Julia Stone ’24 needs to boost the best way the church worships. As a junior music and worship main with an emphasis in Christian ministries and a double-minor in honors humanities and theology, Stone has a novel worldview that shapes her need to innovate. Via her research, she has accomplished in depth analysis surrounding the church and the position music performs. “Worship is such an enormous a part of the best way the church capabilities. The best way I see it, it’s in want of reform as a result of we’ve been caught in the identical format for therefore lengthy,” Stone mentioned. “I wish to create an area for everyone to have a seat on the desk in worship.”
In accordance with Stone, trendy church worship is influenced by Christian file labels that have a tendency to provide the identical kind of music. “Within the early 2000s, they looked for the preferred kind of music. On the time it was comfortable rock,” she mentioned. “So that they advised Christian artists they wouldn’t produce something that wasn’t comfortable rock. That’s why should you take heed to Ok-Love or different Christian radio, the format you hear is usually one fashion of music.” Stone thinks worship music may benefit from diversification. “Most church worship bands function 5 vocalists, a drummer, and some guitarists. I’d like to see a jazz band, or brass, or an orchestra within the church,” she mentioned. “Let’s create an area the place worship is paramount and is musically inspiring and delightful. Worshiping the Lord has an enormous non secular affect.” For example of worship she would wish to replicate, Stone factors to Michael W. Smith’s “Superior God” on the Worship Eternally live performance in 2021, which makes use of a drumline and full orchestra.
Though Stone is ready on a profession in worship now, she had fully completely different plans in highschool. “I used to be going to review enterprise. I’d been a musician for many of my life, however I principally thought-about it a facet passion,” she mentioned. All of it modified when she had the chance to sing on stage throughout her junior yr at her residence church in Wenatchee, Washington. “In that second, I felt the Lord’s pleasure and presence so strongly,” she mentioned. “That’s after I realized that’s what I used to be meant to do. The Lord created me for worship.” Stone’s epiphany led her to seek for prime Christian colleges with sturdy music applications, and he or she discovered APU.
Stone’s expertise within the College of Music has been life altering. From singing within the pit with the College Choir for APU’s manufacturing of Phantom of the Opera to caroling within the Santa Anita Mall final Christmas, she has liked making reminiscences with shut associates. “The group is phenomenal. I’ve liked being part of each a type of alternatives,” she mentioned. “I imagine strongly within the energy of music and what God does by music, particularly once you’re in an area with a whole bunch of individuals all working collectively towards the identical aim. I really like that we get to do one thing that issues whereas in group.”
Maybe essentially the most vital expertise for Stone got here final summer season when she participated within the Angeles Worship Initative’s (AWI) Songwriting Academy. Though Stone was simply working the occasion and wasn’t planning to carry out, she felt impressed to write down. “On the time I hadn’t written a lot of something,” she mentioned. “That day, the Holy Spirit went to work. I’ve by no means written a tune that quick in my life. The lyrics had been accomplished in quarter-hour and the chord development went shortly proper after that.” Stone acquired to carry out her tune about revival and the Lord shifting in tangible methods with world class musicians together with Zach Rudulph (Andy Grammer’s bassist) and Michael Lee, MM, professor and director of Music Know-how. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime alternative.”
Whereas Stone has massive plans after commencement, proper now she is targeted on studying as a lot as she will be able to. On prime of her music lessons, Stone works three jobs, serving as a analysis assistant for AWI, a trainer’s assistant for Stephen Martin, PhD, director of worship research, and is a member of the Gospel Choir. “I by no means do something in my life that doesn’t have a way of objective. I’m extremely aim oriented and I wished to use what I’ve discovered within the College of Music,” she mentioned. “Typically it includes a couple of late nights, however I make it work. I’m hoping to assist individuals and have affect in a constructive method.”
Posted: March 21, 2023
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