Alles nur nach Gottes Willen

“It's all good”—a phrase we often hear and that I often say.  Cantata BWV 72 amplifies this thought.  Joy, trust, comfort, acceptance—all according to a master plan—our lives are supported by a higher power, and we can place our trust in it. No matter what is happening all around us, we can rely on this higher power to see us through, to give us strength.  Cantata BWV 72 conveys joy from the first chorus through the comfort of the final chorale.

After Craig Smith's passing, our beloved John Harbison put his life on hold to serve as Acting Artistic Director, shepherding Emmanuel Music through the period as we embarked on a search for Craig’s successor. When the Search Committee made its decision to appoint Ryan Turner, I called John to tell him the news, and the first words out of his mouth were "Alles nur nacht Gottes Willen”.  That phrase became my internal mantra as I navigated the challenges and triumphs of my tenure at Emmanuel Music.