Back in October 2020, I became the Music Director for Little Rock Air Force Base (LRAFB) Chapel. The Chapel's Music Program provides music for both Protestant and Catholic services. For the entirety of the Base's 67-year history, the Music Program has played a crucial role in the lives of Airmen who have found spiritual enrichment, leadership opportunities, inspiration, motivation, and camaraderie in its varied offerings. In a single year, Music Program members will provide music for the worship services of its communities and hundreds of attendees at the Chapel, throughout the nation, and around the world. Actually, there is no telling how many people see a live-stream of the Protestant Sunday service. As ambassadors for LRAFB the vocalists and instrumentalists offer music for a wide variety of audiences. Since I have been here, the chapel has been graced by the presence of the seventh bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock Bishop Anthony Basil Taylor, the Knights of Columbus, the current Base Commander Colonel John M. Schutte, and many active component service members and their families. For the Airmen who have volunteered their musical talent, the Music Program offers an invaluable opportunity as they evolve to become future leaders in the United States Air Force and beyond. In addition to being exposed to military and spiritual leaders, these Airmen gain strength and confidence by leading congregations in worship. They are continually encouraged to strive to work together as an ensemble to create something inspirational. So far, the ones I have overseen have exhibited the finest qualities the U.S. Air Force strives to engender in its men and women. It is with honor that the Music Program represents the United States, the Air Force, LRAFB, and the LRAFB Chapel. Special thanks to Bill Bailey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbillbailey/) and Music Ministry International (https://music-ministry.jobsoid.com/).
New Position at LRAFB
ZANE GILLESPIE
After six years as Minister of Music at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church (UMC) in Holly Springs, MS, I was recently called to continue to work to address public engagement in music participation as Director of Music Ministries at First UMC in Water Valley, MS. I am a Composer, Theorist, and member of both The College Music Society as well as The Poe Studies Association (PSA). I am also an active pianist and vocalist, specializing primarily in church music. My paper entitled ““Mesmeric Revelation”: Art as Hypnosis” has been published by the international, peer-reviewed journal Humanities. In addition, another paper of mine entitled “A Model of Triadic Post-Tonality for a Neoconservative Postmodern String Quartet by Sky Macklay” has been submitted to the peer-reviewed Music Theory journal Perspectives of New Music. At the end of February 2015, I served as Chair for the session entitled “Aesthetics and Philosophy” at The Fourth International PSA Conference in New York City. On June 21, 2014, my Quartet for Alto Saxophone and Strings, a commission from concert saxophonist Walter Hoehn, was performed as part of Concert V of the Eighth Annual Belvedere Chamber Music Festival held at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Memphis, TN. Characteristically neo-romantic (in the original sense of the word), my music earned me the Nancy Van de Vate Award for Composition three times from the University of Mississippi Department of Music. A native of Pontotoc, MS, I hold degrees from the University of Mississippi (BM; MM), and the University of Memphis (DMA) where I was the 2011 recipient of the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music's Smit Composition Award. I live in Memphis, TN.