by Erin Busch, Director of Music Ministry

For those of you who have been following the virtual Order of Service each Sunday, you may have noticed that we have begun to add a Musical Notes section at the bottom of the page. For each week that we have special music during our service – whether that is a choir performance, a guest musician, or a musician from our congregation – I am writing up a short paragraph about each piece that is shared. If you have ever felt curious about the music that is shared during our service, this is a great way to find out a bit more!

Here’s an example from our service on October 9th:

First Impressions, Mark O’Connor & Yo-Yo Ma
Musicians: Erin Busch (cello), Keelan Evanini (piano), Stella Evanini (violin)

This beautiful trio comes from the 1996 album “Appalachia Waltz” with fiddler Mark O’Connor, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and bassist and pianist Edgar Meyer. The album is a mix of original compositions and traditional fiddle tunes from the Appalachian region. “First Impressions” is an original composition by O’Connor and Meyer. The piano serves as time-keeper here, establishing a liminal musical space where the violin and cello can soar through melodic lines, coming together for brief moments and then flying away again.