Plan Your Quiet Time...
The Season 4 Premier, Live Show pics, and an Advent Meditation for You
The Day Is Fast Approaching
Okay, folks. Mark your calendars. Architect your listening moments (car? gym? long walk? dark corner of the living room after the kids go to bed? small group listening party?). Do whatever you need to do to get ready, because Season 4 of Holy Ghost Stories premiers on Monday January 9.
I’m so excited for you to experience it.
One of the joys of creating this season has been collaborating with my editor, JL Gerhardt, and my composer, Kendall Ramseur. JL has an extraordinary talent for seeing the strengths and weaknesses of a manuscript, and every episode is better thanks to her wisdom and incisive questions. Kendall, in addition to being a fabulous cellist, has a masterful ear for musical storytelling. Working with him continues to be a delight.
In terms of the score itself, here are a few of our priorities as Kendall composes:
Tone - We wanted to achieve a tone that brings listeners into the world of New Kingdom Egypt but doesn’t err into caricature. This was difficult, since most people have a “sounds like Egypt” category in their subconscious—we needed to tap into that without causing them to bring any “Prince of Egypt” or VBS connotations to the listening experience. (Not that “Prince of Egypt”—or VBS for that matter—are bad; they’re just not the tone we’re going for.)
Instrumentation - With the above priority in mind, Kendall is utilizing some Middle Eastern instruments (primarily woodwinds and percussion) alongside more modern, Western sounds (strings, horns, etc). I think you’ll love the combination.
Leitmotifs - With this being a long-form telling of the Exodus story, we wanted to establish leitmotifs (musical themes) for people and even places in the narrative. For individuals (like Moses) who grow and change throughout the story, these themes will shift and gradually transform as well, providing narrative texture and subtext. (Here’s a great quick primer on leitmotifs using Howard Shore’s LOTR score.) By the way, one of my favorite themes Kendall has developed for this season is less a full-on leitmotif and more of a recurring element of the music surrounding Yahweh’s presence. You’ll have to see if you can identify it.
Less than a month until the first episode is in your ears! Prayers as we continue to work would be much appreciated. I want desperately for Yahweh to guide me as I tell this story of His.
Christmas With Holy Ghost Stories
I couldn’t invite you (alas) because it was a private event, but weekend before last I had the privilege of doing a Holy Ghost Stories Live show for a church in Huntsville, Alabama. It was a magical night of story and song as we spent time in the story of Eve and let her story point us to the Advent of our Savior.
JL and I architected the event together, and I worked with a fantastic local cellist (pictured below) named MaryGrace Waggoner (Bender) whose accompaniment was spellbinding.
From the it-sounds-so-Chistmasy tone of the glockenspiel, to the the otherworldly chords of the harp, to the hauntingly beautiful sound of my friend Scott’s voice on “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” it was magic from start to finish.
Oh—and my daughter and wife co-wrote a song in celebration of Yahweh’s love for Eve. My daughter (also named Eve—no coincidence) sang it and moved the room to tears. This is our “We’re so happy to get to do this together” pose after the show:
And though she couldn’t attend, my other daughter sent me a note and prayer she’d written for me (sealed with wax!). I cannot believe I get to have this family.
I’m putting the calendar together for next year, by the way—so if your church might be interested in hosting a Holy Ghost Stories Live show, reach out. I’d love to talk about what we might create together.
The Finish Line Is In Sight!
I am so grateful to be able to tell you this: Season 4 is now 90% funded.
You showed up bigtime on Giving Tuesday and gave a whopping $11,219.29. Wow, wow, wow. God’s provision through so many of you has been astounding, and because of your generosity we’re going to share the story of the Exodus with people all over the world.
If you haven’t given yet and would like to make a tax-deductible contribution before the end of 2022, now is the time. Let’s tell this story together in a way that honors the power and beauty of the One who authored it.
An Advent Gift for You
My wife and I created this Advent meditation for our church recently, so I thought I’d share it with you. It explores Isaiah 8 and 9 from the perspective of the waiting Israelites.
Hope it blesses you.
That’s the latest! Don’t forget to make an end-of-year donation to Season 4 if you’d like to team up with us, and I wish you a very merry Christmas!
Gratefully,
Justin