Backbeats & Backgrounds

As I was piddling around on liveleak.com, this video caught my attention:



For any of you who grew up in conservative evangelicalism, I'm sure this brings back some memories, or at least rings a few bells. As an impressionable youth who wanted nothing more than to please his parents and other ecclesiastical authority figures, I was taken in by speeches of these type. I remember myself railing against friend and family member alike on the evils of the popular style "invading" church music. OY! Was I ever a mean-body! What really gets me is how this preacher drives home the idea that music which makes you want to dance is not gospel music. And of course, as a good legalist, I bought right into it back in the day. But why, pray tell, is dancing so evil? The Bible is rife with dancing and general merriment-making - in settings of worship or celebratory thanksgiving, even. It frustrates me that Christians can be such killjoys. Why shouldn't our music encourage us to dance?

Ironically, I now sing with the worship team at my church, complete with drums and guitars. At some points, I've attempted to infuse some of the music we sing with stronger rhythmic drive - perish the thought of a backbeat - perhaps to get the congregation moving a bit. Inspiration has at points hit me to whit that I have even composed some of my very own pieces of this sort. It occurs to me that as the Christian world has embraced popular musical idioms, we have made them our own: "redeemed" them, if you will. Praise & Worship has become its very own genre. I will contend that Christian music is not just about lyrics or performers' intention. Certainly it is imperative that as we make choices about particular rhythmic emphasis or melodic/harmonic construction, we should be diligent to promote the glory of God above all. As a classically trained vocalist who loves the longstanding tradition of high church music, I find that there is plenty of fluff and crap on either side of the fence. We must strive - in whatever musical idiom we prefer - to do it right, to do it well, to do it in a way that exalts our Savior.

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On a completely different note, one of my college singer friends Lisa Sain Odom was an extra in the upcoming movie Leatherheads starring George Clooney and Renee Zelwegger. When you watch this preview, you'll catch a glimpse of Lisa in a fabulous cloche and fur-trimmed coat, cheering in the stands with her movie family, right at the 17 second mark. How cool is that?!

Purgatory & Penance

So I'm really good at forgetting about the blog. But then, when your life is as exciting as mine, there isn't much to share with the world.


Well, perhaps I exaggerate a bit, because the last month or so has had its share of busy-ness. I was in charge of the Lessons & Carols program for the Harvest young professionals ministry at my church, so I was in full musical hyper-drive, composing, arranging, hunting (for music of course), practicing, brainstorming, programming, and organizing. Phew! It was great fun and was well-received, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if that had been the only thing on my mind....

The past couple months have been rough for me: money was tight, deadlines came and went, plans postponed, dreams faded. Money is still a big issue right now, mainly because my employment status hasn't positively changed since I started temping in June - apparently I'm not qualified for the jobs where I temped for months to great acclaim. My original plan was to be hired by the end of the summer so that with a full-time salary and benefits, I could focus my attention to preparing for graduate school auditions and preparations - you know, voice lessons, recording an audition CD, application fees. But alas! 'Tis the week before Christmas, I'm still an hourly employee, and I can't afford to put gas in my car. Graduate school will have to wait for another year. And that leaves me in office purgatory, a grey and mundane world of spreadsheets and faxes and databases where I do penance for attempting an artistic career. Bartending looks more and more lucrative every day, but then again, I'm probably not qualified for that job, either.

The Soundtrack of My Life

So I got tagged by Alison Gray to try this iPod shuffle business. I'm singing the title of this post to "The Colors of My Life" and enjoying the random poignance of the songs that answered each question. Give it a try - it's a good laugh, anyway.



If your life was a movie, what would the soundtrack be?

So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...
7. When you're finished tag some other people to do it!

Opening Credits:
Huckleberry Finn from Mississippi Suite by Ferde Grofe
Sounds like a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Good animated intro for me.

Waking Up:
An Anthem of Praise (Make a Joyful Noise) - Oregon State University Chorus
A good way to start the day.

First Day of School:
He Promised Me At Parting - Ensemble Radieuse
Light-hearted, naive frivolity. Curious that this is a group of some of my favorite professors from Converse.

Falling in Love:
Das Gestorte Gluck -Schubert - sung by Ian Bostridge
"Frustrated Happiness." I'm serious.

Fight Song:
The Wound Dresser - John Adams - sung by Nathan Gunn
Bleak and dark, and vaguely appropriate.

Breaking Up:
Waltz of the Flowers from Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky
Love is a dance, they say.

Prom:
Benedictus from Mass by Howells
This dance is brought to you by PROM PROMISE and Pope Benedict.

Life:
Cours D'Amour: Circa mea pectora from Carmina Burana by Orff
"In my heart there are many sighs for your beauty, which wound me sorely."

Mental Breakdown:
Lieber Schwarmt by Schubert
Keeping up appearances...

Driving:
Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal arr. Parker/Shaw performed by Robert Shaw Chorale
Yes, I do listen to this song while driving. It's a rousing and stirring choral romp through Southern Harmony. Or maybe it's from Sacred Harp.

Flashback:
Mariettalied from Die Tote Stadt by Korngold sung by Renee Fleming
Ah... romantic and melancholy... Does anyone else have a big smile on his face?

Getting Back Together:
Coffee Cups & Gossip from The Spitfire Grill (the musical)
"...dirty looks, suspicious eyes!"

Wedding:
Die Junge Nonne by Schubert sung by Janet Baker
"The Young Nun." Irony, anyone?

Birth of Child:
Berceuse Elegiaque by Busoni
Tragic. Or maybe foreboding.

Final Battle :
Scene 9: "Das is mehr als ein Versohnung" from Capriccio by Richard Strauss
Yes, the final battle of my life deals with the eternal controversy of words or music as the more important art.

Death Scene:
In Memoriam L.K.A. 1950-1952 - from Three Auden Songs by Heinrich Henze
Singularly appropriate, I think.

Funeral:
Out Tonight from RENT
"I have to go-oh-oo-oh.... Ah-uuuuuuuut tonight!" YES!!

End Credits:
Pigeon from Vertigo by Jump, Little Children
Love the vocal conterpoint. Perfect.


I tag Lena Belcher, Tim Sherf, Billy Robinson, Brandi Icard, Ericka Tyner, Jason Goelitz, Carla Moebius, Rachel Douglas.

Courtesy of Mr. Goelitz

I have an awesome roommate.


So I'm rather the sleepy boy today, as I was up 'til nearly three in the morning loading music onto my new iTouch. My uber cool roommate Jason managed to round up several friends to pitch in for one heck of a birthday gift. I can't say that I completely understand how to use it, but it sure looks cool, and now I have scads of musical theatre for my listening enjoyment during my daily metro commute (not to mention those idle hours at work).

The past couple weeks have been tough for me. Career angst always manages to pull me into melancholy, among other things.... Jason encourages me, though, to honesty, to truth, and to grace. All while we share a bottle of wine. I'm very thankful.

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I dressed as the Mad Hatter for Halloween, even though I really wanted to be Charlie Prince, the crazy bad guy from 3:10 to Yuma played by Ben Foster. He was Russell Crowe's number two, and ruthlessly led the gang on their quest to rescue their criminal mastermind leader. Have you seen his awesome leather jacket?! And he has a red beard! Maybe next year. Anyway, my top hat was quite the big hit, as was my red velvet blazer. Egads! And everything was found in or around my closet. Folks were skeptical, but then they realize, "Oh, yes, it's Andrew's closet we're talkin' about here!" and they remember that I am just the odd bird who would own such random articles of clothing. Jillian's party was a hoot, and there were surprises all around from a very clever and creative guest list. I met a couple of the Royal Tenenbaums, a mountain man, Cleopatra, the Girl with the Pearl Earring, Juan Valdez, Eleanor of Aquitaine, even a real live Freudian Slip. I had thought to stop for a couple things at the grocery store on my way to the party, but then I remembered how I was dressed and decided not to humiliate myself more than necessary. Good times, great fun, join us next week. I mean, next year.

The Dawn of a New Era

Guess who's thirty today....

That would be THIS GUY.


Apparently, my life has just begun (cool it with the Carpenters, already!), so I'm but a mere child, a wee bairn! I'm loving life right now. Sure everything isn't hunky dorey, but when is it ever? Really? While I realize that this sentiment isn't entirely true, what's ringing in my head right now is Ewan McGregor singing, "All you need is love!" in Moulin Rouge. I suppose I love that movie because it's motto "Freedom! Beauty! Truth! Love!" resonates profoundly with me. Perhaps someday I'll go to France and write something "spectacular! spectacular!" After all, what are the chances of unconscious Argentinians falling through my roof here?

My mother told me that thirty years ago today, she & Dad were on Cloud Nine. They had a boy! I realize this might be hard to imagine, but when I was born, ultrasounds were not so very common - in fact, I don't think we had any idea about whether my younger sisters would actually be sisters until they came. Mom was convinced they'd have another boy, as Amy grew out much the same way I did. But I was fated to have four sisters, and such as it is, I kinda like 'em. They're swell!

One of the curious conversations to manifest itself at my party came along when talking with Amy & Sarah (and others) about some of my earliest memories which all center around Amy's birth. I remember all sorts of random things that happened that week: including Mother snapping at me when I was packing my suitcase for an overnight trip to the Bragg's house. She was herself packing for the hospital, very pregnant, and I was an annoying child asking about every little thing I should take with me. There was the day at the pool with Mrs. Bragg, visiting her parents (the Hostetlers I think), watching TV in their basement, and hitting my head on the car when my dad came to pick me up. It was a busy day. The rest of the week was exciting, mostly because we were eager for Mom to come home with the new baby. I remember going to the hospital to see my new baby sister Amy Elizabeth, in a wheeled metal crib behind a big glass window surrounded by green tile, and trying to say her name for the first time came out "Amy Awblawf." It stuck, and continues to be one of her myriad familial nicknames to this day.... I was three and a half. Later that summer we went to Ohio where I met my Uncle Jack for the first time and rode the log flumes at Geauga Lake with him. He had red hair, and I thought that was cool.

Revelry, Retrospect, Resolve

So I had my thirtieth birthday party on Friday (a little premature, but that's okay, 'cause there really wasn't another time to have it)... One of the most wonderful nights of my life.

I can't begin to describe the overwhelming joy that I felt by the time everyone left and I headed to bed (around 3:30 AM!). So many surprises, so many beautiful people, so much love in the room. What a treat to have a friend from elementary school show up on my doorstep unannounced, and another friend who traveled from Richmond just to see me. Harvest was well-represented, and I'm so thankful for the many new friends I've made at McLean Pres. My sister Amy and her husband Brian came down from Ohio for the weekend, so we had a serious family affair with the "three little ones" as we have been dubbed by our parents. It was a grand convergence of the different worlds of Andrew. To quote Galinda, "I couldn't be happier!"

I'm still riding this wave of happiness, and thus looking very forward my parents visit this coming weekend, arriving Thursday for my actual birthday. My dad and I are planning an historic coastal Virginia excursion, and I'm pumped. Mom should be able to have some good shopping time with Sarah, and then, of course, Sunday will be church and then they'll be off. But in spite of the brevity, I'm thrilled that I am able to spend this "milestone" if you will with my family, and especially to have some serious quality time with my dad.

Adding to the excitement of last weekend, I had the opportunity to conduct the church choir for services on Sunday as our director was out of town. Not only did she give me the anthem with all kinds of mixed meter, but the choir performed an introit that I composed! Ironically, it's first public performance came almost exactly ten years from it's first draft back in '97 when I was still an undergrad. Now that's a pretty swell birthday present, if I do say so myself....


Beyond the merriment of natal celebrations, I think I'm coming to terms with the looming thirtieth anniversary of my birth. I'm embracing it. One friend said to me, "Welcome to life with retrospect." And that, I think, has to be one of the more profound statements on reaching thirty that I've ever heard. Indeed, it's as if I'm suddenly able to see through the past rather than dwell in it. Now, I'm sure that I'll have lapses of regret, given my tendencies toward a melancholic dispostion, but I am altogether resolved to "forget those things which are behind, and press toward the mark." I've grown tired of my fear, my passivity, my pathetic evasion of reality and of life. My past does not define me, and I can move beyond all of that to enjoy a life that is rich, resolved, and renewed.

I've a full heart. And there you have it.

Laying Aside Every Weight

I was writing to a friend of mine, and it seems that much of what I said had serious blog potential. Here's hoping I'm right:


...Now that I'm turning 30, I'm oh so reflective about the state of affairs of my life, and I'm discovering a new-found resolve. I think perhaps this past year has been one of the hardest years of my life: the struggle, yes, but...for the first time in my life, I really began to confront the darkness of my past, of my lost hopes and unrealized dreams, of the painful wounds of family and friends.... In His goodness, however, God faithfully provided.

I do still struggle, yes. Often times it does feel much like surviving. I was hit with something profound my roommate mentioned the other night when we were talking. He talked of how the battle against sin must be waged because the stakes are so high: either sin will die, or I will die. I must put to death the deeds of the flesh. So with that, I resolved to put away the sin that so easily entangles, make a fresh start (how convenient: I'm starting a new decade!), and cut off those ties to my sin. I've held on to vestiges of my past, thinking that I'll be okay. Obviously not - though I didn't realize it until just recently. I've been fortunate to have a roommate who has demonstrated true Christian brotherhood to me in a way that I never thought I would know. I've often felt like an outsider, and ironically, most profoundly in much of Christendom. Christians often just don't quite know how to deal with different people, whether they're just a bit odd or broken more than the average sinner. But no need for commentary on the modern church.... I'm stepping out of my past, out of my shame, and fixing my eyes upwards. At least, I'm...trying to make the necessary changes in my life to embrace my standing as a son of God so that I can become a man of God.