Music has always been a hobby of mine, it’s something I’ve done for fun. I started playing piano when I was 6 years old, and though I dreaded it at times I kept with it. Soon it became fun for me, and I would just sit down and play whatever came into my head. I decided to use this talent for God’s glory and started playing for offertories and later for worship bands. I continued classical piano training until I took the exam for my grade 8 in piano. Around this time I started getting interested in composition and began writing full pieces using a keyboard and my computer. These pieces ranged from electronic to full orchestral arrangements and were a fun way to stretch my musical horizons. I developed a proficiency at improv piano, meaning that I could sit down at a piano and play, making up a song as I go along. In the summer after I graduated from Grade 12 I received an old game boy colour as a gift from a friend. This got me started in a medium called chipmusic – the making of modern music using old game consoles. Throughout the summer and the next year I learned and posted songs on some online communities for this underground music culture. In April of my first year at Bethany I entered an online international chipmusic competition, and place 2nd overall. This was very exciting and so I’ve kept up with chipmusic as a hobby since then.While I didn’t choose to come to Bethany exclusively for its music program, it certainly is a boon to the college. Bethany has opportunities both for using musical talents in service, giving glory to God, and also opportunities to develop those talents through music lessons and ministry teams such as Point of Impact and Fixed on Faith. I took advantage of this and auditioned for the Bethany House Band in my first year (a student-run band that leads worship in chapel time every Friday). It was a great experience and continued to stretch my piano talents, and help me learn how to play in a band. This year I’m back at Bethany again, I feel I’ve improved a lot from last year and am excited to be playing with House Band again this year. I’ve continued with my chipmusic, and recently was invited to play at the Nuit Blanche art celebration at the Winnipeg art gallery. Nuit Blanche is an international art day in celebration of under-appreciated art forms, the art gallery in Winnipeg decided to focus on gaming culture as an art form. It is a large event, with more than 4000 predicted attendees.
Throughout the rest of this year, I plan to work towards recording a solo piano album here at the school, and look forward to playing my Eigenharp (a new electronic instrument) as a contribution to House Band.
By: Chris Penner (2nd Year)
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