Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 101: 1)
This post is part of a Thankful Thursday series - check back every week to see what we're MOST thankful for this week!
Good accompanists are rare. Good accompanists who approach youth choir ministry with grace, compassion, kindness, intelligence, thoughtfulness, and a giving heart...well, those are rarer still. All of these qualities and so many more are present in our accompanist, Briana (Bailey) Gresko.
Brie first came to VIP during one of our famous Bring-A-Friend Nights. The following year, when she was just 15 years old, we offered her a job as our accompanist. The rest, as they say, is history. Sort of... see, we had to let Brie go to college, first for a bachelor's degree and then for a Master's. She played for us during breaks and always came on Tour with us. We were fortunate 2 years ago when Brie got a job teaching in Anne Arundel County, and returned to us on a permanent basis.
Brie is my sounding board, my confidante, my colleague, and my dear friend. In rehearsals, she often knows what I'm thinking and what I want to do with a piece of music before I even say it aloud. THAT is pretty amazing - and I'm grateful for it. She is one of the key reasons that VIP succeeds, and she enables this choir to do more than I ever dreamed.
Thanks for all you do, Brie. We are thankful for you!