November 25, 2008

• Bob Loblaw’s Law Blog

  I’m tired.

  We had a fabulous time at church on Sunday night listening to the NEWSONG choir from Cal Baptist, directed by my favorite, Al Clifft. That guy is amazing. ‘Nuff said.

  But here is the truly amazing thing…the excitement, energy, ministry, and worship that is happening in his choir is what I REMEMBER from being in UCO with Al as director (back in the good ole days of 1998-2001). Watching them perform brought back a TON of awesome choir memories. They were wonderful and full of life! And the coolness of it all? That same energy is infusing the entire music department at CBU…

  …and honestly, I was incredibly skeptical when Doc announced that he was hired at CBU to “do for them what he did for APU”. I just thought he was too old and it would take too long…and that times were different, and, and, and….and we (Christy and I) came up with about a hundred excuses as to why it would never happen.

  But we were wrong.

  WAY wrong.

  I actually saw his UCO the first year at CBU. It was pretty rough. The kids weren’t buying what he was selling, and, as you may know, transition is tough. Undoubtedly there were a lot of skeptics like myself that first year. I thought Doc was doomed to fail.

  But then came year #2. Doc had been recruiting…which he does OH SO WELL. The level of talent was better and the kids were new and fresh, so they didn’t know any different–it was working. UCO was better that year.

  And year #3????? It was phenomenal. Doc had done it…and proved all the skeptics wrong. He recruited great singers from all over the country. The kids were polished. There were tons of repeats from the previous year so they “knew the drill”, and the talent overflowed.

  I was a man and admitted that I was wrong. Doc succeeded.

  Not only had he formed a great UCO, he had also hired his son Judd to direct Male Chorale, hired a guy (named “Guy”) to direct a ladies choir…and then the next year hired Al to direct ANOTHER ladies choir!!! More ladies!!! Holy smokes! So many ladies in choirs at CBU!!!

  All that to say…this NEWSONG concert we had at Midway was fantastic…And the music that is happening at CBU makes me happy (which is why we keep sending our Midway kids up there).  Truthfully, I spent the first 30 minutes of the concert crying…(I know,
  it is quite shocking)…not just because it brought back incredible memories from my choir days with Al, but because I knew what these ladies
  were experiencing at CBU, and I KNEW that their lives would be changed
  forever because of Al Clifft. 
  Ugh. I’m getting teary just thinking about it right now. Darn you, Al Clifft, for always making me cry!

  AND…and, I have to be honest–there is JUST NOTHING ON EARTH LIKE CHOIR. Seriously–singing is something that is incredibly vulnerable. That thing that comes out of your mouth is a part of you. It can be changed and altered (just like a lot of things), but it is still YOUR voice. It is your anatomy…and singing is vulnerable. You are just putting yourself out there…so it is difficult to do (unless you are uninhibited, like my 5 year-old). So…maybe it is a bit easier in a group…and maybe when you put a bunch of people together, singing notes and words…everyone using their own personal voice to add to the multitude…you get this unique thing. You get something special, something you can’t duplicate with anything else. Then, take that sound and add some movement, good musical and lyrical content, smiling faces, and you get a PRESENCE that is can’t be reproduced no matter how good your sampler is.  (oops, sorry, I got a little bit “space age-y” on ya there…)

  Choir rocks.

  Al Clifft rocks.

  CBU rocks.

  My choir rocks.

  You rock, for reading this.

  Now, come sing in my choir.

  (Oh, and sorry for those of you that thought that this had anything to do with Arrested Development. It doesn’t.)

  • 12:37 pm
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