Bob Hurd, a leading composer of church choral music, presents a concert and workshop, April 24 and April 25, St. Ann’s Church, Emmaus.

Hurd and the St. Ann’s Choir will have the audience singing with them from the hymnal on most of the songs. Hurd writes his music to be integrated with church services.

“This music is all written for congregations to sing. We are not performing for a passive audience,” Hurd says in a phone interview from Claremont, Calif.

“Music is the servant in presenting Christ. It serves the readings and the rituals, the rite of gathering and the message of spirituality,” says Hurd.

Carol Traupman-Carr, who will lead the choir of 35 to 40, says, “Bob’s primary focus is on congregational singing. He is not interested in complicated work. He wants songs that people can learn easily and can sing while going up to communion.

“Our choir is not a performing organization. Our primary role is to enhance the service,” Traupman-Carr says in a phone interview.

Hurd says that his songs are not all hymns:

“A hymn is a specific type of music with a certain structure. A congregation has the right to experience all different things.”

Hurd’s music includes gospel and folk influences.

His Saturday morning workshop will be about the meaning of music in the liturgy, and about liturgy and spirituality. He will use much of his own music, which he will perform with guitar or backed by a pianist.

Although most church music is keyboard-based, Hurd was in seminary right after Vatican II, the Second Vatican Council that modernized Catholic church services.

He was influenced by the guitar masses that were popular at the time. He also had a rock band during high school.

Hurd received a BA from St. John’s Seminary College in 1973 and an MA in 1976 and PhD in 1980 from De Paul University.

He has taught philosophy and theology at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles; Franciscan School of Theology, Berkeley; St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park, Calif.; Santa Clara University, and Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry.

His book, “Compassionate Christ, Compassionate People: Liturgical Foundations of Christian Spirituality” (Liturgical Press, 2019) is an in-depth study of the public ritual of Christian worship.

Hurd, who is Catholic, believes in sharing among all Christians. He is known for his bilingual songs. In California, he has been in contact with Spanish and Vietnamese language speakers, and writes compositions with them in mind.

“They are for everyone who belongs to the parish. It invites people to experience other people’s language and to get to know each other as brother and sister. For those in separate parishes, it can bring people together around major feasts.”

Traupman-Carr has been at St. Ann’s, a Catholic church, for 33 years. She is Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Dean for Academic Operations Assessment and Accreditation Consultant at Moravian University.

“People liked explanations of the music during services and how it related to the season we were in. I started a podcast called ‘On the Musical Road to Emmaus.’

“The St. Ann’s hymnal has 40 or 50 pieces by Bob. I contacted him through his publisher [OCP Music Publishing]. After a wonderful chat with Bob on an episode, he said he would love to come and work with our choir.”

Hurd says he may or may not have visited the Lehigh Valley before in his many travels:

“I have been doing this for 50 years. I have been all over the U.S. and England, and even once in Italy. I know I have been in Pennsylvania, but not if I was in your area.”

“On the Musical Road to Emmaus” podcast by Carol Traupman-Carr: https://caroltcarr.podbean.com

“Evening Concert with Bob Hurd and the St. Ann’s Choir,” 7 p.m. April 24; “Morning Conversation: Interactive Learning Session,” 9 a.m. April 25, St. Ann’s Church, 415 S. Sixth St., Emmaus. Ticket not required.  610-965-2426, https://www.churchstann.org/