Roots of Paraclete Collaborative

Some recollections. . .

My life has been so full of wonderful musical opportunities and experiences, and it seems as if I have always been involved in and surrounded by music. My mother loved classical music and singing, so, probably from even before birth, I heard records playing (who remembers records??), and I attended many church choir rehearsals with her, starting "in utero." Innumerable concerts and Broadway shows followed, the Bernstein Young People's Concerts on television, and being cast in the child's role in a local opera group's performance of "Madame Butterfly" -- guess I was happy to stand still and listen to beautiful voices singing to me!

At age eight, I signed up for piano lessons at school without realizing that my "piano" was actually a toy! Though we didn't have much, Mom invested in a new Everett upright for about $800, paid in monthly installments (a real stretch, but she secretly wanted it, too!). Over thirty years later, after surviving many moves, a fire, and eventually being used for my own students' lessons, that beloved instrument was sold to purchase our first digital keyboard. My first piano teacher, the most gentle, humble, and encouraging man on earth, played a significant role in my falling in love with music. He was an Italian "from the old country" who continued to pray for me and send handwritten letters long after I was married with my own family.

Two incredible years of singing and touring with the Newark Boys Chorus, a life-changing experience in itself, were followed by the free gift of a private boarding school education at Blair Academy, where I continued to enjoy unique and amazing arts opportunities. Even before the end of high school, there was really little question that music was to be my life's main vocation. Thankfully, that came to pass, and I was doubly blessed to spend many years working alongside my wonderful wife, sharing our gifts as a team. Later in our music ministry years, I did a good amount of arranging music but never really thought of myself as a composer, perhaps because I was expecting the music of my own heart to sound like that of classical composers I had studied and played. ​

I grew up attending church, and many spiritual seeds were also planted at summer camps, both as a child and later as a staff member. As an undergraduate at Oberlin in 1977, those seeds grew into a more personal faith, nurtured by a supportive fellowship group. Following God became a focal point that impacted every area of my life. A few years later, during graduate school at Westminster Choir College, I wrote my first song, "Psalm 34," using some beautiful and encouraging verses first shared by a friend at Oberlin. I didn't realize it back then in 1984, but that was the beginning of a life-long call to set psalms and other scriptures to original tunes - the birth of Paraclete Collaborative. It felt so natural and tailor-made, as if I had stepped right into a purpose for which I had been born. A friend says this is the calling of a psalmist -- I find that kind of overwhelming!

Along the way, I have written songs for my wife, the birth of our daughters, for my parents, and our friends. During my recent work transition and the global pandemic, this call has grown to fill much more of my free time, and an increasing number of songs have come quickly. What began as a personal expression of my prayer life, then a small project for family and friends, has become a constant fountain of uplifting musical messages that flood my mind night and day!

While I had always hoped to record and preserve them for my own family and friends, I never imagined that these songs were intended to be, nor that they ever could or would be, shared more widely. But I have a sense of urgency about launching this website, and I am excited about the opportunity to share the work of Paraclete Collaborative with you. "I feel His pleasure," as Eric Liddell said in "Chariots of Fire," when I am writing and recording these songs. My prayer is that this music will encourage you in your faith journey, as it has mine.

Thank you for listening, and may you be blessed!

("Consider the Birds" can be found on the album, "Abide in Me")