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Dr. Robert Rockabrand lectures widely and often in this country and
abroad on a number of topics. He would be happy to speak with anyone who
would like to offer one or more of his lectures. THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE HYMNAL: Its
Healing Message "Praise, my soul, the King of heaven; To
His feet thy tribute bring. Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Who like us
His praise should sing?" Why do we turn so often in praise and prayer to
our hymns for inspiration and comfort? Why and how is our hymnal such a
powerful force in healing? Together let’s celebrate the spiritual
thinking, meaningful poetry, stirring melodies, major composers and musical
styles, from Bach and Beethoven to gospel tunes, plus the 34 settings of WORKSHOP ON THE CHRISTIAN
SCIENCE HYMNAL SUPPLEMENT The Christian Science Hymnal Supplement was
published in January, 2009. It contains 33 new hymns to our religion, seven
new settings to five of CHURCH SOLO WORKSHOP Are you looking
for new ways to broaden and enrich your solo library? The focus of this
workshop is to inspire church musicians to seek more actively the musical
riches that are available in solo literature. Much beautiful service music
has been written in the past quarter century, including music composed or
commissioned by Christian Scientists to both Bible texts and poetry from our
periodicals. This workshop will help musicians to combine music of the
masters - Handel, Mendelssohn, Vaughan Williams and others - with newer
selections, to enrich the healing aspect of the Christian Science church
service that comes through the Sunday solo. Several examples will be
demonstrated, and we will talk about how and where to locate new literature.
(3 hours) Note: The
hymnal lecture and solo workshop can be offered on the same weekend, in two
ways: the hymnal lecture for five hours on Saturday, with the solo workshop
either on Friday night or Sunday afternoon; or, a three hour hymnal lecture
and a three hour solo workshop on Saturday, separated by a lunch break. HANDEL'S MESSIAH: An Eternal Celebration You've heard it
in the church, the concert hall, on the radio. Most likely you’ve sung
parts of it, and there are now videos that display its glories - the glories
of possibly the most enduring and popular choral work in western
civilization: Handel's literary and musical masterpiece MESSIAH. The
composer's creative genius was in full flower when he penned his most famous
work in 1741, a three-part oratorio that reflects the sophistication of 18th
century England and that has radiated a special sacred and musical message to
a yearning and receptive world for over 250 years. Come and learn more about
this extraordinary masterwork in a lecture-demonstration that explores
beautiful songs and thrilling choruses. Hallelujah! (3 hours, or 5 hours with
lunch break) ELIJAH: Biblical
and Musical Drama Explore the
life of this pure, passionate prophet as presented in Felix
Mendelssohn’s magnificent choral work. Elijah, the most significant
oratorio of the 19th century, chronicles the Tishbite’s
life from the moment he confronts King Ahab and the followers of Baal, to his
translation to heaven in a whirlwind. Learn more about this extraordinary
masterwork in a lecture-demonstration that includes Biblical and historical
background, as well as musical insights into the beautiful songs and
thrilling choruses that bring the Scriptures to life. (3 hours, or 5 hours
with a lunch break) A CELEBRATION OF PSALMS Praise ye the Lord! Explore the most beloved book of the Old
Testament - and the music it has inspired - with Sara and Bob Rockabrand,
professional musicians and Bible scholars. This course will include Bible
history essential to an understanding of the Psalms, as well as insights into
Hebrew poetic style. Enjoy live performance of some favorite sacred solos set
to Psalm texts, as well as recordings of thrilling choruses from major works,
such as Handel’s Messiah and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Students will also
participate in group reading and sing hymns with psalm texts. (Five hours
with a lunch break.) THE
BLESSINGS OF FORGIVENESS “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matt. 6:12), and: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), are two of the most powerful prayers given to us by Jesus Christ, the Master Christian. With these prayers as models, it behooves us to examine our thought and learn as much as we can about the important subject of forgiveness. One needs only to read a newspaper, watch the news, or go online to find examples of local, national, and world situations of conflict: ethnic cleansing, political chicanery, child abuse. Is it possible for the people involved to truly forgive and forget some of these horrendous wrongs? Is a “clean slate” ever achievable? THE SPIRITUAL QUALITIES OF THE CHORAL
MASTERPIECES "God is
ever before my eyes...Only God can create...[and]
music’s only purpose should be for the glory of God and the recreation
of the human spirit." These declarations by Mozart, Stravinsky, and Bach
have been echoed throughout the ages by thoughtful, spiritually-minded
musicians. Haydn (The Creation) knew that his God-given talents should bless
others, and Messiah (Handel), Elijah (Mendelssohn), Missa
Solemnis (Beethoven), Requiem (Brahms), Hodie (R.V. Williams) all evidence the spirituality with
which they were conceived. Their enduring beauty has blessed millions and can
bless you also. (3 hours) THOSE WONDERFUL BROADWAY MUSICALS "Oh, what
a beautiful mornin'" and "Some Enchanted
Evening" will be yours when you relive landmark Broadway musicals that
have winged their way into our hearts, from "Show Boat" and
"Oklahoma" to "Les Miserables"
and "The Lion King". You will discover themes of love and longing,
sacrifice and redemption, in the songs, dances and dialogue that have made
musical theater THOSE WONDERFUL Remember Ginger
Rogers and Fred Astaire dancing into our hearts,
Judy Garland's spell-binding rendition of "The Man That Got Away"
in A Star is Born, and Gene Kelly splashing through puddles in Singing in the
Rain? Remember Al Jolson, Jeanette MacDonald and
Nelson Eddy, Lena Horne, Barbra Streisand, and dozens of other belters and hoofers who took the musical from a simple
"let's be entertained" affair to a highly sophisticated art form with
original Hollywood stories that sent us away cheering, dancing, and humming
those memorable songs? Come aboard and see why these musicals are an enduring
American art form. (3 hours) NOTE: An
all-day event can be planned with Broadway Musicals in the morning and
Hollywood Musicals in the afternoon, with a lunch break separating them. JAZZ: Enjoy the
sounds of ragtime, blues, and jazz - |