Music
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Midweek Rhythm: “Nearer, My God, to Thee”
Throughout college, I rehearsed at my church on Wednesdays. After a full morning of classes, I would hide away in the sanctuary to practice. Often, these practice sessions became restful, transformative, and worshipful experiences. As I settle into a completely new season of my life, it is comforting to return to this midweek rhythm. It Continue reading
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Rejoice, the Lord is King: Feeling Follows Action
Today, I felt like the human equivalent of an eye roll. I’m usually a morning person who hops out of bed and goes on a refreshing run before savouring a second cup of coffee. Today, it took everything just to get up and get out the door. After several months of intense stress, my body Continue reading
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Extravagant: A Reflection on the Music of Dan Forrest
I adore playing the music of choral composer, Dan Forrest. An accomplished pianist himself, he knows how to fully engage accompanists, making them feel as if they are featured soloists and equal members of an ensemble rather than merely supporters. Even his simplest pieces cover the whole range of the keyboard and develop across glorious Continue reading
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Pedals and Pandemic
I moved to St. Andrew’s, Scotland in September of 2019 to pursue my master’s degree in “Theology and the Arts.” Almost immediately, I was given an organ scholarship at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, which featured a beautiful historic building and a loving community. Serving in music ministry and being a choir member has long been Continue reading
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Organ Sonnet 1
Until sent stepping down the pedals—scalar,My feet were not sure of their footing hereBut then, at once, my most pressing fearBecame naught but a small organ failure! And once my frigid fingers found their noteI settled into newfound harmonyIn a choir which turned much-loved companyAnd rendered far-off home not so remote. But now, removed, another Continue reading
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Half Cadence
An audio recording of this article is available here: As an accompanist, one of my favorite things to do when a rehearsal needs some comic relief is to begin a cadence but stop before the final chord. Hearing a dominant chord ringing without resolution drives my fellow musicians insane. I revel in this small rebellion. Continue reading
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Certain Uncertainty: some thoughts and a song
In high school, I won an essay contest for arguing that uncertainty and hope were two sides of the same coin. I’m not sure I agree theologically since I now understand hope as the anticipation of things assured in faith. Still, it was a darn good essay for a 17-year-old, and something in its essence Continue reading
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Jesus is King: A reflection on the man and the music
Furthermore, we must be careful that we do not perpetuate the assumption that those particular songs represent the genre as a whole. Kanye’s conversion is not only revealing deep-seated hypocrisy within our hearts as believers but prejudice toward an entire artistic genre. However, the release of Jesus is King offers the remedy to both biases,… Continue reading
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Another Sea
Scotland is a beautiful place and its music never fails to hit me right in the feels. (I mean, who doesn’t shed a tiny tear at “Parting Glass” or “Wild Mountain Thyme”?) And when I fall in love with a particular type of music, I tend to want to make it my own through songwriting. Continue reading
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Breaking: Choir Director’s Eyebrows Ascend into Heaven as Choir Goes out of Tune
13 October 2019 Los Angeles, California – A local church choir has been thrust into the spotlight as reports are circulating that its director’s eyebrows have been prematurely raptured. “It was truly a miracle,” said long-time congregation member and greeter Jim Dennison. “I was sitting in the pews listening to the choir and suddenly I Continue reading
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Nation’s Organists Rally to Fight Stereotypes as Halloween Draws Near
9 October 2019 Los Angeles, California Nearing the middle of October, spooky season is in full swing and Halloween celebrants across the nation are gathering their pumpkins, brooms, and ominous soundtracks in preparation for their night of revelry. Halloween has long been a time of community, of neighbors sharing chili on the front porch, children Continue reading
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Theme and Variations
Not long ago (though it seems a lifetime), I wrote about modulations. The idea that the dissonance of post-college life would eventually resolve into normalcy was comforting; considering the modulations in music were consoling to me as I felt keenly the sudden transitions I experienced after four years of relatively little change. Several months later, Continue reading
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Ryanne Molinari 