Building Community

Well work on my Sr. and final year at Westminster has begun. This year promises to have some amazing music (which I am looking forward to). However last night in only our second rehearsal as a new group Dr. Miller (our director of choral activities) ended the rehearsal with a short talk about building community. I was nearly urged to stand up and say AMEN!!!! – That is because I have always believed that no matter what musical ensemble you are in Music helps to build community. The mere fact that there are more than 200 of us working toward one goal emphasis that point. However Dr. Miller did go on to make the point that, God forbid we lost our voices, what would we have? – and I took sometime to think on that. I, for one, would have some of the most precious relationships that I have ever made in my life. One my way home I was a little teary (ok I was a lot teary) because this is indeed my last year at Westminster and I will admit I will miss more than just the singing, I would miss the people here who have become family to me. Last night I looked around the room at the faces of the choir, some of which are brand new, and I looked for the spark that continue to build community here at Westminster. I am happy to say that it was all around me. – So thus it begins…the new year and more time to continue the legacy of building community here in Princeton. – Dr. Miller is indeed the right man for the job at this time. May god grant him a long time at Westminster and may our student community learn what it means to use this great gift of God (Music) to build all the communities around us.

What is life?

Yes! It’s been a while since I have been on my blog – so much has been going on. I should know though that this is probably the way to vent or at least talk to myself via this media. So today I found out that my dear friend Grace Hart-Caron’s son Damien committed suicide….such a nice person gone in a moment of depression and anger – how awful! – Grace has worked so hard with Damien and Angel and my heart is broken for her and her family. This takes me back a few weeks to something I meant to write about when I got home – this is about death or really about life. Just after I came home from school my aunt passed away (in fact she died while I was in school but it was hidden from me because I was doing finals – grrr) In any event, up until that time I attended a funeral or memorial service for at lest 5 weeks straight – two in Princeton, then Canon Strachan and Aunt Jane – these are people who lived various lives and who lived to good ages. Mr. Flemmer, in Princeton, would have been proud of the way his family and friends turned out to remember him at his memorial service. The same can be said of Canon Strachan and Aunt Jane (although I am sure Canon Strachan would have found something wrong with his two services – LOL) – these deaths, or really celebration of lives, should be how in just simplicity one can really make an impact on the lives of others. – so those are to celebrate (although I miss Aunt Jane a lot) – then there is the death of Damien…. How does one even begin to make sense of this death or celebrate his life – a young man gone tooo soon from the earth. – Only God in his infinite wisdom knows. Tomorrow I go to two more funerals – my buddy Jack Adderley, whom I worked with at MOT for many years and Rudell Hunt, a great friend and neighbor of my Grammy and Grumpa….May they all rest in peace

Instruments of Peace

What awful news comes from Virginia Tech today! Thirty plus people loose their lives in such a senseless act of violence. School always seems so safe. The impact however is felt in every school everywhere. For me I just want to reach out to all my friends in my college and tell them that I love them and to thank them for their contribution to my life. I can’t imagine loosing one of my friends at Westminster much less thirty - it’s simply unimaginable. We need to pray for one another that God will keep us safe while we learn and that we are there for one another in times of stress, study and joy. My brothers and sisters at Westminster – I love you all…..we must all be instruments of peace!

where in the world but westminster...

I just had to make note of something that happened in school today that made me chuckle. – the symphonic choir sang the Lord Nelson Mass by Haydn. This is an amazing work but what was even more amazing is that we had all of two weeks to prepare it under the baton of our Grad Assistants Carlos and Meg. So today there were about 180 students walking around the campus and going to their classes in full tuxedo concert dress – where in the world does that happen other than Westminster? – Where in the world do people just pop up and sing major works at the drop of a hat? – This work was sung to just the campus community who swaggered in to listen. In other parts of the world (including The Bahamas) this would be a major occasion, here at Westminster its just a blow in the wind. At the end of the concert it was funny to see students changing…literally changing from their concert dress into their jeans in the middle of the hallway - no where except at Westminster!!!!

Holy Week

Holy week is an exhausting business (especially for musicians) - this week I have sung more than I have done in quite awhile. Rehearsals from the beginning of the week and then the drama of the services o Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and then Easter Sunday….whew! – Thank God they are done. One of the interesting things about singing these services in the US verses in the Bahamas is that they give great emphasis to the quality of the music and the way its presented. The passion here is chanted (much like at St. George’s – but it’s a rarity in The Bahamas because it requires a great amount of singers. So I led the passion at All Saints - and then I also go to sing the Exultet as well on Holy Saturday I have to thank Katie or allowing me to do it and for being so musical in the way she asks for it to be done. – what a privilege to be the first to exclaim the risen Christ – and to such stunning music. I have to say though that the sermon preached on that occasion by Fr. Karl Morrison was the best sermon I have heard in a very long time. It made such an impression on me. Holy Saturday is always the “Easter Service” to me because of the liturgy. Sometimes I wish this would be the only service so that more people can be apart of such great liturgy. The Principal service today was just stunning – the brass, choir etc – WOW. Christ is risen indeed. I was reduced to tears at the end of the service when I thought of all my relatives who are now in the nearer presence of God and who loved this service. (my Jen, and my grandparents – I think of daddy (grump) who loved Easter so much. – Yes! Christ is alive – what joy it brings! - the right hand of the lord brings mighty things to pass - "we shall not die but live!" - amen to that!

It's What We Do.

Today i attended the memorial service for a fellow student...Gary Devercelley. I didnt know Gary at all - he was a freshman on the Rider Campus - he died because he drank to much alcohol at his frat house. It is the most awful thing - i was apart of a small group from Westminster who sang the Lutkin Benediction. It was set up by our friend Liz Tuker who also felt the sadness of the moment and thought we (as the singing campus) should do something. "It's what we do" - that was Liz's reason for putting it together. Unfortunately for me i sat an arm's length away from Gary's Mother, father and younger sister and brother. As you can imagine they wept through the entire service. I just couldnt take it. I am amazed at how some young people dont see that this sort of behaviour can lead death. The same thing happened on our campus a few years ago - that goodness the young man lived. I was able to see the faces of the young men and women in Gill Chapel as they tried to come to grips with what happened to them - it will take quite a while. In the meanwhile i wish young people would realize that somethings you simply cant take back.... -from all accounts Gary DeVercelley was a great young man, and if he could, would surely come back to his parents and say he was sorry and promise to never do it again...unfortunately he wont have that opportunity...a lesson to us all.

Starting again

So i've decided to start posting and creating another blog... this works better than those really long journals (thanks Jerome) - so its the end of my birthday week. Yes! Last Sunday feb 4th was my brirthday. It was quiet for the most part. I went to mass (as usual) the service was terrific - and a great message by the priest - and one of the readings ended..."by the grace of God, I am what I am" - such a positive message and phrase. The afternoon was speant at another service, this time a joint evensong with the choir of All Saints (my church) and Trinity Church. It was a another great service. In fact it was REALLY wonderful. Afterward i took up the invitation to go to the Sr. Warden's house (that's people's warden in our lingo) for a superbowl party. It was really fun. This was more about the party than the game (although we watched a bit of it) - However, Hope, Zack, Vakare (the other sections leaders of the choir) came by with a birthday cake - which was very cool. The rest of the week i have been really sick. The weather here has been brutal and when one person gets sick at college EVERYONE gets something - so either you're sick or your're gulping down "Airborne" all day. I swear Airborne could do a commercial at this place. Today, i feel somewhat better. My voice is still a lil rusty. Thankfully tomorrow i am conducting the choir and not singing so it gives me a few more days to rest my voice.