My Life in Music

My name is Rachel Farnum, and I started as the Minister of Music at the United Methodist Church at Berlin in September! I started playing music at the church a few years ago. I decided to visit one morning to check out the church and walked up to Dianna Parisi, my extremely talented predecessor, and asked if I could join her, and I showed up with my instrument the next week. 

The title of my blog post is a reference to a documentary on my favorite classical guitarist, Julian Bream. If you haven't heard him, I highly recommend checking out his music. The title is also a reference to the importance of music throughout my life. I don't remember a time in my life when music was not an integral part of it. It is what helps me through my lowest moments and when I feel closest to God. 

I grew up in church involved in music, playing recorder trios with my mom and sister and singing in the Junior Choir led by my mom. My first love is the viola, which I have been playing for about 38 years. I started playing classical guitar about 13 years ago. I only started playing guitar and singing vocals a few years ago when I was encouraged in my singing by this congregation. 

I have been playing in worship teams in college and church activities for the past 27 years. I am so excited to use my gifts in this way at UMC Berlin. 

My grandma, Elinore Farnum, passed away on October 30, 2024. She was the organist and music director at her church for 59 years, up until shortly before her death at the age of 90. I feel her with me when I plan out the music each week. I know she is looking down on me and cheering me on. 

I plan to blog about my prelude and postlude music selections and what they mean to me. I hope it ministers to each of you reading this as much as it does me when I am playing it! 

I have included a couple photos here - one is me mostly pretending to play a recorder at the age of 2 and the other is me playing with my grandma shortly after I started playing viola.