Members of the BYU-Idaho community (students, faculty, staff, and community) are invited to submit original hymn texts for use in the seventeenth annual BYU-Idaho Hymn Festival to be held in the spring of 2022.
Submissions chosen for use will be forwarded to BYU-Idaho music students, who will create a new hymn tune and harmonization for the submitted text. Or, if desired, the new hymn text can be sung to an existing hymn tune.
Also, instead of creating an entirely new hymn text, an original additional verse (or verses) to an existing hymn can be submitted. Note that in this case, both the original text and music must be in the public domain.
Be sure text follows a common poetic meter for hymns. See page 405 in the current hymnal of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more on this.
Successful hymn texts also maintain uniformity in the number of syllables in each line from verse to verse, as each successive verse needs to line up with the same musical rhythm.
Any gospel topic can be addressed – some possible ideas include
- covenants
- the Prophet Joseph Smith
- the Restoration of the gospel
- the sacrament and Sabbath day
- ministering
- or any other gospel topic
Submissions are due by Monday, December 6, 2021 to the BYU-Idaho Music Department office (SNO 246 – Attn: Hymn Festival) or via email at hymnfestival@byui.edu.
Mailing address: BYUI Music Dept
Attn: Hymn Festival Rexburg, ID 83460-1210
Please include your name, address, phone number, email, and two scripture references that support the text (such as are provided for each hymn in the current Church hymnal).
Please note that due to the volume of entries, not all submitted texts can be used in the festival. We also reserve the right to make minor editorial emendations to submitted material to facilitate the flow of text with music. Although the printed program will allow for the hymns to be used for incidental home or church use, the poets and composers whose work is selected for the festival retain the copyright for their creations.
Questions can be directed to: hymnfestival@byui.edu.