Stamps-Baxter School of Music 2010

Up at 3:30 am to catch a 6:00 flight out of Peoria on Saturday morning. Barely made the connecting flight in Chicago and arrived in Nashville around 8:30am. Spent the rest of the day getting ready, meeting some new people and renewing my Stamps-Baxter family friendships.

Registration begins at 11:00am this morning, and there's an excitement in the air! From the Facebook updates I've been reading, a lot of gospel talent is going to be converging on Murfreesboro very soon!

My first year attending Stamps-Baxter was in 1998 and I attended for 3 years. We were at Belmont then, and it was there I met many of my gospel heroes and made some friendships that still exist today. I just visited the school for a few days from 2001-2003, but made plans for 2004 to be my final year. Anne and I were expecting our first daughter later that fall, so I figured this would be my last hurrah. God had different plans...

Three days into the 2004 school, I became a theory teacher and have been teaching ever since. It has been a joy teaching "up and coming" gospel musicians these past 7 years. Seeing how God has transformed these kids into fine young Christians and musicians is exciting and I am humbled to be a small part of their gospel music education.

Won't know until tomorrow morning who is in my class and how many there'll be. Each student will take a theory placement test upon their arrival and they'll be divided into about 10 different class levels. In the past, I've usually had high school/early college age who have had some music theory.

Each year is a new adventure! Can't wait for it to begin...