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Hey, y’all! ‘Tis two days after Thanksgiving…is Christmas music echoing through your tinsel-lined hallways? Just kidding…about the tinsel part, that is. #nineties
Confession: I’ve been listening to Christmas music occasionally for the past month and a half. I’m definitely ready for Christmas; it’s my favorite time of year, probably because I’m a rather sentimental person and I love tradition, and family time, and nativity scenes (with relocated wise men, of course), and Bing Crosby, and buying unique gifts for people, and cold weather (when I can actually wear a sweater without sweating!), and hot chocolate, and peppermint, and Christmas caroling….
Anyway, I just got back home earlier this week from spending two weeks in Pennsylvania, and last Saturday I was helping with an Anabaptist choir/orchestra concert organized by some of my friends from music camp. I wasn’t singing or playing an instrument in it, but I named myself unofficial photographer, took notes for the videographer, did my best to run a video camera during the programs, and tried to help keep all the loose ends together. 😛 It was great fun, and since I didn’t have many responsibilities during the rehearsals (after my copious videography notes were taken, that is), I got to play around with taking pictures and hiding in the curtains and enjoying the music.
If you’d like to watch the livestream from the programs last weekend, you can find links on the Lyrica Sacra Facebook page. I took a look at them and thought that the audio was off balance, so you might just want to wait a few months until the professionally-edited videos are released on Lyrica Sacra’s YouTube channel. (The livestream video and the videos for YouTube were separate projects done on separate cameras.) Videos from this spring’s concert (called “Crown Him”) can be seen in a playlist here. This fall’s program (called “Salvation”) was held at a different, larger venue, and the videos from it will be ready in a few months. You’ll get to see some of my videography work since I got the stressful job of running the solo camera with the big zoom. You guys have probably seen my videography skills before and are all O_o right now. That’s what I thought, too. Viktor was very good at explaining everything to me, though, and I think I managed to get some acceptable footage. Thankfully he had 8 or 9 other cameras running as well, so we have back-up. 😛
On to the pictures…
The choir and orchestra are comprised of quite an assortment of skill levels. The common denominator: excitement about music for the glory of God.
Sarah, our resident harpist…
The conducting responsibilities were split among three men.
Mr. Galen Reed…
The venerable Jeff Swanson…
David, the best double bass player in the orchestra…
Leah!
Side note: while I was attending the youth Bible school in Ephrata the week before the concert, I stayed with an interesting group of people. It was so much fun. Viktor and Jubilena and their five children were our hosts; Viktor is from Ukraine and his family definitely embraces elements of Ukrainian culture. Then there were three of us girls who were attending the Bible school. Leah is from the UK, and her mother is from Uganda. Elfi is of Russian Baptist origin, was born in Germany, and now lives in Manitoba. Then there was me – this healthy food blogger from redneck country, South Carolina. It was great. I feel like my family just got a lot bigger. Isn’t it amazing how you can spend time with people from such diverse backgrounds and have an instant connection because of the God you all serve?
#legend
The lighting people were messing around with things. I wish they would’ve left the blue lights on because they made for some pretty cool pictures.
This might just be my favorite picture of the day. If you’ve ever seen the video of Donald Trump being blessed by a Jewish rabbi, you’ll know why….
The indomitable Yuriy Kravets…
Beth, another new friend. She bears the brunt of many viola jokes, but she’s pretty cool. 😉
Look at the center of the picture below and be amused….
So many wonderful people, so much beautiful music, such a good God. Amen? Amen.
My next musical venture? Well…I’m headed to South Africa with some of these people as part of a 16-member choir next February. Life is never dull!
Bev says
Very interesting!! Thanks for sharing!
Jubilena says
I completely enjoyed this post! =) I love all these pictures, by the way, you captured the “feel” of the thing very well.
Briana Thomas says
Aw, thank you!