Music.
Music has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up singing in the church choir and studied music in college. I started singing in the Abingdon church choir when I was probably 5 years old and still sing with them every chance that I get. I do not think I would be the same person that I am today if it weren't for the choir at church. It challenged me, inspired me, gave me a family, pushed me, helped me grow, made me smile, provided consistancy, and exposed me to amazing pieces of music.
During our Maundy Thursday service last Thursday, we sang pieces of Fauré's Requiem. If you are not familiar with it, listen to it. It isn't short, but it is completely worth it. A few months ago someone asked me, "What was the piece of music that inspired you to want to teach music/study music? What piece made you stop and say, 'this is it?'" (I'm sure that punctuation is wrong….haha.) That question caught me off guard… I had never thought about it. There is so much music that inspires me, but what was the one piece that instilled in me a passion for music so strong that I wanted to base my life choices upon it??
Wow.
After a lot of thought-over an hour- Fauré's Requiem was the only piece still left in my mind. It is calming, but inspiring. It is beautiful and moving, yet not overly complicated. Fauré is pretty great at word painting and I think that adds to the power of the piece. I first learned the requiem in high school and have sung it many times since then. Some days, if I am having a tough day at work, I put my head phones in and let my mind delve into the piece. It is peaceful to me- it isn't all happy and uplifting, but the last movement is beautiful and during the Easter season the whole piece is incredibly fitting and meaningful. It has hugely impacted my life both musically and spiritually.
(Around this same time, I was thinking about the World Race a LOT. I had not yet decided that it was the next step, but it was constantly on my heart and my mind. Do I apply? Am I ready? Is this the next step? Do I need a sign? God was definitely pushing me toward it little by little, but at that time I was still feeling a lot of unrest. When I finally settled on my answer, one of my next immediate thoughts was of course… I would choose a piece of music that's whole basis is asking God to grant peace and understanding to a people going through a tough, confusing, and trying time. It almost felt symbolic but also somewhat humorous. Like, Sarah- you know you're overthinking this whole process. This whole piece you chose is saying "God, give me peace," over and over again. Here it is. Take it.)
When I was in middle school and high school, we would sing all of these amazing pieces and my faith would definitely be strengthened through singing and allowing myself to be completely caught up in music. I would sit and think all of this music was written to God and for God and only God could inspire the creation of such beautiful pieces. Singing has always been my favorite way to worship. I love singing challenging pieces, but I also love singing the simple pieces. For me, there is not just one type of music that inspires and instills hope, love, and peace in the heart. Music is so powerful.
One thing that really excites me about this trip is being able to experience music as a form of worship all over the world and in many different languages. I am so ready to learn and to sing! Whether it is singing with children, adults, teenagers, fellow world racers- I am so excited.
**Youtube doesn't do this piece justice, but it will have to do. 🙂
