare and recreation programs - Montreat Clubs - are available by pre-registration for children ages six months through high school. Childcare and Clubs fees are payable to Montreat Conference Center. Evening childcare is available at an additional charge. Registration is required for childcare, and space is limited. You must register at least 30 days in advance of the conference to guarantee enrollment in the program. To register for childcare, go to www.montreat.org or call 828-419-9837 after March 1st.
May I purchase music and/or books at the conference?
Yes, Beethoven & Company, Jeffers Handbell Supply, and the PC(USA) Store will have satellite stores at Montreat throughout both weeks.
Do I have to register for week 2 in order to have access to the conference live-stream?
No, all in-person Adult conference registrants will receive access to the conference live-stream, which takes place during week 2, and the video & document library. The video and document library will be available through the end of the year.
Chaperone FAQs
How many chaperones must I register as Chaperones?
If your church is bringing a group of youth/children, you must register one chaperone for every six children/youth registered. Chaperones must be 21 years of age or older. The church registering the chaperone(s) assumes all responsibility for the behavior and actions of that chaperone. Churches are responsible for conducting appropriate background checks on individuals serving as chaperones. PAM will not be held responsible for the actions or inactions of chaperones.
Do I need to register “extra” adults that I bring with our group to the conference? (ie, cooks, drivers, etc.)
You have the option to register extra adults – adults who come with a group solely to function as cooks, drivers, etc. – as a Supporting Adult (church group drivers, cooks, etc.) during the registration process. The cost for a Supporting Adult (church group drivers, cooks, etc.) is $50.
When coordinating your group, keep in mind that PAM requires a 1:6 adult to child/youth ratio in all its conference offerings. To ensure the safety of all children and youth, groups are required to register one chaperone for every six children they register.
During registration will Chaperones need to select classes?
Yes, Chaperones will have the opportunity to register for a specific age group: Children, Middler, or Senior High. Children’s chaperones will choose to attend morning or afternoon classes. Middler and Senior High chaperones will choose to chaperone morning or afternoon classes, one evening event, and will be assigned a small group. Registered Chaperones are expected to fully participate in the classes or events they select to chaperone.
Will Chaperones of Middlers and Senior Highs be in small group with youth from their church group?
Youth are intentionally assigned to small groups so that there are not two individuals from each back-home group in the same small group. Therefore, it is likely that Chaperones will be assigned to a small group with some youth from their church group, but not all. We ask that you trust the process of small group placement - it works! Year after year, strangers on Monday morning have become life-long friends by week’s end. There will be no less than 3-4 adults in each small group. All Small Group Leaders have undergone background checks.
Will Chaperones of Middlers and Senior Highs be in classes with youth from their church group?
It is likely that Chaperones will chaperone classes with youth from their church group. Because Chaperones are able to select which classes they would like to chaperone, it depends on whether or not there are youth from the chaperone’s church group attending the same class.
Will there be a training for Chaperones?
Yes, there will be a Zoom meeting in early June for all registered Chaperones to learn more about the expectations and schedules.
May I sit in additional children/youth classes?
Of course! As a registered Chaperone, you are welcome to chaperone in more than the classes you are assigned to chaperone.
What if I am bringing my own children, grandchildren, etc. and do not meet the 1:6 ratio?
You are not required to provide a chaperone. However, you are responsible for getting your children/youth to/from classes throughout the day.
What if I am bringing a church group made up of adults, youth, and children conference participants? Do I have to bring more adults to serve as Chaperones?
PAM requires a 1:6 adult to child/youth ratio in all its conference offerings. To ensure the safety of all children and youth, groups are required to register one Chaperone for every six children they register.
May Chaperones serve as Small Group Leaders?
Yes! Small Group Leaders (SGLs) provide critical guidance to the Middler and Senior High small groups at the conference. SGLs receive a FREE Chaperone registration and one discounted child or youth conference registration, but they also expend lots of time and energy. The required Zoom SGL training will be held in June prior to the start of the conference. You are expected to serve as a Chaperone in addition to your SGL duties. Apply to be a Small Group Leader here.
Small Group FAQs
Why small groups?
Youth attend the Worship & Music Conferences with their choirs, their youth groups, their churches, their families, and so on. Some youth may know many youth from their own church, while other youth may know very few. The idea for Small Groups is to provide an opportunity to make new friends and form better relationships among all youth.
How does it work?
Youth will be placed in small groups with no more than 25 youth per small group.
Middler and Senior High will have separate small groups. Small groups will explore fellowship, Scripture study, discussion, and creativity.
Who will lead the small groups?
Each small group will be led by one Small Group Leader (SGL). Small Group Leaders are 21 years of age or older. Selected Small Group Leaders will receive a discount on their registration fee.
Small Group Leaders must:
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Attend Zoom SGL training in June prior to the start of the conference
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Attend daily conference worship
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Pass a background and reference check
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Attend daily SGL meetings Monday-Thursday
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Lead daily small group
Chaperones are required to attend small group as part of their chaperone duties. They will assist SGLs with discussions and activities.
How do I apply to serve as an SGL?
You may apply by filling out the form here. In gratitude for your time and talents, PAM will waive the Chaperone registration fee and provide one discounted child or youth conference registration. You are still expected to serve as a Chaperone in addition to your SGL duties.
Will there be required background checks on SGLs?
Yes, all SGLs will be required to undergo a background check and reference check.
Will materials be provided to SGLs to lead the small group discussions and activities?
Yes, small group materials for middler and SH small groups will be coordinated by the Small Group Facilitator, who will also assemble the small groups, communicate with the SGLs and lead daily SGL meetings. The small group manual will be distributed via e-mail to SGLs no later than May 15th. SGLs will be responsible for printing copies of the manual for themselves or providing an appropriate device (for instance, a tablet) from which they can lead a small group.
Will SGLs receive training prior to the start of the conference?
Yes, the Zoom SGL training will be in June prior to the start of the conference. There will also be daily SGL meetings Monday-Thursday.