The Listenary

"Christmas at the Keyboards" at Mount Harmony Baptist Church in Mableton. I went up to the balcony where I could look down from practically on top of the stage. What an experience!
 
Four baby grands, one 6-foot grand, one 8-foot grand, two keyboard/synthesizers, clarinet, bells, drumset, other percussion, bass guitar, and the church organ! The grands and keyboards all had extra long and sturdy benches and much of the time there were two people sitting on each bench. They've done this each year since 2001 and it's now a community event. Pianists were from Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches.

Best I could tell, the music was mostly eight-hand kind of material, duplicated for however many pianos and other instruments. The organ gave it a nice bass sound. The clarinet and systhesizers sometimes added a nice counter melody, sounded like a descant. Bells added an interesting touch on one piece. Percussion was not overpowering but gave it all a contemporary sound. The obvious coordination was impressive; they get the music in August and practice every Sunday afternoon from October to December. I could never figure out where they practice all together. The pianos are provided for the program by Piano Crafters of Marietta and Newnan. Mr. Nelson Fleming is the church pianist and the director of this whole event.
 
This was a WOW event for me. I think I want to try to get some of my students to attend next year. 
 

Since childhood, I've had a recurring night dream. I'm in a big house that seems strange, but not strange. I know I'm going to find the room. I keep looking for it, knowing when I'm getting closer. Seems like this room is up, sort of at the top of the house. I open the door on this huge room full of pianos and organs, even pipe organs. Sometimes I just stand there imagining the music. Sometimes I'm playing the biggest pipe organ imagining people at all the other instruments, us all making music together. Then the dream fades, but it leaves me with an ecstatic feeling. So now you understand.