Anyone who thinks The Psalm Project is just another choir from the old country should look (and listen) again.
Discover for yourself the new songs emerging from the old. Start here with Psalm 149 (from The Psalm Project's Dutch album) and feel this jubilant psalm welling up with rock/gospel energy.
The Psalm Project
Israel's triomflied - Psalm 149
You can hear more psalms on the Audio/Visuals pages of this site (see sidebars) or by searching for "The Psalm Project" on YouTube. These psalms are matched with a musical character that moves easily between folk, rock, gospel and classical styles.
The Psalm Project is young, made up of professional musicians who have been formed by a lively gospel, rock and christian contemporary music scene in the Netherlands. Some are/have been lead singers for gospel choirs, another is a sought after producer, arranger, composer and instrumentalist. There is the pianist busy with accompanying all sorts of concerts and worship services, a former gospel choir director, a guitarist/song writer and a drummer who runs a recording studio. Several have their own websites and, between them, they have contributed to hundreds of CDs.
The Psalm Project members gather regularly to give concerts or lead worship services. They are now working on a second, Dutch CD and have just agreed to produce a German version of the English Psalms Unplugged. The Psalm Project's coming tour is their second. Last January three muscians, plus a support person went to the Worship Symposium in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This year there will be seven musicians and the support person. They will be leading worship services and performing concerts daily on a trip that takes them from Toronto to Chicago.
Though they make their living as musicians, and do get some income from The Psalm Project, a good deal of their time, including tours, is given freely. It's clear from their commitment that the Project has Purpose.
Next: The Project with Purpose
The tour's name, "Teach us to pray", speaks to the underlying motives for The Psalm Project's music. You can sense this clearly in Psalm 22 (one of their more popular works) where the music and the singer are heart-rendingly faithful to the agonizing tone of the psalm. In a contemporary music context, where the psalms have mostly been bypassed, the focus on psalm singing by The Psalm Project is a recognition and a restoration of our need to pray in ways that are inspired by the Bible, especially the psalms.
The Psalm Project
My God, my God, Why - Psalm 122
There is humility in the request ("Teach us to pray") and in the acknowledgment that the psalm singing of generations gone by is authentic and not something to be cast off (like sturdy, old, oak furniture). In this regard, the choice of Genevan Psalms for musical and textual inspiration is somewhat incidental - it is the psalms as prayer that inspire the Project. But Eelco Vos, and others in the band, are grounded in the faith of their fathers (or should we say their singing mothers), and they are glad to build on an inheritance that is both personal and rich.
Next: The People with the Project
See also:
The Psalm Project: Reworking Genevan psalms for a new generation by Joan Huyser-Honig on the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship site
Background information about the Genevan Psalter -- the first "Psalm Project"
Psalmen in een nieuwe stijl from the Reformatorisch Dagblad
Een gesprek met Eelco Vos en muziek van zijn CD The Psalmproject, interview on EO Radio (second hour)
The Psalm Project is reluctant to draw attention away from its purpose by focusing on the band and its members. The band is talented and experienced and could very easily hold its own on a concert marquee. So we present them here simply in a short list for The Psalm Project's Teach us to pray tour.
Suzanne Venderbos van der Velde - Lead vocals
Miranda de Vlieger Companien - Lead vocals
Ariën Vink - Lead vocals
Eelco Vos - Composer, Piano
Luca Genta - Producer, Bass, Cello, Flutes
Wilkin de Vlieger - Drums
Arend Jansen - Guitar
Reinhart Brandse - Support
Next: Setting the Scene
Hover over any of the photos below
to identify the band member.
This is the Day
Miranda de Vlieger leading the Modern Black Gospel Choir "Inside Out".
I will sing of my Redeemer
Miranda de Vlieger leading the masses
Beautiful One
Ariën Vink singing leading an EO Youth Convention.
"Kyrie" (Mr. Mister)
Susanna Fields (van der Velde) on Dutch national TV
What Child is This
Ariën Vink with Pearl Jozefszoon
What Child is This
Arend Jansen, guitar solo
When You Believe
Sharon Kips & Miranda de Vlieger
Rain on me
Luca Genta, Baliflute
Everlasting
Miranda de Vlieger leading the Modern Black Gospel Choir "Inside Out".
Trading My Sorrows
Miranda de Vlieger singing with "Big Band The Convocation".
The Old Song Medley
Miranda de Vlieger leading the Modern Black Gospel Choir "Inside Out".
Lord, to you my soul is lifted
Psalm 25
Prayer for the King
Psalm 72
Teach me Lord
Psalm 86
My God, my God, why
Psalm 22
I love the Lord
Psalm 116
With all my heart
I thank you Lord
Psalm 138
Happy are those
Psalm 119
My soul finds rest
in God alone
Psalm 62
My help comes from the Lord
Psalm 121
Lord, you have searched
my heart
Psalm 139
Give thanks to God for
all his goodness
Psalm 118
Praise the Lord
Psalm 150
You servants of the
Lord our God
Psalm 134
To submit comments, questions or requests
please fill in this
online comment form
View and sort these comments on a 'rss' feed page. 