The Northeast Metro Deanery of the Archdiocese of Atlanta will feature nationally known liturgical musician and composer Santiago Fernández in a Friday evening concert and a Saturday workshop on Sept. 28-29. Both events will be held at Our Lady of the Americas Mission in Lilburn.

The event is geared toward Hispanic choirs and musicians, but all in the archdiocese are invited to attend.

The concert on Friday begins at 8 p.m. and is free and open to all. An offering will be taken at the end of the concert.

The workshop for choirs and musicians will take place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Advance registration is $20 for the workshop and lunch. Registration the day of the workshop is $20 but does not include lunch.

Born in Mexico, Fernández has served as a pastoral musician for the last 20 years and is presently director of music ministries at St. Michael Church in Pontiac, Mich., where he directs choirs in Spanish and English. He works as a consultant for Hispanic ministry for the Archdiocese of Detroit and serves the national Catholic community in a number of roles, most recently coordinating music and worship for last year’s national Encuentro for Hispanic young adults at Notre Dame University.

Fernández’ compositions appear in the popular hymnal “Flor y Canto II” and in the bilingual hymnals “Unidos en Cristo” and “One Faith, Una Voz.” His CD of liturgical music, “Ven y Sígueme (Come and Follow Me)” is published by Oregon Catholic Press. Last year he was awarded three Unity Awards by the United Catholic Music and Video Association, including Best Artist, Best CD and Best International Song. He is currently collaborating with GIA Publications to prepare that company’s first bilingual hymnal, “Oremos Cantando.”

Father Albert Jowdy, pastor of St. Lawrence Church in Lawrenceville and dean of the Northeast Metro Deanery, believes that the concert and workshop will offer encouragement as well as formation to the region’s Hispanic liturgical musicians.

“In my experience, the musicians and choirs who assist at Spanish-language Masses have remarkable zeal and enthusiasm and commitment,” he said. “But our parishes are often stretched to provide them even the most elementary liturgical formation. My hope is that this workshop will be enriching and renewing at the same time that it is informative and educational.” He noted that the Friday evening concert is open to all—musicians and non-musicians, Spanish-speakers and non-Spanish-speakers. “Music is one of the great unifying forces at work in our church and our world.”

Our Lady of the Americas Mission is located at 4603 Lawrenceville Highway in Lilburn.