*I began logging these thoughts a week ago while preparing for performances of the St. Matthew Passion this past Holy Week.

I am currently sitting and waiting for my turn to sing my arias in rehearsal at Christ the King for the Bach St. Matthew Passion. As I sit here, I find myself reflecting on the various ways I have seen the power of music in my life (with the beautiful singing of the Bach Choir and Gerrod Pagenkopf as my soundtrack). I am especially touched by the ways music has reached my ears recently in live settings. It is so hard to describe the effect of “being there” contrasted with experiencing music through some digital means. As my voice teacher Kathy says, “Bach’s music has the potential to be an incredible experience, or it can be the most boring thing you ever heard!” I think the difference lies in “being there.” The energy that comes from the St. Matthew Passion has the potential to tell the story of Jesus’ death in a truly transcendent way.

I have also been struck by the power of live music this week in another way. I heard a great indie rock band called The Autumn Film perform twice: once at Ecclesia Church and then later at Walter’s on Washington. This band’s music has crossed my path a few times in the past and I never really connected with it until I heard them in person. “Being there” made all the difference. I was particularly struck by the songwriting and lead vocals of Tifah. I encourage you to check out their music on their website (you can download some MP3s for free), but as I just articulated, you won’t really appreciate it until you hear them live!

Even more so, I have observed the potent effect of music within a specific context and partnered with perspective. Tifah and The Autumn Film’s creativity was powerfully highlighted by hearing them in the context of our church service at Ecclesia. Their music broadened our worship and contributed an embodiment of God through sound. The band uses a wide variety of colors, harmonies, and textures. When they performed at Walter’s, they were preceded by three other bands that, while accomplished performers, were more like “one-trick ponies.” The multi-faceted approach of The Autumn Film was evident within that context. Similarly, I have found that classical music reaches its audience with more power when presented outside a typical classical music setting. It seems that people who don’t hear classical music as often appreciate it more when it catches them by surprise. I have noticed this with the children in our Opera to Go! audiences and with church congregations like Ecclesia and Bethel. It seems that people think they know what classical music is like, but then they hear it live and in context, it literally changes them. I really like being able to provide that for people.

*One week later, as I sit finishing these thoughts, I am in Mobile, Alabama for a close friend’s wedding today. The St. Matthew Passion has lived its performance life, and I am left only with the curiosity of how those performances impacted the audience it reached. And today, I will perform some music (both classical and pop, in fact) at the wedding. How will the music be received? One thing is certain – context is everything.