Author Archive
Pete Scazzero – Lessons from the Monestary (Sermon)
Bad authority smothers people and tries to control them. Good authority covers in a protecting way, but wants to release people to be all they can be for God.
Pete Scazzero – Lessons from the Monestary (Sermon)
I have been thinking about leadership a lot lately. While listening to this unique look at monastic living in modern society this leadership quote struck me. The quote comes from this video at about 31:30.
Andy Piercy – Stewards of Life and Time (Sermon)
Us who live performance based identity lives in a performance based identity culture must not slip back into a medieval way of thinking that we are earning God’s pleasure. Or even God’s approval or worse still we’re earning our salvation. That is done. We have our salvation.
Andy Piercy – Stewards of Life and Time (Sermon)
Viktor E. Frankl – Man’s Search For Meaning (page 43)
Humor was another of the soul’s weapons in the fight for self-preservation. It is well known humor, more than anything else in the human make-up, can afford an aloofness and an ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds.
Viktor Frankl – Man’s Search For Meaning (page 43)
Behind The Music: Still, Still And Quiet
I began writing Still, Still And Quiet as a Choral piece in the fall of 2011. It has evolved over time and really wasn’t finished until a few years after the initial conception. I’ve always loved choral music because of its inexpressible richness and how it can move one in ways that other music is unable. Listening to Eric Whitacre’s Lux Aurumque one day in the fall of 2011 I was inspired to write a choral piece. The timing was right, as the ideas and emotions were inside and ready to be let out.
After putting together all the music (which is SSSAATB) I turned to friend and lyricist Andrew Mauzey. Andrew listened to the piece and Psalms 37:7-9 was impressed upon him, particularly the King James Version. Which reads:
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
Once that happened the lyrics flowed out. To read all the lyrics for Still, Still And Quiet click here.
When recording this album the means to hire and track an entire chorus were unfortunately out of scope. (Hopefully soon!) However, Third Wheel was available to work on this piece. (Third Wheel is a local woodwind trio) It was then decided to turn the piece into a small orchestral piece. So the soprano parts were tracked with flute, the alto parts were tracked with clarinet and the tenor and bass parts were tracked by oboe. They were incredible to work with!
Once those were in place we added underlying keyboard and midi strings to give the piece a large, but “unnoticeable” sound. At that point there was a good musical base in place. I then turned to friend and soprano singer Lacey Venanzi. She recorded all of the soprano parts and did it beautifully.
Working with such talented musicians was a treat. Due to the variance of instruments, abstract ideas and composition I was not sure how the piece would turn out. And all together the piece turned out great (and unique).
Listen to Still, Still And Quiet below:
Behind The Music: A Spiral
A Spiral was written in the spring on 2013. That spring I was approached by an old acquaintance and artist named Ryan Martin (ryanstevenmartin.com). He mentioned he was working with videographer Nicholas Domaguing (nicholasdomaguing.com) to make a short video about his work and asked if I would write the score.
They gave a few examples of desired musical pieces/styles, which were primarily dark orchestral. They also described a desire for a “nature” or “outdoors” type of sound. Since there wasn’t a budget we decided to work with only a few simple instruments. Something orchestral (piano and celesta) and something natural (world drums).
During the time I had recently had news of an old friend committing suicide. And the melody of a guitar part written years earlier came to mind. Surprisingly enough it translated wonderfully to piano and is the opening and closing sections of the piece.
With all those inspirations and ideas the piece came out. Surprisingly enough I performed the entire piece on piano (which wasn’t easy being primarily guitarist), however, the middle section piano was sped up via midi. Thomas Newman’s work has always inspired me and his American Beauty score helped shape the world drums parts.
Listen to A Potential Outcome of Technology below or view the video Portrait of an Artist here.
Silent Night – Live On Youtube
Merry Christmas and Happy New Years! Hope this rendition of Silent Night brightens up your holidays. Enjoy!
Psalm 86 – The Bible (verses 5-15)
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you… give me an undivided heart that I may fear you name… But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Psalm 86 – The Bible (verses 5-15)
C.S. Lewis – The Weight Of Glory (page 31)
…but remember your fairy tales. Spells are used for breaking enchantments as well as for inducing them. And you and I have need of the strongest spell that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness which has been laid upon us for nearly a hundred years.
C.S. Lewis – The Weight Of Glory (page 31)
Peter Scazzero – Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (page 182)
Recognizing the uniqueness and separateness of every other person on earth is so pivotal to emotional maturity.
Peter Scazzero – Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (page 182)
Music Suggestion: Only in Sleep – Ēriks Ešenvalds
Driving home last Friday night I heard Eriks Esenvalds Only In Sleep and was pretty blown away with it’s beauty. Take a listen here: