Senior Recital
Violin Around the World
THe Story
Last year for my Jr. Recital I stood on this stage and played solo violin for 30 minutes, exploring various styles and genres. It was a mix of other people’s compositions, arrangements of folk songs, and some of my own works. It was a challenge, but I enjoyed it.
After the performance, someone mentioned that it might be a good idea to add some other instruments and musicians. I took their advice to heart, I believe there are somewhere around 70 instruments on this stage.
Since a young age, I’ve loved playing violin and from early on I’ve taken it to places it normally doesn’t fit in. I started playing in worship teams, not as an added feature tucked away for special occasions, but as a foundational instrument taking the place of electric guitars or keyboards.
At CBU, I brought the violin to the Commercial Music program. I think it confused a lot of people, but for me the violin has so much flexibility and depth, so much left to be explored, it felt like Commercial Music was a great place for that opportunity.
Last May as I thought about where else I could take the violin, I had the idea that I could take it around the world and explore how it could fit into music from other cultures. While I enjoy a wide range of music, I believe that worship is the highest expression of music, in the words of J.S. Bach:
“All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the souls refreshment.”
Or as it says in Psalms 96,
“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised”
So I took the idea of using the violin to worship in styles from around the world and ran with it. As I started studying the music styles and instruments, I quickly discovered it was not going to be an easy task. First, there aren’t any real rules anywhere in the world; every song is unique, every musician has a different story, styles are constantly shifting, there are not clear borders between nations or even cultures. Second, many of the instruments and styles were limited in keys, scales, and rhythms. To a certain degree, some songs can’t be played on some instruments. Or at least without changing the song.
Once I embraced these truths, I was able to see a bigger, far more beautiful mosaic than what I had originally planned. I let the instruments play what was natural to them, I let the songs bend and reshape, I let my musicians bring their own personalities and history to the music. The result is something new and unique, and hopefully beautiful in its own way.
Psalm 96 starts with:
“Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
That is my hope for this morning.