Very same power

I did my first choir practice at the college today. The choir is practicing for easter and for the Lancaster Worships event next week. While I am here I fill in for Alicia and Billy who seem to have done a great job with the student singers, because they sounded great. Today we worked with the song "very same power", a song about the fact that as a Christian you possess the same power that resurrected Christ from the dead. As I listened to them sing I also came to think about that when the message is gospel you can't help but feeling the very same power in every choir wherever in the world you are. It is such a blessing to be part of a global family and be reminded of this message in music all over the world!

We will do a longer practice again tonight, and I really look forward to that.

Bad weather

It has been raining cats and dogs (that's how you say "raining a lot" in english") for two days. My family had a great weekend in the sun in Sweden. I wish I had been there with them. But it's a good thing to feel that you miss the people you love. 

Music and inspiration

Yes, yesterday I was in Philadelphia for the Music & Inspiration conference. It was a lot better than expected, because it was well organized, very relaxed atmosphere, many good workshops to choose from and focused on the important things for a gospel musician in 2014. I took part in a workshop where I learned about where the american gospel music industry is right now, and how most of the industry people expect it to develop. I also took part in a composition workshop with a board consisting of some of the best composers of american gospel you can find. There were many of my favorite gospel artists there. Some that I met for the first time and some that I have developed a relationship with over the years. So in other words -very inspiring!!!

In my opinion my biggest contribution was to bring gospel music outside of the US to the agenda. On this topic Israel Houghton explained his thoughts on why he felt God calling him to Africa and Europe. It seemed like many of the americans are not aware of the impact his songs have around the world. It would be awesome if his message came through yesterday and more follow his example!

Gospel is gospel!

I spent the day at this event:

http://praisephilly.com/category/inspiration-music-conference/

I just came home after a loooooooong concert at Liacoutras Center in Philly, and then a looooooong drive in the rain (I got lost on the little farm roads that don't help you with any street lights or signs.). But I feel gooooood! The gospel was presented the way that only gospel music can, and I loved it!

I am too tired to tell everything the day involved, but I went to one workshop about the American gospel music industry today and where it's going. Interesting!!! And another workshop about composing. Humbling!!! I got the chance to speak with some of my role models, and meet some for the first time. Inspiring!!!

The concert in the evening was good, but not great. All the artists did singback performances, meaning they sang to recorded background music. My european friends you know what I'm talking about. We prefer to see and hear the band and the back up singers. But Donald Lawrence and Hezekiah Walker had brought their choirs, and that made a big difference. I look forward to seeing Hez again next week.

Well, so much to say, but I gotta sleep. Good night America...

A city of culture

The first friday of every month the art galleries (there are many) take out their art to the sidewalk, and the sidewalks are also full of street bands. That is one of the things I have learned about this cultural city today. In the evening Sissy and Billy took me to a concert with Joy Ike. She was new to me, but a great performer! Check her out on Spotify and iTunes. I really liked the concert, but I have a feeling Thorine would have LOVED it. Every note and word was right up her alley. Maybe I can ask Joy to come to Sweden?

Tomorrow I go with Crystal, the professor of composition, to Philadelphia where are going to listen to some of the best gospel artists in America.

Storm

I was hoping to get away from the chilly Scandinavian weather. But it turns out to be even chillier here, and VERY windy. But it is great to finally be here. Last night Dan and Lynn took me to one of the family restaurants in the area, a place I know my daughters would love. We ate a buffet with some of the typical dishes from the area, which I like a lot. This is Amish country, and that has an impact on the atmosphere, if you ask me. In my first day here I just keep thinking it that is strange how a place that is only two hours from Manhattan can be so quiet and peaceful. But I guess that's the beauty of it.

Today Dan and I went over my schedule and tomorrow morning I meet the students for the first time.

I am not yet back on track as far as emailing and connecting with the world on the other side of the ocean. But expect to be up and running during today.

Day 2

My second day in the US, and because of my jet lag problems I am now late for the college. Sigh...

I hope you enjoy your morning coffee wherever you are and that we enjoy a morning together via cyberspace or whatever works to keep great things happening.

In New York

My dear friends Sandi and John picked me up at the airport last night, and after a cup of tea and some catching up I slept like a log in one of their daughters rooms. Jet lag is a bummer, though. I woke up around 4 in the morning, but what can you do?

Now Sandi will take me to Pennsylvania where we will meet her son who lets me use his car during the my stay in the US. It was terrible to leave my family in Sweden yesterday, but it's good to write home and tell them I am in good hands here.

I don't know when I am connected to the Internet again, but pretty soon I hope.

The borders of the world

One of the CD's I am working on right now is the new CD and songbook for my workshops in Germany. Actually I use the songs everywhere, but I work together with my german friends in Creative Kirche, and many of the songs are inspired by german choirs. So the only really german thing is that instead of "More products from Joakim Arenius" (in the advertisement on the back) you read "Weiter produktionen von Joakim Arenius".

But music does not have borders, and neither does faith. I have been with many german groups to New York, USA, and I will go again soon. I have been with spanish friends to Germany (Gospel Kirchentag in Dortmund 2012). I brought a russian friend to music camp in Spain last year (Toral 2013). In May I will go with my old swedish choir Joybells to Russia. And I can go on.

All this traveling is on my mind now, of course, because I will spend one month in Pennsylvania, USA, and I wonder if it really will be worth it to be away from my family for such a long time? I mean, America sometimes seems to be the country that already has everything, so why should another person go there to work?

I come from a traveling family and I believe that traveling has taught me more than school (sorry, fellow teachers). One of the students at Lancaster Bible College, who grew up in Lancaster, told me that this college is in an area where a lot of people like to stay their whole lives, and don't travel very far for vacation either. I don't know how true that is and that does not have to be a good or bad thing, per se. But maybe I can expand somebody's cultural borders by introducing a little influence from Germany, Russia, Spain, Scandinavia, Italy and other places? Ask me a month from now and I'll tell you if that's what happened.

More info about my trip is in earlier blogs, and in blogs to come.

Just me (and kittens)

After two days of blogging I realize that this is a good way to stay in touch with people. Thanks for encouraging messages and comments! However, there are some of you who looked at the new picture I uploaded of my family (taken by photographer Ivan Troyanovsky from St Petersburg, Russia) and assume that the whole Arenius family is going together to the USA. I understand that's what the picture says, and I guess in 2014 most people just look at the pictures. But if you do read what's below the picture it says I it's just me going to Pennsylvania. However, this blog and the family picture is a statement saying that we do this is a family, even if we can not travel together this time. We will not physically be together for a month, but I would not leave Sweden without my wife's blessing and my children's knowledge about what daddy is going away for. That's why I uploaded a new family pic instead of a new Joakim pic.

To those of you who prefer to only look at pictures on the Internet I consider posting a cute kitten with each blog and maybe, while enjoying that fabulous kitty-image, you will accidentally read some of the words I wish to share. ;-)

50

Last night a dear friend and one of Europe's best keyboard players turned 50. The party started with a soccer tournament and finished with a surprise visit from Per-Erik Hallin, the one keyboard player who probably influenced more rock, pop, soul keyboarders than anybody else in Europe ever. All this happened on a normal monday evening. That's what a week should look like! Great parties when you feel like it, not when you have to.

A lot of other great singers and musicians were there too, of course, and some of them I will meet in New York next month. Lots of nice things to look forward to and I know I have reasons to come back to that later.

America 2014

Posted two blogs yesterday, just to get started with this thing again. I intend to write something everyday during the next five or six weeks, because I expect to experience some adventures that I should share with more people. My family can't come with me, so this blog is one of many ways to stay in touch with my three wonderful girls.

So, here's the thing… March 25th I leave Sweden and fly to Newark airport. Sandi, who became a dear friend of me and Thorine when we lived in New York over ten years ago, will meet me at the airport and she lets me stay at her summerhouse in Pennsylvania. I go back to Sweden on April 23rd. During the month I am in the US I will first of all be teaching at Lancaster Bible College. I don't a lot about my schedule yet, but I expect to arrive at the college in the mornings, do something music-ish, and then have dinner and go to bed. Well, maybe I simplify the whole thing a little, but I need to have something to blog about tomorrow too.

My obligations are to the students at the college, but I will also have the opportunity to meet with old friends in New York, Philadelphia and other places. And thanks to modern technology (is it old school to still say "modern technology"?) I can continue the CD recordings I am involved with back home.

April 10th there's a major event in Lancaster, PA, where I hope to see many of my friends from the American east coast, and maybe some swedes too?

Update on Spain

Of course I can not write an update on everything I know have happened in the world of spanish music since the last time I wrote on this blog. But some things are extra interesting right now. First of all the reason for going to the United States now, is because of Dan, who I got to know at the gospel camp in Toral, close to Leon in north west Spain. Dan is now the headmaster of the music and arts department at Lancaster Bible College, and that's where I will be in March and April. Last year some of their students came with Dan to Toral, and I really hope to meet them again. They were a great group of people!

The camp in Toral in 2008 was my first encounter with the spanish gospel music and all the great people who present it. Back then Aina was only three years old, and she learned to swim in the pool next to the camp. So many memories over they years.

My "spanish" work in the spring of 2014 concerns the new CD of Gospel Gloria. Sergio and the amazing singers and musicians from Valencia recorded ten great original songs and I have the privilege to be the producer. Right now we are finishing the last of the mixing, and I hope everyone who reads this buys a copy of the CD and then buy some extra for your friends and family.

Another update for this year is the song writing class in Zaragoza, where Jonathan will help me be the professor via Skype. I think it's a part of ECAZ, the school I visited in 2012, which is also connected to the Zaragoza gospel choir and their director Marta.

I keep thinking of more things I want to share from my spanish friends, but dinner is ready. A man can't live by blogging alone. Please come back here and feel free to comment. I'm just warming up...

A little rusty, but still...

I have been away from this blog for some time. For some reason it seems less relevant to share the things that happen while I live in Sweden. It's probably just my stupid ideas and something I have to work on.

Anyway, it's time to travel again. I will be away for one month in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. My family can not come with me, unfortunately, but I will still do my blogging under the Arenius Familia headline, because we do this as a family even if we can't be together physically for a few weeks.

So I hope there will be some interesting stories coming up here soon!