Emily Recital (The Arts)

Earlier tonight I went to Emily Turner’s senior composition recital. The location was the same as last night, but the feel was entirely different. I love the arts because of the way in which they drive our emotions. As I sat and listened I felt I was transported to a world outside myself. It was an emotional experience leaving me feeling like I know myself better, I know the artist better, and most importantly I can know and glorify God better. The piece entitled “Mind’s Eye” was a piano piece which elucidated the sometimes distracted inner working of our mind. It ebbed and flowed with an unfocused and refocused melody echoing the way one often thinks. I felt a connection with the artist; it was almost as if she was suddenly, for the duration of the piece, my best friend sharing the inner workings of her head with everyone present. I thought of how our God must be smiling as He sees us down below enjoying the beautiful gift of music which he gave us. It made me reflect on so many pleasures God gives us so that we can enjoy life better, and glorify Him more.

Although I enjoyed all the pieces, my favorite was one near the end which included recordings from Emily's ethnomusicology studies with the Alamblak people of Amongabi in Papua New Guinea. Emily sang and played a drum while her accompanist added solos and accented the recordings with her flute. I was transported back to the month I spent in a small tribal village in South Africa. I remember sitting in the dirt under a billion visible southern stars. I looked up and none of the consolations were familiar, none of the people were familiar, but our common God was familiar and we sang worship to Him. We sang to a God who is bigger than the globe, the God who created the globe. Experiences like these make me love the arts and strive to improve my own fledgling talents to create images which achieve similar results to what I experienced tonight.