Journal: August 15-16, 2010

August 15, 2010

Our Christian softball team (Team Redeemed) won its first game today. I played first base and did very little to contribute to the win. I made some outs but hit into a double play. We won 5 to 4. Our biggest victory was having a godly attitude through the game. Still no one came to visit. Perhaps next week. I was greatly blessed to receive a quarterly package today from the brothers and sisters at Grace Church. Thank you, Mike! You are very kind. The Lord bless you!

August 16, 2010

This being Monday, I was able to practice the violin! Our days are hot but not as they could be. This evening we had the yard service and brother Seth brought the message from Romans 12:9-21. This afternoon we had a food sale delivery of chicken hot wings. This was a great blessing. These sales happen only a few times a year and offer different kinds of food. I waited four years to taste KFC again! I’ve had pizza only twice in five years. But it is such a blessing when it comes.

Journal: August 13, 2010

I was able to get a lot of Greek done. Practiced violin for an upcoming recital. The Lord answered my prayer in allowing me time in the chapel to practice. I hope someone comes to visit me tomorrow, being Saturday.

Journal: July 19, 2010

Friends, the Lord blessed me with two days of violin practice because the Rabbi assigned to our yard graciously allowed me to practice in the Chapel when he comes. I am preparing for a concert, possibly in August called “Bach to Beatles,” including other classical composers. Of course, you know what Beethoven is doing now….he’s “decomposing.” :-)

You may think it a small thing to play an instrument, but to do so in prison ins a major blessing from the Lord because it is uncommon (except for guitars). When I relate to you the things I get to do (visits, violin, preach the Word, etc.) I am really trying to give glory to God for His grace and blessing and mercy to me, so…to God be the glory!!

This evening, I received a nice letter from Germany, from Angela, a faithful former student who reminds me of Ruth in the Bible. She is very grown in the Lord and is concerned with bringing the Gospel to young people in different places in Europe. May the Lord bless you, Angela. She sent me some photos of a town I used to live in when my dad was stationed in Germany. Her family is also faithful to pray for my prison ministry. Pray for her family’s ministry in Oelde.

Concert Program: An Evening of Tillery and Bach

An Evening of
Tillery & Bach

June 26 & 27, 2009
Corcoran State Prison

Program

Suite for Violin and Guitar in D Major (Stephen Tillery, 1984- )
Waltz
Allegro
Waltz de Tragic
Largo
Allegro-Vivace

-Intermission-

From the Bach Cello Suite, Trasncribed for Violin:
Allemande from Suite No. 1
Prelude from Suite No. 2
Allemande from Suite No. 1

David Gray, Violin

From the Bach Violin Sonatas and Partitas, Transcribed for Guitar
Sarabande from Partita No. 1

By His Stripes, We Are Healed, For Violin and Guitar (Stephen Tillery)


About Bach’s Unaccompanied Violin Sonatas and Partitas

The six works, three Sonatas and three Partitas, were completed by 1720 when Bach resided in Anhalt-Cothen. After a brief business trip, Bach returned to find his beloved wife Maria Barbara already dead and buried. This tragedy affected these pieces which constituted the composer’s greatest work from this period. The famous Chaconne, nearly 16 minutes in length, is a memorial to his wife and is considered the finest single movement written for an unaccompanied violin. Unnoticed for the years, the masterpieces were nearly lost as wrapping in a butter factory.


About the Performers…

Stephen Tillery
Mr. Tillery has studied Classical Guitar for two years. He has taught himself guitar, as well as Music Theory. He is a gifted composer hand has composed a number of works for guitar, violin, flute, voice, and string quartet.

David Gray
Mr. Gray graduated with a B.A. in Music from the University of California, Davis and has served as Concertmaster in the Davis University Symphony, the Chico Symphony and the Shasta Symphony. He studied violin with Felix Khuner, Associate Concertmaster of the San Francisco Symphony. Mr. Gray has appeared as guest soloist and conductor of the Shasta Symphony. He was a member of the Grace Church Orchestra in Sun Valley, California.


With Thanks to:
Chaplain Indermill
Father Eugene

Classical Violin Recital

David had the opportunity to give another recital this past fall. Below is the program that he played.

Classical Violin Recital
Corcoran State Prison 3C-Yard
September 14 & 15, 2007

David Gray, Violin
Stephen Tillery, Guitar

Program

Concerto in A minor, Op 3, No 6
Allegro, Largo, Presto..........Antonio Vivaldi (1980-1743)

Theme from Schindler's List.............John Williams

Rondo for Guitar...................Carcassi

Concerto No 1 in A minor
Allegro, Moderato....................J.B. Acoday (1845-1910)

Largo, from Sonata No. 3 for
Unaccompanied Solo Violin..........J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

First Sounds of Spring...............Stephen Tillery (1984- )

Rondo, from Eine Kleine
Nacht Musik..............W.A. Mozart (1750-1791)


Please refrain from conversation during performance.
Thank you.

Classical Music Recital Program

Classical Music Recital
Corcoran State Prison
Yard 3C
December 15th and 16th 2006

Edward Thill, Piano David Gray, Violin

Stephen Tillery, Guitar Dave Ricklef, Guitar/Vocal



Program

Waltz…………………………………………………………….Carcassi (violin/guitar)

Prelude (As heard on the movie Master and Commander)……….J. S. Bach (violin)

Nocturne in Eb Major………………………………………..……F. Chopin (piano)

Up to Jerusalem………………………………………………....….S. Tillery (guitar)

Concerto in A Minor, Allegro…………………………………....J. S. Bach (violin)

Clair de lune……………………………………………………...........Debussy (piano)

Rondo…………………………………………………………….Carcassi (violin/guitar)

Nocturne in F# Major……………………………………..……….F. Chopin (piano)

Danny Boy………………………………………………….....Irish Folk Song (violin)

Angles We Have Heard on High…………………..……….Christmas Carol (all)

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik……………………………………..W. A. Mozart (violin)

PLEASE REFRAIN FOM CONVERSATION DURING PERFORMANCE

THANK YOU