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I was expecting this opus to have a premier on October 20th of 2006 by the Symphony of Hope in Winterville, North Carolina. I perform with this group of professional musicians each year at an event entitled Symphony of Hope which raises money for the American Cancer Society, recognizes cancer survivors and victims who lost the battle with cancer.
When the request was made to send a recording of my work to be played at the dedication of The Johayna Barker Mullen Pavilion, I quickly, last Friday, asked two of my students to help me put together a recording of the original idea. They said, yes, and then, UPS helped out by getting the tape from North Carolina on Friday afternoon to Jackson, Tennessee on Saturday. Ding Dang!, Howdy Boys!, when a Barker needs to get something done, they can do it faster than a grasshopper trying to hop for his life to get out of the chicken house.
I would like to share a little of the history and meaning behind Johayna's Opus... On the evening of March 7th, the day after Johayna passed away, I asked my brother Tommy, who was planning to play his trumpet at the cemetery following Johayna's Celebration, what he was planning on playing. He replied, "The ABC Song.” Appropriate for a teacher I thought, then a discussion continued between us and others at the house that night about whether to play “The ABC Song” or “Amazing Grace.” As I was trying to play all my ideas at one time on the piano, Tommy brought out his trumpet to play the ABC Song and Dilowe joined in to sing “Amazing Grace.” Leon and Pete and the rest of the family….. listened and sang along as the idea of the new opus unfolded.The conversation ended but a new musical idea had been born!
Later that night I kept running the chords for each song through my head and finally sat down at the piano and realized that these two tunes, “The ABC Song” and “Amazing Grace,” had very similar chord progressions. Excited, I grabbed the first thing I could find, a paper napkin, and began arranging, "Johayna's Opus".
"Johayna's Opus" is a musical combination of those two appropriate tunes, “Amazing Grace” and “The ABC Song.” “The ABC Song” represents the 26 letters of the alphabet that she taught to all the wee ones and the 26 years she taught school. “Amazing Grace” represents her hold fast faith of salvation she believed in throughout her life.
They are two very simple tunes.......................(pause)...............................we all know by heart.......................................(pause)............................but they are two lessons...................(pause).........................we must all learn. " Johayna's Opus" is a celebration of all of her work with the children and people that entered her life at church, school, home and in the community and a praise for her efforts as she so easily reached and touched so many lives in a special way. Many of the personal lessons she taught her students, and us, will continue to help shape our lives and hopefully.............. we will be as successful with our lives as she was.......as a mother, wife........sister...........teacher................and friend.
The performers of "Johayna's Opus" are 7th grader Mckenzie Roberts and 8th grader Naomi Green who attend A.G. Cox Middle School in Winterville, North Carolina and where I am the Director of Bands. Listen carefully, follow along…and enjoy the scattering of “Johayna’s Opus,”...
..................as we celebrate Johayna Barker Mullen and the impact she has had on all of our lives!
Johayna's Opus
written and arranged by
B.B. Barker, March 7, 2006
Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P,
Q, R, S, - T, U, V,
W, X, - Y and Z.
Now, I ‘ve said my ABCs
Tell me what you’ll teach to me.
Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound
A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
That saved a wretch like me!
H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P,
Jo….ay…na!
Q, R, S, - T, U, V
Jo….and I
W, X, - Y and Z.
I once was lost, but now am found;
Now I ‘ve said my ABCs
Was blind, but now I see.
Tell me what you’ll teach to me
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