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| Interview - Tikhonov Dmitriy |  |
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Cor.: You are a professional musician. How did your passion for music arise? Answer: Everything started from childhood, when mom sent me to music-choir studio. Innitially I was gladly studying there, but then I got fed-up and started playing hooky, did not do my homework etc. Thanks to my mom, who didn't let me quit the music. She even used such an exclusive method as belt when all other methods to bring the kid to reason were ineffective. Only after the fourth grade I started taking interest in music - I liked jazz. Thanks to my teacher who, having noticed my growing interest, started indulging my new passion for jazz. As a result my repertoire was filled with pieces quite oddball for Soviet music school. Instead of traditional preludes, etudes and sonatas I performed blues, ragtimes and boogie-woogie. Soon after I got interested in classical music as well. I would spend a lot of time in the library looking for interesting notes and LP records. My teacher would encourage me to participate in various concerts in order to improve my performing skills. Besides that I participated in folk instruments orchestra (played the gusli), then I joined pop orchestra, where I tried to learn how to play the clarinet. By that time I had a strong desire to study music more seriously. I decided to enter music academy. But my music-choir studio education was not enough for admission and they required music school diploma. Therefore I entered the music school and finished 2 grades in 1 year, received the diploma. After that I entered theoretical department of the music academy. Cor.: Yet what has made you quit further studies? Answer: I didn't get along well with the teachers because I was arrogant and self-conceited. I believed they did not understand and undervalue me. So these ambitions of mine didn't let me finish the music academy. I quit my studies and went to Moscow, hoping that they will esteem me properly. But the teachers of jazz department in Gnesiny Music Institute suggested I finish the music academy first, and then to enter the Institute. Being resentful at everyone, I came back home, but I didn't re-enter the academy because of the pride. Cor.: Could you share about your artistic life before you got saved? Answer: I was in amateur folk bands. I played keyboards and guitar in various groups. The knowledge I received in music school and academy significantly helped me in my music career, especially theoretical subjects were helpful. I would listen to good music of various styles, write songs and arrangements. Sometime later I created my own group, with wich we have knocked about all over the place. We made concerts everywhere: in hostels, clubs, military units; participated in various city concerts. In the middle of 90's I organized "Rock Symposium", where I gathered all rock musicians of the city. The best times of my group's existence is connected with American Football Club. We (myself and my musicians) were hired to work for the Club! All days long we were playing music and we were paid salary for that. Our responsibility was not only making soundtracks for American football matches but also making concert tours. With the Club we have knocked about all over Rostov region, also we made performances in our Chelyabinsk region, prepared new concert program. But then some internal problebs arouse in the Club, and it split. The Club's manager started intermeddling in our artistic process, so there was tension between the musicians. The group didn't trust me anymore, so I left the Club. Being on the shelf, I started developing a new artistic project. I had a companion who wrote (like it seemed then) very interesting lyrics. Besides there was a professional rock group in the city. The guys really wanted to play but had no songs; wanted to perform but had no ideas. The companion and I proposed the group to work together and the musicians gladly assented to the proposal. Everyone was so satisfied with this new project. We started rehearsing and recording our joint album. The lyrics were written by the companion, I was composing music and made arrangements, and the musicians performed all that. We were planning to "go public" - recording in producer center with further "promo" for the project. But fortunately there has been a complete swing-round in my life. The Lord intervened in the course of events, showing me that any art is futile and useless, if it's not dedicated to Him and not sanctified by His grace. Cor.: When and how did you make decision to compose and write Christian music? Answer: As soon as I turned to the Lord. But the actual work started a bit later. Apparently it took some "maturing". In May of 1996 I accepted Christ and the new life began. I took up music ministry in Baprist church of Ozersk city. Cor.: What was that ministry like? Answer: Besides me there were a few young people. We came to the church almost at the same time, and from the beginning we were educated to reject contemporary pop music (and all "secular" music in general), so I could not fulfil my music experience completely. Nevertheless I tried somehow to animate congregational or at least solo singing, using synthesizer and rhythm machine. Given the pastor's support, I gradually reorganized music ministry: contemporary music started sounding in the congregation (I wrote contemporary arrangements for the traditional hymn). I tried to make church singing more understandable for unbelievers who visit the congregation. But then the atitude of the pastor toward church music changed and he inhibited the use of soundtracks. Cor.: Do you have your own group? Answer: I don't have a group as such, but I organized Christian Music Mission "King David". Why "King David"? Because this man of God is an example for those who want to dedicate themselves to service to God. The Lord Himself repeatedly testified about David's dedication to Him. Throughout his life David wrote new songs to praise the Lord. I want writing of new songs to be the Mission's priority as well. Moreover David was the first one to organize and maintain professional choir and orchestra. I believe that church music should be professional, that the people in this ministry might be free from care about daily bread (like Levites). I'm thankful to my friends - unbelievers musicians, who agreed to participate in recording of my album completely free of charge. I'm praying for them to get saved, and I ask all those who read this also to pray for them. Cor.: Could you share about your audio projects. Answer: In 1999 after 2-year studies at Kursk Bible School my cousin came back to the church and due to his witness I came to God. He came not alone but with wife Marina whom he met in Kursk. Fortunately Marina has a beatiful voice and music education. So immediately we started joint work in the studio. For 36 hymnal soundtracks that I recorded we applied voices: she sang soprano and alt parts, and I sang tenor and bass parts. Each part was recorded a few times, so it sounded like a choir. Then we recorded a tape with 12 youth soungs - "The New Praise Song". Recording my solo album "CREDO" ("I Believe") was the biggest pride of our joint work. I made 12 songs out of poems of various prominent contemporary Christian poets. I selected the lyrics from the book of poems "Christian Lyre", published by Christian Farmers Association "Transfiguration" (Moscow, 1992). Marina sang all the songs in this album and immediately after the album was recorded they moved back to Kursk for good. After they left I continued working on the album for two more months: I needed to record the musicians and finally process all the audio tracks. Cor.: How do you write your songs? Answer: Sometimes it's spontaneous process, sometimes it's purposeful. Any moment a good tune can come to your mind. Very often it occurs when you have neither pen nor music-paper. At those times no matter how hard you try to keep the tune in mind, still you forget it. But I don't regret, everything's under God's control. Once while getting off to sleep I heard a pretty tune, so I had to get up and write it down. I suggest that all musicians to learn how to write down notes without a musical instrument on hand. Write down by ear everything you hear, then review it against the instrument. This practice is very helpful. And sometimes you write music purposefully: you read a poem, trying to catch the tune that sort of sounds, and you write it down. Also you can write while sitting at the piano or holding the guitar: so at the same time you compose and sing. It's important to keep the melody conforming to the character of the lyrics. Sprightful and dynamic lyrics should not be sung smoothly and slowly. And vice versa. But the most important is to pray first and then everything will go with a swing. And it can fail to go, by the way... At such moment it's better to leave the song for a while. Cor.: What does music mean to you? Answer: Music is God's gift to the people. It existed before man was created. Angels, for instance, are endlessly praising God. Therefore music's purpose is to praise the Creator. Johann Sebastian Bach spoke about it. I belive that the music which does not praise God is futile and useless. Also music is a great means of telling people about the Lord, prompt them to think about the eternal. Music is vital in the church practice. Downscale music can quench the spirit, be a stumbling block for the unsaved, deprive the congregation of the blessings. And the upscale music can do just the opposite: wake the sleeping, encourage the crestfallen, to call the unsaved to repentance. Music makes a difference at church service. Cor.: What category of people are your songs aimed at? Answer: The same way like good sermon speaks to the hearts of both believers and unbelievers, the same way good music should be versatile. If in our songs we speak about the things that are eternal and immortal, then such a song will impact both. I don't embrace believer-only-oriented songs: as a rule they are overloaded with Bible terminology and are not fit for outreach at all. The church that adopts only this kind of songs stands alone. Christ's desire is "to bring about the obedience of faith among all the nations". I also don't endorse unbeliever-only-oriented songs. As a rule they are very down-to-earth and speak only about daily problems of people and how God can help them. Notice that God is not a "magic wand". The way of following the Lord is the narow way of obedience, submission and carrying the cross. "Everyone who wants to live honestly in Jesus Christ will be persecuted". This should be explained to the unsaved. Half-Gospel is false-Gospel! It is designed only for shallow soil, it sprouts up and immediately withers. According to my experience, a good song equally affects both saved and unsaved. Well, some believers have very narrow view on music, but it's a problem of their outlook. Cor.: Where do you hold your concerts? Answer: There was only one time when Marina and I performed in a secular concert with my song on poem of G. Krasnenkova "I Believe". Cor.: Could you share your plans for the future. Answer: The plans are huge! Lord willing, we're going to create a worship group (so to say "Levitical ministry") and a professional sound-recording studio. We will "nurture" new gifted ministers, find new talents, organize conferences and on-the-job training for choirmasters and music leaders from the local churches of the region. We will record and distribute new Christian music. Because everything that Russian Baptists sing was created, as a rule, in Moscow, Saint-Petersburg or in Ukraine. It's about time Ural contributed to Christian music culture! Pray about us.
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