The Church on the Cape, UMC, Cape Porpoise, ME

Choral Concert

Mark Thallander & Eric Knapp Overwhelm
From Morning Service to Evening Concert

Mark Thallander plays his
Toccata on "Hymn to Joy"
on our Rodgers Trillium organ

(August 24, 2008) Without question a Mark Thallander concert is a mega-event, particularly in this small lobstering village along the rock-bound coast of Maine. Mark’s summertime residence in Ogunquit puts him within easy reach of our church in Cape Porpoise.

Mark isn’t just about concerts, he’s about participating in the church service itself, sharing talented musicians with us from across the country and bringing together choir members for a ‘professional experience’ which exceeds their own expectations.

And so it was in August when Mark performed the Prelude, Postlude and participated in a conversation with Neal Warren, a member of our church and the founder of e-Harmony.com. It was a riveting conversation. Not everyone knew of Mark’s personal journey from tragedy to triumph. You can hear that conversation here:

Neil Warren reflects on Mark’s story:

"The age-old possibility of turning a tragic human experience into a triumphant recovery that exceeds all previous accomplishments is dramatically spotlighted when Mark tells his powerful story. How easily he could have given up on the organ, thrown in the towel out of frustration and discouragement. He didn't! And thank God he didn't! Because once his audience hears about the tragedy in all its awfulness -- and then hears him play "Great is Thy Faithfulness," every nerve in their bodies praises God for what He and Mark have done to emphasize that old truth that with God all things are possible. Mark tells his story humbly, truthfully, and winsomely, and when he finishes, all that is left for him to do is to take his listeners to a high mountain and show them all the possibilities in their own life. "All of these," Mark seems to say, "can belong to you if you build a strong foundation of faith in God and surround yourselves with a powerful band of friends and supporters." Such is the power of his witness."

Later that evening we held our Summer Choral and Organ Festival with Mark at the organ and Eric Dale Knapp conducting a 50-voice choir composed of singers from five different Maine churches.

The overflow audience spilled into the hallways and even onto the sidewalk to hear the special program.

It was an overwhelming musical experience, not just for the audience, but also for the chorus members who treasured the instructional approach of Eric and the resultant sound.

One out-of-town visitor said, “When I closed my eyes I thought I was in the Mormon Tabernacle.” To hear "Like a River Glorious," click on the audio button in the program on the right.

Our church’s Music Director, Beryl Samia adds her perspective:

"After several weeks of rehearsing with their individual local Choir Directors, the Festival Choir was honored to have Eric Knapp at the podium, directing them to new musical heights.

Eric listens first; he listens to what the choirs already know and then he improves on that with his creative abilities and unique approach to the finished product.

Whether he sings an example of HOW it sounds and then an example of how it SHOULD sound, or he just gives examples of dropping the jaw or producing a darker shade of a particular vowel, the volunteer choirs respond in a way that makes the entire experience fulfilling.

In a two hour time frame he was able to transform mediocre singing to a much higher level. As soon as the choirs realized that when he says he wants something ‘really soft and blended’ he means ‘much softer than they have ever sung it so that they can truly hear one another’, he doesn’t have to explain that again.

With Mark at the organ console providing the support to the voices, they work together like a well oiled machine. Instinctively, Mark knows when the singers need more support and just how much is enough.

They are an unbeatable team and the admiration the choir people have for them is obvious. They respond with great enthusiasm!

The finished product is the test, and the audience reaction to the Festival Choir and Organ Concert was overwhelmingly positive!!"

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing Mark Thallander, Organ	J.S. Bach Arr. Thallander
Festive Trumpet Tune Larry Downing, Trumpet	David German
Christ, Our Savior Summer Festival Choir - E.D. Knapp, Conductor	J.S. Bach
Thank the Lord Summer Festival Choir - E.D. Knapp, Conductor	Renee Clausen
Let the Whole Creation Cry Summer Festival Choir - E.D. Knapp, Conductor	Frederick Swann
To God Be the Glory Sung by all	Arr. Thallander
Triumphant Praise	Jan Sanborn
Come, Christians Join to Sing Summer Festival Choir - E.D. Knapp, Conductor Larry Downing, Trumpet	Thallander Wilkin
For the Beauty of the Earth Summer Festival Choir - E.D. Knapp, Conductor Beryl Samia, Organ - Kathy Haley, Piano	John Rutter
Fantasy on "Hyfrydol" Beryl Samia, Organ	Thallander
Like a River Glorious Summer Festival Choir - E.D. Knapp, Conductor Kathy Haley, Pianist - Mark Thallander, Organ	Dan Miller
If with All Your Hearts Pastor Jess Patnuade, Tenor Larry Downing, Trumpet	Felix Mendelssohn
Great is Thy Faithfulness Eric Dale Knapp, Piano	Dino Kartsonakis
For the Music of Creation Charles R. Brown, Jr., Organ Larry Downing, Trumpet	Charles R. Brown, Jr.
Tocatta on "Hymn to Joy" Mark Thallander, Organ	Mark Thallander
Praise God! Summer Festival Choir - E.D. Knapp, Conductor Mark Thallander, Organ Larry Downing, Trumpet	Fred Bock
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You Sung by all	Beethoven Arr. Thallander
You'll Never Walk Alone Jeff Patnuade, Tenor - Mark Thallander, Organ and Eric Dale Knapp, Piano	Rodgers & Hammerstein, II

So there you have it…appreciation by all for Mark's personal testimony on how each of us can rise above our real or imagined individual limitations through faith.

Thanks, Mark and Eric. You brightened our souls in the summer of 2008.

The Church on the Cape
P O Box 7663
3 Langsford Road
Cape Porpoise, ME 04014-7663
207 967- 5787 or Email
Office