phenomeNEWS - This Month's Music Review

This Month's Music Review
by Greg Ozimek

Cealo - Music for Meditation (blue cover)
Cealo - Beyond Light (red cover)
Fr. Andrew Rogers
www.andrewrogers.us

There is something in the air, something more than musical notes and phrases and it surrounds the performances of Andrew Rogers’ pipe organ and synthesizer sessions. These extra vibrations rise up in a unified way simultaneously from crevices inside us – between what we know and don’t know about ourselves – and in the air activated by his music.

Extraordinary is just the beginning of the superlatives that must bend us away from all that we know and launch us into heightened and gilded spiritual realms.

Rogers’ technique of creating his music is to choose a theme then say a prayer asking that the music which comes through his performance is for the highest good. This ability is his blessing to us, a blessing that extends through him without his understanding of it.

“Where words limit us,” in describing presence and the spiritual world, he recently told me, “the music carries us further into that realm; melody tries to escape the mind to take us deeper – beyond the mind.”

And so, we are introduced to the world of Father Andrew Rogers.

A resident of Fenton, Michigan and Pastor of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Dearborn, Rogers began his musical studies on the accordion at seven, winning local and national competitions playing transcriptions of classical orchestral music. He later appeared in the orchestra of Broadway productions at Michigan State University where he holds his degree, with honors, in Psychology.

During his religious studies, he studied theater organ techniques with the late Fr. James Miller and then augmented his studies with Dr. Marilyn Mason at the University of Michigan. He accompanied Fr. Jim on his second tour of Australia and Norfolk Island, appearing both in joint concerts and solo engagements. Also, scholarships from the University of Michigan enabled him to travel on two Historic Organ Tours led by Dr. Mason covering France, Italy and Switzerland – playing 58 instruments and participating in ten public concerts.

He is on staff at the Detroit Fox, has played for the movie series at the Ohio Theatre and has performed music of Alain for the AGO.

In addition to his classical and pop concerts, it was in 2003 when Fr. Andrew’s New Age recording, Angelic Whisperings, attracted the attention of His Holiness Gayuna Cealo, a Burmese Buddhist monk.

His Holiness Gayuna Cealo soon requested two recordings from Fr. Andrew for his Foundation For Global Harmony – Japan. This opened new doors for Fr. Andrew’s personal mission.
He has performed at the Foundation’s Heart Expos in Japan in ’04 and ’07. He is a member of the Global Harmony Band, a member of ‘Monks Beyond Religion’ and is now a Director of the Foundation For Global Harmony - USA.

What are Fr. Rogers’ Cealo CD’s like?

When angels talk amongst themselves and if somehow we could enter the grand, great rooms where they gather – very tall ceilings with walls that are echo-distances apart – and we immediately hear and feel each verb and re-verberation of their conversations and our souls flood and take over our conscious mind and being, we become so filled and resonant with their spirit that we are forever changed, our lives are enhanced and changed.

This is where the benefits of the Cealo collection of CD’s begins.

Fr. Andrew’s future plans are to develop more music and bring the blessing which he has been gifted with to others.

“Music, my main passion, was always last on the list of priorities after the Church and work, but all that is changing in 2008. I feel a need to put more emphasis on the music.”

Since concert performances away from metro Detroit remove him from his small parish and congregation where he is the only priest, he has chosen what finally became an obvious course for his soul’s purpose here.

“It’s become clear to me that there is a real need for my individual Music Readings which are specially created and performed for individuals and groups.”

Father Andrew says he channels music for a person or group by, “Just playing the music I ‘hear’ in my head at the time. There’s something very special and unique for each person, music that’s attuned just for them, a special inaudible healing track,” along with the music.

His first three CD’s were created using these techniques and the results are like a magnetic attraction or the moon’s tidal action on water on Earth.

These Music Readings have remarkable results.

“From the feedback I get, what the Music Readings do for each person, is different.”

Some find they sleep better, an autistic child settles down easily, for all, the music “feels right” for them.

“I see it as yet another tool to help people connect with their highest selves, another tool for their ascension. It sets them on a sea of calm in the midst of change.”
Of all the blessings in our world, this one from Father Andrew Rogers is immediate, here and now and can be our own personal blessing.

All profits from both CD’s go to Cealo’s charitable work the Foundation for Global Harmony 501(c)3. Cealo will be in Livonia, MI April 9-10, 2008 and Lansing April 13-15. Call (810)629-5400.