"'Psalm 16’ is a rejoiceful and uplifting work that robustly announces God's glory through congregation-like harmony throughout the choir.”
— Colin Jamieson, BA Music
On a sunlit day, Colin Jamieson was out running at one of his favourite locations, when inspiration dawned.
“The pandemic had hit just a couple weeks prior, and I felt called to write something that would shine through the incredibly dark forest we now found ourselves in,” Jamieson said, remembering how his virtual choir project began.
“The light shone through the trees in a way that had a pristine glow,” he recalled. “The sun's brightness through the trees acted as a sort of epiphany for me.”
Jamieson is a music major from Trinity Western University. Back in March, he composed a choral piece specially for a geographically dispersed virtual choir.
The project came together over a period of several months and involved 20 singers internationally dispersed in Canada, the U.S., and as far as Qatar.
Watch the TWU virtual choir perform "Psalm 16", composed and conducted by Colin Jamieson:
Jamieson’s project began as an expression of hope.
“I was reminded in that moment, that no matter how dense the forest is, God's light always shines through in its glory and majesty,” he said.
The inspiration behind “Psalm 16”
Jamieson shared that virtually all of his music has been influenced by nature in some significant way. “Nature and the environment we inhabit are a muse that allows me to glorify God's creation through my passion, music.”
Seeking to express God’s word through the lyrics of his musical composition, Jamieson studied and reflected upon the book of Psalms until, finally, he settled on a “relatively underrepresented” chapter.
He chose Psalm 16 to be the text for his choral piece. It is a prayer referred to as a miktam of David.
“The word miktam is relatively unknown, it seems, as it only appears in Psalm 16 and 56-60,” Jamieson said.
Although the meaning of term miktam is somewhat mysterious, the themes within Psalm 16 are universal. “It is safe to assume that the text reflects a perspective of a people who sought God's protection and salvation,” said Jamieson.
Seeking refuge in God
Speaking on trust in God, Jamieson said, “I have always been inspired by the beauty of placing our lives in God's welcoming embrace.”
“I believe this text acts as a mouthpiece for people all over the world to share their struggle but discover refuge in God, whether they realize it or not. Most importantly, this text is a representation of how we are all united as disciples of Jesus.”
These reflections are all particularly poignant as people worldwide, and in Canada, experience a pandemic winter.
“We long for God's love and protection, but also for bringing hope through action as His servants. Psalm 16 is an introspective look at what is required of us in order to be deserving of God's love. In turn, we will be rewarded with eternal pleasures through His salvation and glory.”
The ending of the work, Jamieson noted, is the most introspective of all.
“What begins as a plea, ‘keep us safe,’ becomes more confident as the section progresses, demonstrating our tendency to falter,” he said. “However, the very end shows that no matter how far we may stray, God is always there.”
The composition’s ending leads listeners into a new space. “As we come to terms with God's love in the final moments it feels as though we have a collective epiphany of His glory.”
Or, as Jamieson describes, “Our own ‘light shining through the trees’ moment.”
Texture and personification in music
Jamieson helps listeners understand and appreciate the musical depth and colour within his composition, as he walks through the composition’s narrative: “In its simplest musical form, ‘Psalm 16’ is a rejoiceful and uplifting work that robustly announces God's glory through congregation-like harmony throughout the choir.”
Deeper nuances, however, can be seen by choral enthusiasts. “On a more complex level, there is a wide variety of distinct themes for the music lover in this work,” he said. “The texture and atmosphere of the work shifts back and forth between introspective and retrospective, through subtle changes using harmonic themes.”
Jamieson colours his work through both tone and words. As he explained, “Text painting is a major technique I employ in all of my writing and can be found here in no small amount.”
“I love taking text and making it personified (in a way) through music,” he continues. “In other words, the music itself becomes a separate entity that functions with a personality through the text administered to it.”
Finally, Jamieson seeks to help wider audiences enjoy and participate in his composition, adding, “In writing ‘Psalm 16,’ I wanted to straddle the line between a classical choral style and that of a church congregation in my setting of the text, so as to make it accessible to anyone who worships God through music.”
Fostering community through music-making
Jamieson has considered his composition’s applications for spiritual practices. “My hope for this piece is that the listener can incorporate this into their daily prayer and time of contemplation,” he said.
He is also committed to fostering community through music-making.
“I compiled the greatest number of singers I could to demonstrate my commitment to community and how important it is for us to find something similar during this time,” he explained.
Jamieson credits the musical community who helped bring his composition to life, “If not for my own community of Christian singers, this project would never have been possible.”
Addressing his choir, he said, “For that, I thank you for giving me your best and blessing all those who hear you.”
In the midst of a global pandemic, Jamieson hopes that his composition, “Psalm 16,” can offer listeners their own “light through the trees” during a challenging time.
“May you all find joy in His presence, and salvation in His love,” he said.
Singers in "Psalm 16"
Sopranos
Lani-Marie Carbonel, 2022 - Music and BFA Acting
Carolyne Lee, 2022 - Music and minor in Education
Laurel Pope, 2022 - Music in Voice Performance and minor in Media + Communications
Anna-Marie Ryan, 2018 - Music in Voice Performance and minor in Christianity and Culture (CPC)
Chloé Thiessen, 2021 - Music in Voice Performance and Piano
MacKenna Wilson, 2022 - English with music concentration
Altos:
Katrina Garcia, 2018 - Bachelor of Arts in Music (Voice Performance) with a minor in Worship Studies
Kathy Haddadkar, 2020 TWU - Bachelor of Arts in Music (piano performance and voice performance) - Master of Music (Thes.) Choral Conducting University of Alberta (2022)
Audrey Loeffler, 2021 - Bachelor of Arts Media and Communications with a concentration in Media Studies
Anabella Nootebos, 2021 - Bachelor of Education (Music Ed) with a minor in Catholic Studies
Cathrie Yuen, 2015 - Bachelor of Arts in Music (percussion)
Tenors:
Daniel Aguero, 2021 - Bachelor of Arts and Education, Music Concentration and Special Education minor
Anthony Nootebos, 2022 - Bachelor of Arts in Music
Andrew Whiteside, 2020 - Bachelor of Arts in Music (Piano)
Rob Workman, 2016 - Bachelor of Arts in Music (Voice), Master of Music in Choral Conducting, University of Manitoba (2020)
Basses:
Emmett Balzer, 2021 - Education Major, Math Concentration, Music minor
Brendan Dixon, December 2020 - Art + Design major, Environmental Studies minor
Tresor Otshudi, 2020 - Bachelor of Arts (Music), African American Worship (M.A.) ongoing
Dr. Joel Tranquilla - Professor and Director of Choral Activities, Trinity Western University
About the composer:
Colin Jamieson is a passionate musician who has worked in a variety of fields such as teaching, conducting, composing, and performing. Colin loves collaborating with artists and has had the opportunity to do so as a featured instrumental soloist on clarinet, leading him to performances at the Grand Hall in Hong Kong as well as performances in China, Japan, and Taiwan. As a singer, Colin has performed as a baritone soloist and currently sings in multiple choirs. Colin performs in a variety of ensembles including chamber groups, concert bands, and pit orchestras. Away from music, Colin enjoys exercising his mind and body in different ways. He is fond of running, hiking and biking and loves exploring new places for personal and music-related reasons. Colin is currently employed by the Langley School District as a Middle/Secondary Music Specialist.
Read this story in the Langley Advance Times.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has five campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, Ottawa, and Bellingham, WA. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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