EDGAR MANTILLA // KEYS : LIKE THAT FIRST DAY
I remember when I was about 9 years old . At the time I was part of what was a small church my family and I attended , and I remember seeing a lady who was perhaps 80 years old play the keyboard during the worship sessions .
I was immediately inspired by the way she played , her joy , and humbleness to serve ; this was one of the times where despite how little I knew about music , I was simply certain God placed a deep desired in my heart to serve Him .
Later , God opened a place for me in that church even though I was not “ the first in line ” because of my age , preparation or experience . However ,
I do remember how I faced the challenge , though I was still a boy , and I chose to spend hours getting ready , exploring the sounds of that Yamaha PSR-19 we had on stage in that church and seeking every note , sound , and chord to be exactly the same as what I listened to on the radio or the Christian music cassettes . I could not stop studying even at home with the keyboard my parents gave me .
I wanted to share this story with you because I am sure while you read these lines , you will be remembering your own moment where God called you to serve Him and you ’ ll that special day where He ignited the fire inside of you , which I hope keeps burning throughout the time and the different tests that may come .
Perhaps we were not ready at the time , or we did not have the ideal resources , but God still chose us and made us aware of such a valuable calling . ( 2 Corinthians 4:7 )
The objective of this article is that as pianists ( and I know some of these words will apply to other musicians ) we can be encouraged to do the work just as the first time , following these tips I am sharing with you today , which will help us fulfill our task in a more effective way , both spiritually , technically , and musically .