The first bi-annual SDA Music Fest began with a bang! The three-hour program started off with the Minneapolis First Adventist Church Drum Corp, who performed a rousing original piece, followed by the Southview Gospel Guitars, led by Pastor Dustin Hall, who played old-school sing-along country gospel music.
The idea behind the music fest was to create a “camp meeting feel” which is both in-reach and outreach oriented. The music included many cultural elements, representing a variety of traditions and genres to appeal to all ages. The rainy weather unfortunately meant the program was moved indoors to Southview Church from its original location at a park in the the south metro. This changed its original outreach focus to more of an in-reach focus.
Subsequent musicians included classical violinist Andrea Brazelton, who beautifully performed “Come Thou Fount.” Pianists, saxophonists and trumpeters continued the program, after whom soloists, duettists, praise and worship teams and a group of Kenyan singers performed. Finally a quartet, whose performance of “Good News Chariots Coming” was reminiscent of the Kings Heralds and as rousing as the Drum Corp, finished off the program.
One attendee from the Rochester area said the three-hour program “reminded him of camp meeting.” Mission accomplished!
The hope is to grow this event into a bi-annual music festival which takes place at various Adventist churches in Minnesota and celebrates Christ-centered music for all to enjoy.
–Mark Tenold, member of the Minnetonka SDA Church, both performed in and worked to bring this musical event to fruition.
