We must not take off our “biblical
worldview glasses” in the area of music. It is not a neutral, ineffective,
autonomous area, but on the contrary, it greatly affects our lives and we must surrender
our musical tastes to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. There is a reason we must guard what we
listen to. K. Marie Stolba put it well
when she said, “Music was peculiar among the arts in that it alone had the
ability to influence character.” (Stolba,
K.M., The Development of Western Music,
1998 P. 13) When we are making wise
musical choices, we are able to enjoy the beauty of music as it infiltrates our
lives. “The result of aesthetic experiences is a richer and more meaningful
life…The antonym of ‘aesthetic’…can best be thought of as ‘anesthetic’-
nothingness, no life, no feeling, no humanness.” (Abeles, Hoffer, Klotman, Foundations of Music Education, 1994 p.
63) How much should we thank our heavenly Father
for giving us so many aesthetics that our lives may be full and enriched! And
how important it is that we honor that privilege and take advantage of what He
has given us courts with Praise, (Ibid., Webber, 1997 p.78)
The
author of this philosophical excerpt is Ms. Rachelle Wolf. She holds a BA degree in Christian music ed.
with a performance emphasis in applied violin from God’s Bible College and a MM
degree in violin performance at Miami University at Oxford Ohio. She currently teaches music at Aldersgate
Christian Academy, teaches violin privately, and is active in her church.
Material used by permission of author.
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