KEYS Jessica Stropko
[ WM ] Tell us about how you got started playing keys ?
[ Jessica Stropko ] When I was five years old , I started taking classical piano lessons . This was apparently my idea … an idea I began regretting when I realized that practicing every day before school was involved ! Once my parents noticed a natural ability , though , they wouldn ’ t let me quit … and for that , I technically owe them ... well , everything .
God ’ s faithfulness met my diligence and multiplied my efforts . I took classical lessons for 10 years and made an awkward transition into worship music ( what is improvising ?) around 14 years old when I joined the youth worship team at Gateway Church . A year later , I started playing on the weekend team and became the music director where I served for 14 years .
[ WM ] Who were your main keys influences ?
[ Jessica ] My Dad , Tim Sheppard . He ’ s served in Christian music ministry for nearly 50 years . I grew up traveling with my parents from concert to concert and was constantly surrounded by music in our home . He ’ s truly one of the men who paved the way for worship music today .
[ WM ] Do you play keys outside of the church ? Do any session work ? Filmwork ?
[ Jessica ] I started as a local church girl and will always be a local church girl , but I have so many cool opportunities from worship to country music to working in the studio or even tracking in our home studio . My husband , Christian , does sound design in the film world , so we ’ re excited to collaborate and create some magic together , too .
My whole journey has been doing the next thing in front of me and God ’ s been so faithful to open the next door as I continue to walk . He ’ s so involved in the details of our lives ( Psalm 37:23
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