My Big Break

I called today's rehearsal my "big break." And it was one of those moments when the second it left my lips, I knew it wasn't the right thing to say. It seemed so wrong to use words that make it sound like I'm capitalizing on a situation that involves serving at church.


Yesterday around noon our music director called me and asked if I would like to fill in for our pianist to rehearse with the orchestra.  I immediately accepted and started practicing, as this was a huge task.  I had to learn the piano accompaniment for this syncopated, rhythmic, African/tribal sounding choir anthem of "All Creatures of our God and King" in less than 27 hours.
I am incredibly surprised at my skills and how they have progressed over the past year.  I am really thankful I was able to put it together and was totally confident I could play under the direction of a conductor (something I'm not particularly used to.)
I called it my "big break" only because our most reliable pianists/church musicians play with the orchestra.

On my way to church today I was listening to the recording of the song just to finalize the tempo in my head.  I heard the third verse and some lyrics stuck out to me so poignantly, so I decided to pray:

"Let all things their Creator bless
and worship Him in humbleness."

I prayed that God would let me worship Him in humbleness tonight at rehearsal.  And like the trees, flowers, vegetation--and other things I was passing by in my car--who constantly point upwards and proclaim God's Majesty and power, that I would be able to do the same using my talents of music.

Rehearsal was going well, and although I was a tad bit timid, it was because of acoustics and things that were vying for my attention:
 the whole string and woodwind section behind me playing up a storm, and the fact that I constantly had to adjust the levels on my in-ear monitor so I could hear myself--we didn't have a DRUMMER and our percussion section didn't know their parts yet.
I had to softly click to myself with my tongue "ONE e and ah TWO e and AH three e and AH four and..." in order to get the syncopation right.  There were also these ten crazy measures of transition/modulation to a key in 5 flats, and I was so glad I had memorized that part because with all the things happening around me, I wouldn't have been prepared at all. Especially since we didn't have a drummer, everything was much slower and I had to constantly keep time in a tempo that was slower than the one I had prepared.

The song is pretty majestic and thrilling. It's our last Sunday of the choir and orchestra season, and it's the Sunday when we concentrate on our mission efforts in Tanzania so we chose this one accordingly.

Troy had asked our choir to fill into the worship center to watch a video that we have requested to see for the past four weeks.  The choir filed into the pews as our orchestra rehearsal was wrapping up with the 'big finish' of "All Creatures..." and I was really trying to get the ending down.  I couldn't help but smile at the fact that the whole choir was listening to US and watching US, and was probably pleasantly surprised that I was playing the piano. I was glad they could see and hear it/me.

Later, when running the piece with the whole choir and orch, I had sat down the play and was about thirty measures in, when our regular pianist came along side me and started untangling her headphones.  She said we should swap.  I was confused and trying to play and can't really talk and play. I didn't know when this would take place but was mildly horrified at the prospect, would she change places with me DURING the song?! 
Yep.
Once she got those headphones in, she said "Let's switch." My mind was scattered as I stood up; she circled around the bench and said as I was walking, "You can play the string reduction.. right?"
I basically did the walk of shame in the midst of the song as I turned around and faced the string section, and the sopranos and tenors and felt embarrassed.  I felt bad for hesitating so much when she initially mentioned the switch. Part of me was alarmed, as I am not in the habit of jumping up and leaving the piano during the middle of the song, and part of me wanted to stay and play the darn thing that I had put about 4 solid hours into learning and polishing for this thirty minute rehearsal!
I tried not to fume as I stood behind the keyboard searching for my string patch, and then returning to the piano to gather the sheet music I had left on the rack.  By the time I got back to my station the song was half-over.
I tried not to fume as she played the parts that I could picture in my head. I tried not to fume as I stood behind the keyboard sight-reading some music that I couldn't make heads or tails of.  My fingers seemed to want to play the piano part that I had rehearsed.
Then the words came rushing back to me in a pang, "And worship Him in humbleness."
I realized this was my "humble" moment that I had prayed for in the car. I prayed that God could help my emotions catch up, as I accepted that it was time to be humble.  Yet I couldn't shake the sullen feeling that had been with me since I noticed her approaching me behind the piano.  So I started to study her face and how the stage lights were catching in her eyes and tried to tell myself that she was still the nice person I have known for three years.  Someone who I respect very much.  This WASN'T personal, and that I need to stop taking it personally. Everyone's just trying to do their job.  Gradually the feelings subsided.
After rehearsal our music director came over to me and gave a big smile and reassuring shoulder-pat and said, "Thank YOU for rehearsing with us tonight, you did a great job."
That made tonight worth it.

Orchestra

Since the later part of January, I have been in the SBC orchestra. I wanted to give my voice a rest even though there's nothing wrong with it.

YES I went to the laryngologist and he says I strained my voice and I should take voice lessons to retrain the intrinsic patterns of singing. (Duh) I mean I could have diagnosed myself but I just wanted to be sure. 

This being said, I would like to keep singing to just Sundays and for only 5 minutes. This would be impossible if I were still in choir.

Even though I miss choir -- and mostly my field study of choice, the Choir Rehearsal -- I am really enjoying orchestra more than I thought I would. 

I've played keyboards in the band before with Sandee but in orchestra, we are on for 3 out of 4 Sundays. And since orchestra and choir are only there for two out of three services, that makes me part of the band. I'll need to learn 4 songs for corporate worship, learn the string reduction or harp part for the offertory, and the songs for communion later, or elder's fund offering, or baptisms. Some days we are up to learning 7 songs for Sunday. 

I am learning LOADS about chord structures, sequences, patches, part-playing, and voicing when playing the synthesizer or string reductions. I've become more familiar with the synthesizer I'm using -- even though it has tons of buttons.  

Until now, it has been Sandee playing the three keyboards (I think for the past 15 years) and now it's Sandee and Eve. I feel a bit bad for jumping in, and sometimes I feel like I'm not needed. But I'm learning a lot, and Sandee is going above-and-beyond to make sure I know what I'm doing.

Sandee took this picture during rehearsal and posted it on her Facebook (oh for cute). And that is Cristine in the back, she is part of the rotation sometimes too.

Our worship pastor and two of volunteer organists going on a tour of the new chapel site. Sandee is the one in sunglasses. 

Sandee and me playing on Sunday (morning rehearsal). I should I have raised my music stand a bit now that I think of it, I look like the hunchback of notre dame. 

Sandee says she will teach me a little bit of the organ when the chapel is built. 

I am so excited for that. Partially because I love the organ and partially because the organ we are getting is a hybrid -- with registrations sampled from organs from around the world. I have heard samples of these online and closing your eyes you cannot tell the difference. I am so psyched to hear sounds of majesty from the organ. 

So it's been really great getting to know Sandee and now serving with her on Sunday's. she's just one of many people at the worship ministry I have become friends with. I realize that my "colleagues" in my life right now are not my same age range or in the same major map or sorority as me. No, I'm in the school of life; my colleagues are directors, arrangers, singers, violinists, handbell ringers, percussionists, etc. and they're also parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, husbands, and wives. These people are my friends right now. I can't tell you the last time I hung out with someone my age anyway. 

Psalm 150

Last night we had our annual Psalm 150 night of music and worship.  A visiting Christian university, Northwestern University, came to play with our choir and orchestra.  I have never seen the stage so full of musicians in my whole life.  And the sound was tremendous. 

The night was full of choir anthems ranging from classical to gospel.  We had two hymn-sings, a medley of about 11 hymns, with the congregation as they were old SBC favorites.  Most of these hymns I did not know, as they were popular in the 60's-80's.  DEFINITELY not the Lutheran and Episcopal hymns I'm familiar with. But nonetheless, they were touching.  I really liked seeing the older families in the congregation singing with gusto, and even an elderly gentlemen wiping his eyes. 

We had small ensembles and solos.  Men's gospel quartet, solo oboe and strings for "Gabriel's Oboe" and John and Mary Giger singing opera.  Kateyln MacIntyre-sister of Scott MacIntyre-- sang "Rejoice! O Daughter of Zion," from Messiah. That was my absolute favorite.  Tammy Reimche, our pianist, blew my hair back with her piano transcription of Messiah to accompany Katelyn.  I was tickled to see Baroque music so popular with the congregation.  I really wish there was a recording of last night, because it was all beautiful.

A video I made

Last Year Email

I had originally wrote this to my piano teacher to keep him posted of what was going on at ASU school of music. 

SO crazy to think that was a year ago. I honestly believe that the second after graduation, time moves from glacial-pace to "out-of-control-was-that-really-a-year-ago-already" pace...

All I can say is WOW. I am blown away at the difference a year has made. 

In mid-January, I felt that the school needed to 'break' me; that I needed to conform.  I have accepted the reality of emerging from music school as a shadow of my former self. 

I can only marvel at one thing:  I worked so hard to get here and it was turning out to mean nothing to me. There isn't a lot of life here, joy, wonder, dignity, or anything of true substance.  I am  in the prime of my education, wanting so desperately to learn and soak up as much as I can.  But instead feeling like a dry sponge in the desert.

Moral relativism has extended to the realm of music. Most of the time during music education technology lab we spend minutes watching, listening, and examining various youtube videos and deciding just what is musical about it. Last week we watched a video of the sounds of powertools (chainsaw, drill, cement block falling from a ledge) edited together to make a song. Then we discussed why it's music or why not. Of course, I could not stand the braying of the sheep in the class bleating in one, monotonous post-modernist tone, I spoke up and called it 'musical novelty.' I stopped short of likening it to a novelty--such as the prize you receive when you play the claw machine at the bowling alley--I mean, I kind of want to make some friends here.

As for piano lessons:  it's very hard learn from someone who is only 7 years older than you--working on a doctorate and has spent his life doing nothing but competitions.  At this stage, apparently, one develops groundbreaking methods and forces students to comply and be lab rats.  

My understanding is, nobody does the 4:2 method, or writes anything anymore.  You should hear the methods they push on us, I just nod my head, ignore, and continue to read, drill, play slowly, write, isolate, use chord identification...etc.

I've been getting amazing grades conducting.  I'm really excited about conducting.  Our professor for conducting is a really engaging, old-fashioned, and patient man by the name of Wayne Bailey.  He is honestly the only professor I've seen here who has some sense.  

I have been taking things week by week, and even moment by moment--like the hymn. So I just kept putting one foot in front of the other,  waking up and driving to Tempe, pushing a pencil back and forth on paper, and moving my hands over the keyboard.  And here I am now:  February 10th. I cannot guess what will happen next. I am thankful for the SBC music ministry as wednesday night rehearsals and sunday mornings are the only things I look forward to during these monotonous weeks. 

When Storms of Life Assail

We are singing this song on February 2nd at church. It's arrange for piano, strings, and SATB. I found an even better version of it on youtube completely acapella.
I love acapella and am so impressed at their ability to stay in key. It's so easy to slip down a couple of microtones as time progesses in the piece.  They truly have amazing blend.

Sidelined

This is something I had written in the beginning of November but never quite finished:

I remember training for many things.
In 10th grade after a very long hiatus, I trained for 9 months to play softball again.  I remember how stressful that was, and exhilarating. My dad was the coach and was very hard on me, I trained with all his club teams whenever I had the chance--13U, 14U, or 18U.  At 16/17 years old, I basically did not have pride anymore and had already embarrassed myself more than I possibly could.  Yet I made it and had a stellar season, I even joined a premier club team that summer as a developmental player and had teammates that played Chaparral varsity softball.
I remember the bruises from getting hit by pitching machines, my own foul ball, creating a ramp with my glove in the infield and the ball hitting me in the nose, or getting it in the face with a dropped fly ball. I remember the sore muscles, the awkwardness of dropping a ball in the process of THROWING it from the outfield (in the presence of 15 year old guys) I remember pulling my hip flexor, pulling it again, then pulling my groin, damaging my lungs and wheezing for a month after working out too much in 50 degree weather. I also remember crying during numerous training sessions when I just wasn't getting it right and dad was yelling to:  Do what he asked, or something different, but NOT the same wrong thing over and over and over. I remember being frustrated that I couldn't do it, but all these feelings went away during a really good practice when everything was in the right order, I had total control of myself mentally and physically, I was throwing well, making plays, and imagining myself as Paul Goldschmidt or other players like Dustin Pedroia.

I remember preparing for the ASU audition and approaching the whole thing with the wrong mindset. I was basically embodying perfectionism, not a scent of artistry to be found. I was simply a fear machine, getting emotional at every mistake and wondering if that mistake would somehow, someway, no matter how many times I drilled it out or wrote it out would make it into the audition.  Then after failing my ASU audition the damaging mind games continued if not, became worse.  I still don't know how I passed the audition the second time.  I devoted myself to applying my teacher's methods for my first semester of college.  I would show "them" how well a Bardin Music Student could succeed. And that's just what I did. I began to completely understand music and musicianship.  You cannot do it without discipline or the relentless pursuit of accuracy. I know that now because I lived it out in practice.

This summer I got back into ballet after not dancing for 7 years.   I did a  little summer intensive with Arianna and was able to get myself back into shape and pull up my technique from the cobwebbed corners of my mind.  I watched every youtube video I could get my hands on, I devoured information, I analyzed movement, I studied dancers on youtube, I listened to music in a different way, I memorized dance steps and combinations.  It took me a few months to listen to my body and find the best warmups, or ways to communicate a correction to myself and apply it. I worked very hard and even pulled most of the muscles in my hip from not being very smart. I couldn't dance for 3 weeks until it healed.  I have made so much progress in dance and am now taking classes at my old studio once a week. I was also in the dance finale for Winter Wonder.

So the previous stories above were moments in time where I had to strive after a goal and the progress I made and my process to accomplish those goals.  I had a lot of moments where I was sidelined by some sort of injury.  In softball and ballet, all I could do was observe practice/class and ice and rest.  In piano, I just had to keep practicing every day and allow time to heal my damaging mindsets; recognizing they were destructive was the first step.

Well now I am sidelined by something so foreign to me.  It is the most hurt I have experienced because it's a different kind of pain.
I was in three different singing ensembles, SBC choir, ASU choir, and a small group singing an original work for recording.  On Wednesdays my rehearsals to all three were on the same day and in the same 5 hour time slot.  I went to a wedding in October and found my voice gravelly and overexerted by talking over the booming music that accompanies wedding receptions.  I had a choir performance that week and more rehearsals and singing for church.
I sang anyway.
Then I found my voice to have less control and my larynx and the muscles in my neck straining.  I had another performance and more rehearsals the following week so I sang for those too.  Well my voice finally gave out. I can't even sing anything higher than the A above middle C without feeling like my throat is being stabbed by a blunt object.
I have put myself on 'singing rest' since that night.  I have not sang at all. I do hum sometimes but only for 10 seconds a day.  Then I got a cold and it's leaving my voice gravelly and unmanageable. I am NOT even attempting to sing until the post-nasal drip is gone. If it hurts to sing, singing with a cold is only exerting more energy.
_______
Now, here we are and it is almost January. I fear I have done some damage to my voice.  It is such a shame really, I was JUST given the information of a great voice teacher that I was about to study with.  Instead of kicing off 2014 by calling to schedule a consultation with her, I'm going to call a laryngologist and schedule an appointment to see what's going on with my voice.  It no longer hurts to sing, but when I do attempt to sing I find myself clearing my throat often and my pitch accuracy isn't where I think it is.  The best I can explain it, is if you close one eye and then reach for something close to you.  You will end up overshooting it or missing it.  I want to sing a pitch and when I try it's a little sharp or a little flat or no noise comes at all. Also, when I do sing, I feel like it is at 50% less power than it should be and is taking 50% more labor to produce a pitch.  It's a scary feeling and resulting in me not singing at all.  Sometimes I catch myself humming but then I stop suddenly and become silent.
I think God is trying to teach me how to worship without singing.  It's an interesting thought, and definitely involves using my life and obedience as worship.
But at least corporate worship for now is mouthing the words and conducting slightly with my right hand.  So if you see me doing this in the pew next to you, know I'm not crazy.  If I knew sign language then I would sign, but I do not. :)
As I sat sidelined while nursing injuries sustained by my dance or softball endeavors, I know now I have an opportunity before me:  What shall I learn now while I cannot sing? What can I gain by being silent? Should I focus my new-found time into one subject, or diversify and start to study other things?  Time can only tell.

first song I'm going to sing when I get my voice back

Worldview Musings

Take note at Lady Gaga's latest facebook post.

"The tour will take us to another planet Galaxy-Space-Time Dance party as religion. A wild celebration of self-invention, of creative spirit. ARTPOP's a state of mind u must be willing for it to take over u. It bears no intellect. All feeling. Ur mind must be free to understand it

Let 2014 be the year u make a sculpture of you. You are a legend. Your self-invention matters. You are the artist of your own life."


Western transcendentalism with a bit of humanism.  Oprah, you may have a new partner-in-crime.

To love

To be patient, kind, not envious, or boastful, or proud, but instead honor others. Not seeking the best of what I want or anger easily, or fall into the trap of keeping a record of wrongs. To not delight in evil but instead rejoice with the truth.
To always protect, trust, hope, and persevere.

Slowly gaining more insight and wisdom when it comes to loving the unloveable in my life.

announcements

I have not used my SLR in 14 months. At all. But I'm hoping to get back at it soon!
I've been reading my old journals from 10th grade and finding them to be incredibly hilarious. I'm so thankful I was on such a documentarian kick for four years, because reading all these old memories is wonderful.

Winter Wonder is basically taking over my life. I'm in choir, handbell choir, and the dance number. I'm also assisting the children's choir (in rehearsals) and that has been interesting also.  I'm in the Christmas spirit already and cannot wait for Advent. (Lol, can't wait to be expectant of Christmas, seems ironic.)
 
Winter Wonder going  to be great.  We have 6 shows this year so if you can, please come and attend! There's an open dress rehearsal/show that friends and family attend on Thursday, December 12 at 7pm.
Then,
Friday the 13th at 7 PM
Saturday the 14th at 2 and 7 PM
and Sunday the 15th at 2 and 5 PM.

Addictions

Pretty disappointed in myself to be honest.
I haven't accomplished what I need for this week.
I am horribly addicted to social networks and my cell phone.  I've created habits of checking them often. I tallied up how much time I spend on an average day and found it to be 4 hours of phone time and checking my phone 75 times a day.

SCARY NUMBERSSSSS.
So I'm really working on "recovery."
It needs to stop.

Musings

Just thoughts that I think about often:

1)  I feel myself splitting in all sorts of directions.  I'm almost moving too fast for myself, but at the same time not moving fast enough.  I'm learning more in the past three months than I have in the past thirteen months.  I can quickly see how my goals in music are attainable.  But I just don't know if I can accomplish them all--or which ones should I go for first.
 Like hiking an enormous mountain, I can't help but stand at the bottom and wonder when I'm going to get to the top, and what it will look like from up there.

2) Our church's re-design.  I've been through one already, but that was more like phase one back in 2003.  This one is much larger and more involved.  I'm on board simply because to be against it would be selfish and whiny.  But I can't help but grieve a little for two things:  they are taking out our pews once they redesign the worship center to make room for more seats. And that's exactly how it will be; replaced by individual seats.  And they might take out the prayer garden.  It's been there since 1986.  I cannot imagine it gone.  I'm just starting to understand that there is no "perfect" church out there.  You have to see the good in your church and focus on that.   Strong, Biblical teaching, traditional and contemporary services, leaders and elders who are very discerning, people with a heart for missions, and generous giving. 
I'm at church about 4 times a week, the people I see the most are there, the majority of my best friends and mentors are there, I'm encouraged at church, I'm able to encourage others, I am able to serve.  Because WE are the church after all.  It's just a building and not as important to me as the souls inside.  So I just have to keep focusing on that.

Compelled by Grace

Today we had an all-church prayer and worship night and a groundbreaking ceremony. We are going to have a lot of new buildings being built/old ones torn down. It's a little sad but they are falling apart. My favorite is the chapel they are going to build on the corner. It will probably be done by may.

The pics. Some are my own from tonite and one is an Instagram picture by our worship pastor.

9/11

I realized today was the day:
9/11/01
9/11/12


I replayed exactly my 9/11 story in my mind today. I wanted to concentrate on what happened. I wanted to remember the gravity of the situation. I wasn't about to make another trite statement of "prayers and thoughts for those affected..." But instead I wanted to take a moment and dwell on September 11.

1) evil was allowed to permeate the safety and security that we take for granted on any given day
2) people were hurt and killed
3) it was meant for harm
4) God turned it into good BECAUSE he is good.

Focus on the Family had a radio segment of a man who survived tower 2. His story was incredible and so real. For the first time in my life I actually could see the madness he went through and the horror in the stairwells. I shuddered, yet I praised at God's clear direction for his life.
"Why me, God? Why was I spared" he said. "But the real question is, "Why not me?" Those powerful words resonated and stuck with me through the day.

I also listened to Jan Markell's understanding the times. Michelle Bachmann is in my opinion a modern day prophet. (Not the weird LDS prophet but someone who speaks the truth and is listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit).
In that show today was a clear picture laid out, piece by piece, of the administration's favor with the worldview of the Muslim religion. I felt sick to my stomach because I was forced to remember all those things I tried to push away the past 4 years.
I was crazed, in my mind shouting up a storm, driving to ASU.
WHY can't people wake up?
We are killing ourselves from the inside out by joining sides with The Muslim Brotherhood. Meanwhile they use us as pawns for their quest for power.
Why can't people see that Obama and Hilary are INSANE for leaving those soldiers for hours in Bengazi without help?
They say 9/11 never forget. BUT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN! We have chosen to believe the best of the worst of people. To assume people are deep-down good. Unwilling to accept the fact that this whole religion has the potential for great danger, we welcome it with open arms. Does the grave sites of 3,000 mean anything anymore?

I am in awe at how fast things have escalated. In awe at how much one man can do--a man that God placed into power for a purpose. I am so keenly aware of the End Times that we live in. I am reverent of God and his purposes for America. Whether this is to be a time of turmoil, or refining, He is still good.

9/11/01 was wretched and surreal. God was evident as we heard the stories and saw the healing. We erected monuments , we knit America together and came out stronger than ever.
9/11/12 went by and people turned a blind eye. Injustice has been done. We are left bewildered. Who will erect monuments for a broken country? Who will stand with a divided nation during painful, turbulent seasons of judgement and punishment.

"If my people
Humble themselves
And pray
Seek my face
Turn from their wicked ways
Then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land."
--2 Chronicles 7:14

500

My 500th post.
It's hard to believe I've had this blog for about 5 years.
It was going to die in 2010, but I decided to just keep posting. Even if it was a random thought, or a picture of a cloud.
Diligence pays off! I'm still not sure what this blog is... it goes through phases.
In 2008 it was my sole social network, 2010-2011 my teenage, faux-tumblr.
In 2012 a RANT WEBSITE. Sorry guys.
Now? I just post things I like. And this is one of them.

I have been weeding through my 200 choral pieces given to me at the VWC sacred music conference.
My "keep" section is about 20 pieces. The rest either rubbed me the wrong way musically, or the text wasn't fit for worship. I saved some of them for the "maybe" section because parts in the music struck me as interesting. I feel like a sponge now, always listening and analyzing.  This is just phase one of my future as a composer!

So friends, enjoy this brilliant piece by Phillip Stopford, it was just published this year.  (It's definitely in my "keep" section.)

1. O Thou who camest from above,
 the pure celestial fire to impart
 kindle a flame of sacred love
 upon the mean altar of my heart.

2. There let it for thy glory burn
 with inextinguishable blaze,
 and trembling to its source return,
 in humble prayer and fervent praise.

3. Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
 to work and speak and think for thee;
 still let me guard the holy fire,
 and still stir up thy gift in me.

4. Ready for all thy perfect will,
 my acts of faith and love repeat,
 till death thy endless mercies seal,
 and make my sacrifice complete.

Already fluent in typewriter

It's challenging but I'm figured out every button and lever so now I can type without fear.

Getting back into ballet!

Really fun. Exciting to see how much I have accomplished this summer.

I'm literally halfway to abs. Ballet gets you in SHAAPE it's crazy.

Finally found an exercise regimen that is a discipline, art form, and something I'm good at.

Wish arianna could do the Saturday classes tho! She lives in troon tho and the studio is in Phoenix. #lolno

on a serious worship music kick right now

I cannot believe how good "Wachet Auf" sounds with this Getty hymn. OH my goooodness. "Wachet Auf" is my favorite Bach chorale. This is amazing, I can't stop listening.

Psalm 121: I Will Lift Up My Eyes --Robert Hobby

I met many incredible church musicians, composers, and clinicians at the Virginia Wesleyan Sacred Music Summer Conference. 

But my absolute favorite was Robert Hobby. 

I was going to go in-depth about his clinic and how inspiring and entertaining he was but I'm just not in a writing mood. I will say, that I have about 10 of his choral works with me (promotional by the publisher) and I CANNOT stop reading this piece.  I play it every time I pass my piano.  The music is constantly in my head. Nothing was on YouTube so I searched until I found the demo on the Augsburg Fortress publishing website. Just. Listen. You'll love it. 

http://store.augsburgfortress.org/media/downloads/0800679253.mp3

NOW, how can I convince SBC to add this to any future program?!? Oh how I wish we would.