New Residence, New Friends

I thought I'd include a post about my experience moving to a new area! Bryant and I moved in June to a more rural area in the northwest of the Milwaukee metro complex, so that has kept us incredibly busy in the meantime. Our house is finally beginning to look like a home, and I love how Bryant has been so involved in the furnishing/decorating process. Most guys try to leave that to their wives, but Bryant has definite ideas about what he wants. =)

I'm still the music director at Pilgrim Lutheran in Wauwatosa, with no intention of leaving any time soon. The congregation has provided organ lessons for me for two years, and it looks like I may get my lessons for some time! I'm absolutely thrilled with the opportunity, but I wondered how I would be able to continue practicing 7-10 hours a week when I live so far away. I never waste trips into town, of course!

My solution was to contact several of the local churches to find out 1) if they had a pipe organ, and 2) if I might be allowed to use it for practice. Google was invaluable, and I talked to many pastors and church secretaries who informed me sadly that they no longer had an organ of any kind. One UCC organist refused me quite rudely, and a Catholic church wanted to charge me a fee. I actually got a key to a Lutheran church within the first few days, but their organ was a wheezy electric organ in bad repair. But finally I got a response to an email from another Catholic church--a few more miles away--and the director was interested to meet me because she, too, had studied organ with Sister Mary Jane Wagner.

Yesterday I kept an appointment with her, and met a very pleasant woman just a few years older than myself who holds a post as full-time music director (imagine!) of the opulent Catholic church in Hartford. She plays for three masses a week, directs the choir, and organizes special music. She told me the church's "open" hours, and gave me free rein to practice at my leisure, no fees! The little pipe organ is a gorgeous Schwanz with many more stops and a couple more pedals than my Martin Ott. It fills up the resonant space admirably. It's such a pleasure to practice on it, and such a blessing to be closer to home! Gasoline is much too expensive to warrant special trips to Wauwatosa for organ practice. Thank you so much, Ms. Rinehart!

I just recently discovered Paul Manz's God of Grace, a festive organ setting of "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah." I can't stop playing it!

Some of you may wonder, "What's it like to cut yourself off from human society for an hour or so every day, just to put in all that practice on the instrument?" It's a little bit strange at first! But you get sucked into your "piano world" or your "organ world" or what ever world your instrument inhabits. Some days the practice is real work and you can't wait for it to be over. You plug along on some piece that just seems impenetrable. But some days your fingers get it--your feet get it--you're swept along by the adrenaline and the thrill of being The Great Noisemaker. Yesterday was the latter for me. I had to call Bryant so he could see the instrument and appreciate the incredible sound of it!

Mary Jane Wagner, as a teacher, strikes a very good balance between disciplined "left-brained" technical mastery and insightful "right-brained" artistry and spirituality. She has given me some awesome insights into the art I am priveleged to practice. She observed, for instance, that the empty church almost pulsates with the "esprit de corps" --speaking of the congregation and the spirit of worship that remains in the building. It's an awesome thing to enter that beautiful, spacious church designed to inspire your worship; to be all alone in that place where people strive to meet with God--Who of course is not confined to those walls, but promises He will visit His people. It's a great privelege to know that you "own" the space and the organ for that time, and to receive the inspiration you need to make your craft the best it can be.

The Challenge

I love my work as a church musician--I was inspired enough to earn a master's degree in church music. Those who know me understand that I work very hard to imrove my musical skills as I can: I sing in a chamber choir and take organ lessons. Someone recently asked me, "Don't you get impatient working with novice musicians?"

I thought about that and realized I didn't.

In the church, people bring to the table whatever musical foundation they have. I can't change their backgrounds, but I can work with what we have. I can play the role of a coach, and help people make the most of their gifts. I can choose music that suits their needs. I can make them feel good for contributing and doing their best. For some, I can offer lessons one-on-one, and naturally, everyone receives skill benefits from ensemble work. Just as a coach develops affection for the members of his team, so I appreciate each person who does his best to bring glory to God. Quite frankly, I applaud anyone who contributes to my music program. Far from being put out, I'm blessed to be able to coordinate and facilitate all of that activity.

Matthew 21:15-16 "And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?"

It's not entirely clear from the text whether the chief priests and scribes were displeased because Jesus was called "the Son of David" or because the chant annoyed their elite ears--perhaps both items offended them. Yet, reminiscent of the widow's mite, Jesus royally accepts praise from the least skilled who love Him. He Who made them fully comprehended that they indeed offered their best, and He asked no more.