CONCERT-1st Baptist Murray, Kentucky–June 17

DEDICATION CONCERT-FIRST BAPTIST IN MURRAY, KENTUCKY! June 17

In recent years I’ve enjoying playing four concerts for my Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Classmate Mike Rose at First Baptist Church in Cadiz, Kentucky. Mike is now the Minister of Music at First Baptist in Murray, Kentucky (about thirty minutes from Cadiz) and I’m thrilled he invited me to play the dedication of their new Rodgers 905B Digital Organ with PR300S Sound Module as well as accompanying their one traditional worship service on the Sunday morning of the concert!

The worship service was wonderful with great singing by both choir and congregation. The combination of traditional hymns and worship songs was perfect for me to chose an amazing variety of sounds to support the singing. The choir offered an excellent rendition of “The Majesty and Glory of Your Name”. I chose to let the piano carry the rhythmic parts and I supported with the organ as an orchestral. One of my favorite moments of the weekend was at first rehearsal with the choir—I added a harp glissando and the whole choir just simply stopped singing to listen with director Mike screaming “You can’t stop singing, you have to sing”! For the offertory I chose to play the worship song “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” using the nylon string guitar with fret noise, solo flute, vocal pads, tenor sax, triangle, and for the last note of the piece, the “goblin” sound in the pedal one octave lower to sound like “water”. It’s a beautiful arrangement and helps people relax into worship.

The afternoon concert gave an opportunity to showcase many orchestral and traditional sounds of the organ. I played a couple of Hector Olivera’s arrangements to show the orchestral performance possibilities of the PR300S, with the rest being live real-time performances of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs! On Sunday afternoon and on Monday morning I enjoyed meeting with several musicians from the church and sharing some of my experience and ideas with them. As always after a Rodney dedication concert, they now have my settings, and access to me for any assistance with the organ or arrangements they may want to play. If anyone would like to see the entire program, please leave a comment here, and I’ll be glad to e-mail you a copy.

The hospitality of the folks at Murray was fantastic and a special acknowledgement to Mike Rose for introducing me to COOKOUT! (a chain where you can get a BEAUTIFUL DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER WITH A SLAB O ONION, Cole Slaw, a Drink and a CORN DOG AS A SIDE all for 5.29!!! It’s an amazing feed!  Will look forward to returning to Murray soon!