First, next week I will be releasing a brand new hymn right here on my website. Actually, a new tune and harmonization for an old text. It’s a hymn of triumph that will be fitting with the celebration of Reformation Day and the 500 anniversary of the birth of John Calvin.

Second, I’m excited to be going on tour with the BJU Chorale to New England and surrounding areas November 2nd-9th. We’ll be making stops in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland. Those interested in keeping tabs on the Chorale can follow their twitter feed and http://twitter.com/bju_chorale.

Third, I have a commission to announce. I have been given the opportunity to write incidental music for a sacred drama which is to be performed in April at Northland International University in Dunbar, WI. The music will consist of about 5-10 minutes of music for in between scenes and also some background music during the scenes.

Fourthly, my website will soon receive a little bit of an overhaul. I am currently working on a new design which is nearing completion. If time permits, I hope to have it up by the end of the semester.

Lastly, if you’ve not yet seen, my teacher, Dan Forrest, has recently released a CD recording of many of his concert choral works entitled “Arise, Shine!” It is a great CD compiled from various recordings of concerts done on campus featuring the BJU Chorale and combined choirs. I’m even on a couple of the tracks. More information and links to purchase this album can be found on his website – www.danforrest.com.

Come and support new, original music from rising composers next Tuesday, May 5th at 5pm in War Memorial Chapel. There will be works performed by 9 current BJU undergrad and grad students (including myself!) – students of Dan Forrest and Joan Pinkston. The only drawback is that it is during exam week. But you’ll probably need a break from your cramming and studying, so make plans to come to a recital you won’t regret going to.

Here it is. My new M-Audio KeyStudio 49i, complete with Pro Tools M Powered 8!! Needless to say, I didn’t get any homework done this afternoon after I picked it up from the post office. Normally this keyboard doesn’t ship with Pro Tools – you have to buy it separately (about $300 from m-audio’s website). But we were able to get the keyboard I wanted with the software just “thrown in” for good measure for less than the normal selling price of the keyboard itself. Not a bad deal, eh?

I haven’t much chance to do much with it yet, but I have tried it out. I’ll let you know later what I really think of it – although my first impression is pretty much… “SWEET!” Thanks Dad and Mom for the early graduation present!

If you will be in the Greenville area on March 6th, I would enjoy having you at my senior piano recital. It will be at 5pm in War Memorial Chapel (home to an absolutely stunning Steinway grand).

The program will include:

• Piano Sonata in A Major Op. 2, No. 2 – Allegro Vivace (Beethoven)
• Intermezzo in A Major & Ballade in G minor Op. 118 (Brahms)
• 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs (Bartok)

This semester I also wrote my first-ever SATB choir piece for my choral composition class. Even though I was working frantically to finish portions of it before various deadlines in the class, I believe it turned out rather well. Now I need to do some tweaking of it, and maybe find somebody to sing it…

Over Christmas break, I’ll be keeping busy with a number of things. Piano practice for one (gotta keep on top of that repertoire). I’ll also work on compiling a portfolio of my musical compositions to submit for grad school. Hopefully, I will be able to get my graduate degree in Composition. I’m going to have to write an entirely new piece to include in this portfolio. I have an idea for what it might be, too…

I’ll also be working over Christmas break, and hopefully doing some re-organization of my web design business. BTW, if you know of anyone needing a website, send them my way.

As many or most of you know, I’m still working stage at BJU and doing my church music internship at Community Baptist in Greer. My internship is going very well thus far. It’s neat being able to interact with the people there and to get involved in their ministry. Though I was a bit skeptical at first, I think it was wise to go somewhere I hadn’t been before to get a fresh perspective on music ministry and, in a broader sense, church ministry. I have been able to sing in choir (and direct a bit), play in the orchestra, play the keyboards, and sing a few vocal numbers among other things. I’ve just finished a database program that will help Pastor Matt in his efforts to organize the music library (another one of our projects this summer).

Work at stage has been neat as well. I started off working in Rodeheaver during the month of May on some electrical wiring projects. Then we spent the month of June making some renovations to Stratton Hall (which will be finished this week). If you’ve ever been in Stratton Hall, you may recall the reddish-maroon curtain that covered the wall at the back of the auditorium (if not, follow the link above and look at the 360 panorama). Well, we took that down, and constructed a wood-paneled wall that matches the existing paneling on the side walls. In addition, we have swapped out the old ceiling tiles with newer, more acoustic ones. Overall, this should transform the acoustics in SH a good bit and make it more appealing for musical performances.

In other news . . .

• I get to go home for a week starting next Monday! I haven’t been home since January, so it will be good to get to relax and spend some time at home, finally.
• In case any of you are wondering – yes, I’m working on BJU Coffee Tycoon. The new version for next semester (if I get to program everything that I want to) will be supercool. I’ve been conversing with some friends on how to make it better and I’m just starting the programming for it. With any luck, it will be completely different from the first version and hopefully much more enjoyable and realistic.
• I’m awaiting publication on a vector design tutorial that I wrote for www.vectortuts.com. It should be published this week.
• I’ll be able to catch up with everyone on facebook next week when I get home. If you’re still waiting for me to respond to anything facebook-wise from the last month and a half … sorry.

That’s all from me for now. Leave a comment so I don’t get lonely, ok?

Not satisfied with this viewpoint, I rushed up to the light booth (the windows on the front of the building situated one floor above the lobby) and snapped 3 more pictures with the claw right below me. Sweetness.

Feeling pleased with myself, I walked back outside to chat with some stage crew friends who were among the 100 or so onlookers. They had noticed me in the window (go figure) and told me that we probably weren’t allowed to go up there. Oops. Whatever the case may be, I came away with a few impressive shots that nobody else was able to get because I didn’t get the memo about staying out of that particular room while I was at lunch.

Boldly going where no photographer dared to venture… dun-dun-duunnn.

First, the school year is basically over now. Today is the last day of exams for the University. In fact, as I type, I can hear random shouts of joy outside my window as people are finishing their last exams for the year (“I’m DONE!!”, “Finished!”, “It’s all over!”, etc.). In fact, I’ve actually been done with my exams since early Monday morning. Because of work obligations at FMA stage this week, the other stage guys and I had to take all our final exams early so that we would be free to work all this week with the various rehearsals, recitals, performances, and other events filling the FMA calendar. It was hectic trying to finish all major projects AND cram for early exams last week, but it was all worth it just to be done ahead of everybody else. Whew!

I will be singing in the annual Commencement Concert in the FMA this Friday evening. The main attraction for the event is the University Symphonic Wind Band under the direction of Dr. Dan Turner. However, the University combined choirs will be joining the band to premiere a new piece by Dr. Dan Forrest of the composition faculty entitled In Paradisum. In short, it sounds really sweet, but you can read more about it on Dr. Forrest’s website (www.danforrest.com). The Commencement Concert will also feature music such as the Lord of the Rings and the Wind in the Willows (complete with a car crash on stage).

Now, for my summer plans. I will try to summarize them so this post doesn’t get too long. I will be doing my Church Music Internship this summer. I will be serving at Community Baptist Church here in Greenville (Greer, actually). The music pastor I will be interning under is Pastor Matt Whitcomb. Mr. Whitcomb was my choir director here at school this semester. I’m looking forward to learning a lot and getting a better glimpse of my possible future vocation as a church music pastor.

Unfortunately, since I’m doing my internship in SC, I won’t be able to come home much this summer (maybe for a week of vacation, but that has yet to be worked out). I will be living and working full time here on campus at BJU. I will continue to work my present job as stage crew in the FMA and Stratton Hall. There are some renovations that will be done in Stratton Hall this summer and some other projects to work on in the FMA. In addition to working full-time and doing my internship, I hope to fill remaining free time doing some programming projects, web design, and piano practice. Speaking of piano practice, my senior recital has been scheduled for March 6th, 2009 at 5pm in War Memorial Chapel. The exact program has yet to be nailed down, but will include music by Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, and Bartok.

Some prayer requests that I have for the summer are:

• That I would be used greatly of the Lord in my summer internship and music ministry at Community.
• That the Lord would show me more of His future will for my life in regards to the church music ministry.
• That I would have the energy to faithfully fulfill all my duties at work and at church this summer.
• Transportation for going back and forth from BJU to church (I don’t have a car).
• Money for next year’s school bill.
• A continued strengthening of my relationship with God, particularly in the area of Bible reading and prayer.

That’s all for now. I’ll try to post periodic updates of how my summer is going. If you made it all the way to the end of this post you deserve a reward.

This Friday evening (April 11th) at 7pm, the Bob Jones University Concert Choir under the direction of Mr. Matt Whitcomb will perform in the War Memorial Chapel. The concert will include works by Faure (Requiem), Rutter, Vaughn Williams, and Gustafson. The choir will be accompanied by a small chamber orchestra and the impressive Wicks pipe organ in the WMC.

Come if you are able!