Paula Weinman | Echo
Josh Kiers is no stranger to unexpected opportunities. Seven years ago, at age 14, the junior received a rather unconventional invitation: the chance to take free organ lessons from his church organist.
Josh started organ lessons with a good will and readiness to learn, although he admits his interest in organ was casual at best. At the time, he was taking piano lessons from a neighbor.
"I'm not sure I'm interested in organ, but I don't have any reason not to," Josh said, recalling his thoughts about lessons at the time. His willingness paid off, and before long, his organ teacher gave him quite the surprise: the chance to perform in church for the very first time.
"On Sunday mornings I would sit right in the front row (of the church) so that I could watch (my teacher's) feet and hands and everything he was doing," Josh said. "So one Sunday morning I sat down right before the Postlude-a big pompous (song) to get everyone out of the church-and my teacher says, 'You've got the postlude. Hop on!'"
Josh was hesitant.
"I knew which pedals to push and what stops to pull, because he'd instructed me on that, but I didn't have any classical pieces prepared, so I hopped on and improvised a bit."
According to Josh, the performance was well-received-by his church family, that is.
"Afterwards, a lot of people in the congregation came up to me and said, 'Oh, good job, good job!' And the organist said, 'Okay, you have a lot of things to work on.'"
Since then, Josh has continued to serve as the organist every other week at his home church in Muncie, Ind., and every now and then performs at Taylor for special events-some of them on similarly short notice.
Last year, he appeared onstage with Richard Allen Farmer during Spiritual Renewal Week. The two played a fluid, fast-moving duet on a single piano, sliding off the bench in turn and allowing the other person to continue the piece. The seemingly spontaneous performance surprised everyone: even Josh, who received an email asking him to play on the very day the performance occurred. The performance, it turns out, was as improvised as it looked, but Josh took it in stride-and learned a lot in the process.
"Playing alongside him was such an honor, and a humbling experience, because he's incredibly better than I am at improvisation," Josh said. "He draws from such a greater musical background than I have."
Despite the challenge of playing alongside a veteran, Josh says it was a thoroughly enjoyable performance.
"It was incredible to play with (Richard Allen Farmer) and see how he improvises and how he would lead, and then expect some call in response. I would run with it for a while, and then say, 'Here. I'll leave something for you.'"
But Josh doesn't only enjoy the ways music brings performers together. He also stressed the ways music of any genre can bring us together as a community.
"Orchestras and bands and symphony orchestras: those are all collaborations," said Josh. "If they're composing, they're creating, but they're doing so in the context of the community. They're drawing from their backgrounds and their experiences in life. That's why I don't know if music could ever truly be individual."
Josh explains that music has given him the opportunity to develop his relationship with God-often when he least expects it. "I'll sit down at the piano and start improvising, which puts me in a world where I am forced to reflect . . . (this) allows me to think about God, and what He's been doing in my life. In a way, it's sort of a gift from God to me."
Josh's journey has been marked with a desire to explore music and the willingness to take advantage of the unforeseen opportunities music can bring. He urges others-whether they are avid musicians or reluctant audience members-to do the same.
"(When you listen to music), pursue a wide variety," he said. "Music itself is entirely broad. Don't limit yourself to what you can and can't try."
Josh practices what he preaches. A junior math major, Josh has just recently added a composition minor.
"The goal of composing is to create something that you truly believe is valuable," he said. "My goal with composition is to make something beautiful."
When asked what he plans to do with his composition minor, Josh is content to wait and see what opportunities come his way. "I'm studying composition because I like it."
And when challenging opportunities arise, it's clear that Josh will be more than willing to make the most of them.
