First Methodist Church to host music festival
Dec. 9—If there's one thing that says Appalachia it's twangin' banjos and whinin' fiddles, and the First Methodist Church of Somerset will have both Sunday night.
Diane Bullock, director of music ministries, has worked closely with the Methodist Church to direct, plan, and coach all the worship music and special event music. So, if there's one person who knows how to put together a service celebrating Christmas, it's her.
For this Christmas, she wanted to add a special twist to the typical carols sung at church and embrace the Appalachian soil in which the church is planted.
"This time, I've got the more Appalachian types of instruments. I've got the banjo, the guitar, the mandolin, those types of instruments," said Bullock. "I like the style of the music, and Pepper [Choplin] is the composer, and I like him. I like how he writes!"
The festival will take place downtown in the church's sanctuary, and it will start at 7:00 PM.
"We have a brand new sound system that we're very proud of," added Bullock.
Behind the band as the music plays and the choir sings will be images and videos illustrating what the choir is singing.
By using a concert format, Bullock hopes that the visuals will make the event more interactive and engaging for attendees than the average worship service.
"They can watch the choir, they can watch the screen, they get the full sensory type of experience," she said.
The event will include songs all about the prophecy of Jesus Christ's foretold journey to earth. Christian tradition teaches that Christ's birth, life, and even death was prophesied in the Old Testament.
Through the lyrics and the music, Bullock hopes that festival will put the audience in the mind of those anticipating Christ's birth.
"It's all about the prophecy of the lord coming," said Bullock. "He hasn't come yet, he doesn't come until Christmas Eve, so this is all about the prophecy in the Appalachian style."
She feels Appalachian music actually lends itself to the Christmas story and it being "kind of folk-song-y" adds to the prophetic theme.
"[It has] more rhythm than melodic tones. It's not like Beethoven or a Mozart piece," said Bullock. "It's very rhythmic [and] spirited."
Tommy Cate will be performing. Heavily involved in the community, Cate and his bandmates can be found often at Jarfly Brewing Company performing "Gospel Hour" to patrons there. For the festival, he will blowing his harmonica—a staple of Appalachian music.
Bullock, when asked to pick a favorite song that will play at the festival, she said she liked them all, but what really tickles her ear is "Listen to the Story."
The way that song is played feels like something whispered between friends.
"It's like you're telling a secret that nobody has heard before," said Bullock. "'Come and listen to what I have to tell you. I'm gonna tell you what the prophecy says, and he's going to be our savior, he's going to help us, he's going to be the King of the world!' It's in a mysterious type of way."
Bullock says that this type of event will be a first for the band.
"They have never, ever played in a concert formation," she said. "They're used to playing by ear and looking at each other... coordinating these instruments with the singers. So I have to make sure that everybody's on the same page at the same beat at the same time."
It's going to be tough for Bullock to ensure everything goes off without a hitch, but even if there's some mishaps here and there, it doesn't matter, because "they're having so much fun!" she said.
