On December 8, the Grand Rapids Pops joins with the ResLife Choir and contemporary Christian artist Michael W. Smith for an evening of inspiring music. Lead Worship Pastor at Resurrection Life Church, Ken Reynolds, shared with us his unique insight on this special program.
What is it like having the opportunity to work
with Michael W. Smith? What are you most excited about?
Working on this particular program has
been surreal. I’ve been a fan of Michael W. Smith for many years. I actually
pattern some of what I do around what he does as an artist. What I
respect most about Michael is his integrity to his music, his longevity in the
industry, and his commitment to his family. I’m most excited to work with
him on some of his original music.
What sort of preparation goes into an event like
this for a choir? How does performing with a symphony impact your preparation?
Preparing for this type of an event can be
tricky because we have to balance what we do for services on a weekend with the
material for this event. So I usually start quite early so we can spread
it out and take a more laid back approach. Working with the symphony is
awesome! But there’s a lot less room for flexibility in the music because
we’re just a part of the entire picture. We have to be a lot more precise
with the symphony involved, but I welcome the challenge and the choir loves it.
How many members are involved in the
Resurrection Life Choir? Are they all church members or volunteers? How often
do you meet?
There are about 100 members in the choir
and they are all from this church. We rehearse once a week throughout the
year. We kept that schedule for this event also. The
choir sings 3 weekends per month and is vital part of our entire music program
at ResLife church. We consider it a strength; especially since we’re
involving the youth more.
How
did this collaboration happen? What did the process look like to bring Michael
W. Smith to Grand Rapids?
Roger
Nelson of the Grand Rapids Symphony and I talked about it after our first collaboration
two years ago. He asked if I’d be interested in working together on a
Michael W. Smith concert. I immediately said "yes." I knew that his
Michael’s fan base coupled with his Christmas music would be a winning
combination.
What
can audience members expect from this concert? Any suggestions for them?
Anyone
who loves Christmas music must come to this concert. It will feature
traditional Christmas songs as well as some of Michael’s original pieces. I suggest coming with an expectation of one the of the best Christmas
concerts anyone can experience!