I’ve now been on this journey for more than twenty years, and on numerous occasions during the past year or so I’ve reflected on and pondered what the future might bring. As with any other long-term pursuits it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and forget about the many lives that have been touched along the way. There are SO many memories and I thought this format might be a good place to share a few...
In my mind’s eye I can still remember the conversation Kay and I had as we drove to Fourth Baptist Church for the very first “Let the Children Praise” rehearsal in January of 2006. In Kay’s words; “...We prayed together, and I specifically prayed that the children would be attentive and serious about singing with excellence for the Lord. To my surprise, they were 100% attentive, and so serious that Al spent the whole rehearsal trying to loosen them up a bit!”
During those early years I remember Brenda Johnson sharing the experience of bringing her unbelieving aunt to an event. She listened, was moved, and told Brenda, “...if the music was like that every Sunday I would never miss going to church...”
Worshipful performances of quality music inevitably touch hearts and move souls. I remember doing Dan Forrest’s In Paradisum in March of 2013 with Kay’s parents in the audience. Kay recalls, “Because there was no piano part, I got to sit in the audience with my parents, who were in their 80s at that time. The piece describes heaven, and ends with quiet bells ringing up in the balcony, followed by the chorale’s final, quiet “in paradise.” At that point, my mother, overcome with thoughts of heaven and its beauty, softly exclaimed, ‘Oh my goodness!’ I sensed that it was an involuntary response; that she couldn’t help herself...”
Our collaborations with Josh Bauder have been many, but some of my fondest memories were seeing his excitement and his effervescent energy when he first talked about new compositional ideas like God Be In My Head or the Grace Alone CD project. Just before the world premiere of Abraham in 2014, he said something like, “You know what happens next year, right?” Of course he was referring to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, which led to The Five Solas of the Reformation and also Tyndale. Being a small part of his development into an accomplished composer has been rewarding beyond measure.
There have been many examples over the years of singers who “accidentally” found us on the internet. It’s been amazing to get random emails or phone calls from individuals who had no idea there was an organization like Deo Cantamus - a place where singers gather around significant music with the goal of first and foremost glorifying God.
Working with young singers is at times challenging, but ultimately rewarding. From the beginning I have had high expectations as I’ve endeavored to challenge and inspire. When the bar is set high, they ALWAYS rise to the challenge. It’s now especially gratifying to see former participants who are singing with the chorale or pursuing further music study.
Having the opportunity to promote new music for the church has been especially rewarding. The experiences of working with James Anderson, Josh Hummel, Dan Forrest, Lloyd Larson, Ed Willmington, and now Marianne Forman, have all enriched me enormously. There’s something very special about being part of that creative endeavor.
"...excellence is a characteristic of God…The Scripture says His name is excellent. His loving-kindness is excellent, His salvation is excellent, His way is excellent, His work is excellent, and His will is excellent. I look at excellence not as a fleshly characteristic at all, but as a reflection of all that God is and all that He does and all that He represents..."
Earlier this year my wife, Kay, came upon the above passage from a biography of George Sweeting, and she suggested to me that it sounded a lot like what Deo Cantamus was all about. I’ve read and meditated on it several times since, and as is usually the case, she was right. The pursuit of excellence (not perfection) allows us to serve, educate, and worship in a meaningful and significant way. THANK YOU to the thousands of singers, instrumentalists, and audience members who have been involved and supportive during this journey. Lord willing, I look forward to creating memories that move and inspire for many years to come...
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