What exactly is this website?  On the one hand this is clearly a business that is struggling to succeed.  On the other hand this website is clearly seeking to be a ministry that has already had a positive influence on quite a few people and in that regard has been very successful.  Whatever this is it’s not a church because I’m selling CD’s on iTunes and CD Baby, and it’s not really a business yet because it is not currently profitable (which as we discussed in January I can’t be doing for very much longer).

I try to make what I do here an overflow from my worship of Christ.  It mostly turns into music, but sometimes it winds up on this blog too.  Then again, as we saw in January, I sometimes fail at this.  But overall, most people seem to agree that this website represents Christ and is a very relevant and potentially a powerful ministry.  So why isn’t this thing exploding with people wanting to hear my work?

I’ve been struggling with this question for over a year, and there are several explanations.  One is that most people I’m close to seem to think of this as something I do for fun that I use to pass the time in a constructive manner.  It’s not.  For over a year I’ve been hoping and praying that God would grow this into something that would supplement an income for me.  I haven’t really made this as clear as I could have, but I hope that I’m making it clear now.  This doesn’t mean, by any stretch of the imagination, that I’m upset with anyone for misunderstanding.

I was hoping what would happen is that the people closest to me would help by inviting their Facebook friends to my group which is associated with this website (the group most of you probably linked to this post from).  But most people didn’t help me in this way and I’ve discovered that there are several very good reasons for this to happen:

• People didn’t understand what I was asking them to do.  They either did something that wasn’t what I meant or they became frustrated not being able to figure out how to invite people to a group.
• People intended to help me out by inviting people to the group but they just kept forgetting.  When I reminded them, they did what I do and put it off until I gave up reminding people.  Then they forgot for good.
• A few people left the group because they were sick of getting reminder emails.  Try to compare this problem with the last one and find a solution to that one!
• Many felt that inviting people that they didn’t think were interested would be annoying and intrusive.  I understand this perspective, but I want to emphasize that I’ve sought to make this website a place for people to not only hear good music, but to hear the gospel.  If the gospel is being proclaimed and the music is of a high enough quality to be worth most people’s time to at least check out once, I see no reason to not tell them about the website unless my theology is completely off the wall.  So invite them anyway and let them decide whether or not they’re interested.  If it’s the worst thing that happens to them today then they have a very blessed life.

So if you don’t mind, I’d like to try this again.  Only this time I want to communicate very clearly:

• You don’t owe me anything.  I’m asking you to do this because I need your help and no other reason.  I very much need and appreciate your support.  Please help me.
• I want this website to be my career and my ministry.  I’m very serious about this and I want to make sure you realize that if God wills it I would like to devote my life to this ministry.  Please partner with me and help me do this.
• I would appreciate it if you all to kept a close eye on me and let me know the moment I do something that I shouldn’t (Clearly bad theology, arrogance, a stupid piece of music, etc.).
• Facebook is an explosively powerful tool in the hands of 50 people (I think that’s about how many people are going to read this post).  If everyone that reads this helps me make this happen, you will see this thing take off.
• If there are certain people you’d rather not invite, then don’t invite them.
• Please do this right away so that you don’t forget.  I would really appreciate it.

The only problem left unaddressed now is the problem of not understanding Facebook well enough to do this for me.  Here’s how you do it:

• To invite people to my website’s group, start by clicking this link:  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=69646739022
• If you are not a member of the group yet (you get the emails just by being invited), click the join button (or respond to invitation).
• Once you’re a member, just below my picture (upper left) you’ll see a link that says “Invite people to join”. Click this and you’ll see every person that you are friends with.
• Click on every person so that they are all highlighted. Once this is done, click “send invitations” towards the bottom of the page.

Thank you all so much for doing this.  You have no idea how much I appreciate it.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“For he did not kill me in the womb, with my mother as my grave, her womb enlarged forever.”

“Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month”…When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

“Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

“He who has ears, let him hear.”

Abortion…(Click to listen)

The purpose of life is to love God and love others.

1. The First Song
   -Piano
   
   The purpose of music is to express emotions that cannot be explained in words.
   
2. Hide and Seek
   -synthesizer and saxophone

   The purpose of music is to encourage people with internal struggles.

3. Abortion
   -piano and saxophone

   The purpose of music is to turn our hearts against social injustice.

4. Insentience
   -double bass

   The purpose of music is to intensify our longing for the kingdom to come.

5. Essence Altered
   -Clarinet and Saxophone

   The purpose of music is to celebrate unseen beauty.

6. Application
   -piano and timpani

   The purpose of music is to entertain.

7. Discovery
   -piano, violin, and euphonium

   The purpose of music is to make us more like children.

8. Proclamation
   -Violin and Clarinet

   The purpose of music is to direct our focus to God.

9. Vivid Daydream
   -electronic
   
   The purpose of music is to liberate our minds and make us more creative.

Cassie and I will be premiring a piece of mine tonight and it will be webcast. Feel free to tune in at 7:30pm (eastern) via this link. I’ll be playing after 8:00, but there’s a lot of good stuff on the program you won’t want to miss.

Hope you can listen! If not it will end up on YouTube and you can see it later.

Click here to link to the channel.

Click here to link to the program notes.

The world is moving around us without our approval, and it will never do what we want it to. But we do have control over ourselves. Use that control to be like Christ.  We can do this with every aspect of our lives, including what music we listen to.  Many take this to mean that we should simply listen to things that don’t conflict with what we believe, but this is an empty statement.  When reworded, this simply says, “You can listen to a spectrum of music that includes neutrality.”  If we’re called to pursue righteousness, why would you want to listen to things that cause apathy in your heart?  Surround yourself with art that rekindles your passion for God and for the life he’s given you.

Flee from anything that tells you something in your life meets God’s standards.  If you believe that legalism in any way is pleasing to God, then read Mathew 5.  The fact is that we’re called to perfection, and no standard that we attempt to achieve will be good enough because we can’t be perfect.  So don’t even consider the possibility that the choices of music you’re listening to are good enough.  The fact is that you can always do better as a listener, and I can always do better as a composer.  Therefore, take your listening to the highest artistic and creative level possible while fleeing from anything that causes apathetic or outright sinful attitudes.  I will try to do the same with my writing, but I assure you that I will fail just as much as you will.

Since perfection is impossible (especially for composers) I’m obviously not saying we should expect to even come close to achieving perfection in the art we surround ourselves with.  But I firmly believe that our faith isn’t a matter of meeting standards, but going directions.  It is our obligation to run as far as we can in the opposite direction of sin.  When you’re not moving in a direction you’re being apathetic, and evil will chase you down and direct your momentum back towards death.  So let us run passionately towards artistic expression that keeps our momentum moving towards Christ and away from death.

So then, if you desire to be more like Christ do not cater to the world’s desire for a quick fix of enjoyment when it comes to music.  This is apathy.    Listen deeply to rich textures and complex melodies that you can’t comprehend upon initial perception. This effort will yield a rich and rewarding experience that will direct your attention to the subtleties and complexities of our Creator. Listening to nothing but fluff will distract you from the reality of Christ and dull your spirit. Philippians 4:8-9 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Can’t this be applied to art? After all, doesn’t enjoying creative work in the end cause us to find joy in the original Creator?

“The Lord of the Rings” is certainly a step in the right direction for all of us.  The music in the film is breathtaking, but unfortunately very few took the time to recognize what inspired the music for the movie.  Johan De Meij wrote his first symphony based on the books and which then inspired Howard Shore’s music for the film.  While Howard Shore did a remarkable job, it is important to listen to the source and is well worth your time and money.  I tried to find a wind band recording (the ensemble he originally wrote the work for), but this is the best I could do:  

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Please note a couple of new features on my homepage (https://calebhugo.com):  If you would rather receive notification about new content via email rather than RSS feeds or Facebook messages, then go to my homepage and type your email address into the “join the mailing list” box.  Feel free to break communication elsewhere if you’d rather not receive multiple notifications.  You will receive a notification of new content no more than once a week. I’ve also put up a twitter widget which I plan to update daily.  Click the “Join the conversation” link if you want to follow me.  Or you can visit the home page every day (I would not complain about this).  This feature is also accessable using RSS.

Feel free to help me out by writing me a review on iTunes or CD Baby, rating me on YouTube, or inviting your friends to have a look/listen.  Thank you to those who have been sending me encouraging messages, I really do appreciate it immensely.

Don’t just make a choice thats good enough.  Always make the best one.