As a pianist, I had a busy Easter at the keys. I accompanied for four different songs of varying styles. It was a great service, and we had an excellent turnout. Of course, this is one of a handful of services each year that people will attend even if just to get someone off their back. That being said, the crowd at ORBC today seemed enthusiastic in their worship of the risen Savior. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘performance’
Easter Sunday at ORBC
Posted: March 31, 2013 in GeneralTags: choral, duet, easter, Faye López, god of heaven, heather sorenson, Mark López, music, ORBC, performance, piano, solo performance, the wilds, tom fettke, trumpet
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Choral performance: “Rescue the Perishing” by David Schwoebel
Posted: February 20, 2013 in Choral, PerformanceTags: choral, music, ORBC, performance
Anyone familiar with the original tune to this hymn will realize how inappropriate it is. The march-like major key does not fit with lyrics like “Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave” and “Though they are slighting Him, still He is waiting.” Most of the text would be more fitting paired with a minor key or a tune that lends itself to a softer, more emotional feel. A few years back, I found a modern rendition of “Rescue the Perishing.” To me, this new tune fits with the original text perfectly. Read on to learn more about this arrangement by David Schwoebel. (more…)
“Looking Up” by Greg Howlett Live Concert DVD Review
Posted: February 11, 2013 in ReviewsTags: cd, concert, dvd, greg, howlett, looking up, performance, piano, reviews
“Looking Up” by Greg Howlett
Back in August, Greg Howlett performed at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center in Atlanta. I attended the concert and wrote a review about it. Now the new year is here, and the final products are available. “Looking Up” can be purchased as a CD, DVD, or CD/DVD combo pack. I had a few critiques about what I saw and heard first-hand, but many of my complaints could be made null and void through the process of post-production. Greg sent me a copy of the DVD last week, so I’ve had a chance to watch it and compare my live experience with the version that most audiences will see. If you’re interested in purchasing the music or video from the concert, you’ll want to read my “insider’s” perspective first. (more…)
Solo Performance: “His Eye is on the Sparrow” by Pepper Choplin
Posted: February 6, 2013 in PerformanceTags: pepper choplin, performance, piano
Image courtesy Lorenz
So many people identify with “classic” hymns and gospel songs. The tune to “His Eye is on the Sparrow” by Charles H. Gabriel is as easy-flowing as it is complex. There is a natural swell at the chorus that calls to mind the lilting bird as it darts from tree to tree. There are quite a few recordings of this famous song, but here is my version.
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Duet Performance: “Come, Thou Fount” by Mary McDonald
Posted: January 30, 2013 in PerformanceTags: mary mcdonald, performance, piano
Image courtesy Lorenz
“Come, Thou Fount” is one of those hymns that just about everybody knows and loves. There are several different tunes to the lyrics, but the one here entitled Nettleton is the most common today. Below is a recording featuring my faithful trumpeter friend Gordon.
“I Run to Christ” by ChurchWorksMedia
Posted: December 21, 2012 in Choral, PerformanceTags: choir, choral, chris anderson, churchworksmedia, greg habegger, i run to christ, performance
I Run to Christ from Soundforth (owned by Lorenz)
A few weeks ago, I accompanied our church’s choir on a performance of “I Run to Christ.” This is a ChurchWorksMedia title with words by Chris Anderson and music by Greg Habegger. These two have collaborated on many titles over the past few years, and their music has found its way into churches around the world. There’s a conversation that winds its way throughout the text where Christ repeatedly speaks to the believer that is singing the lyrics. He constantly reminds the Christian that He is there for us and has always been there with us. (more…)
Solo Performance: “Praise Him! Praise Him” by Mark Hayes
Posted: November 9, 2012 in PerformanceTags: mark hayes, performance, piano
Image courtesy of Lorenz
It’s been a while since I’ve been able to post a good performance recording. Part of the reason is that I really haven’t been playing as much recently, but I’ve also struggled to get decent, usable recordings. This one turned out great (for these recordings anyway), and I got permission from Lorenz to post the recording.
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I played two different songs in the morning service today at church and became more aware of a personal “tic” than I have been before. I found that I was very tense physically during and after playing. Many people who hear me play that aren’t musicians seem to believe that I’m very relaxed and that I make it look easy. Many times that is true, but more often than you might realize, it’s not. (more…)
Greg Howlett “Looking Up” Concert Review and Podcast
Posted: August 14, 2012 in Performance, ReviewsTags: choral, concert, god of heaven, greg, howlett, performance, photos, piano, podcast, reviews
Just a sampling of some of the spectacular lighting seen at Greg’s concert on August 10.
Last Friday night I travelled with my family and two friends to Atlanta to attend Greg Howlett’s concert/recording session at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center. It’s not surprising to meet people who have never heard of Greg, but it is surprising for people not to appreciate his music after they’ve heard it. For someone to doubt his prowess after watching a concert like I saw would be inconceivable. Greg and his team of around 200 put together a live experience matched only in the highest circles of music performers. The audio-visual event was fantastic without being overkill. Of course, anything live is not without flaw, and surprising your audience can often backfire. First I’ll talk about the technical aspects of the concert: video, lighting, and audio. The second half will include opinions on the quality and originality of the music. In closing, I’ll share some personal thoughts on the experience as a whole.
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Greg Howlett concert tomorrow night
Posted: August 9, 2012 in PerformanceTags: atlanta, concert, greg, howlett, live, performance
Tomorrow morning my family, two friends from church, and I are heading down to Atlanta to be a part of Greg Howlett’s concert. If you aren’t familiar with Greg, check out his website at greghowlett.com. He has fantastic resources for church pianists. He is recording the concert for distribution as a live CD/DVD.
