Romanian Majesty TV lauds Bucharest concert

majesty tv screen shot2, originally uploaded by oamcsinger.

From Edi Ciobanu, a Romanian, a pastor in Oregon, and OAMC singer
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 3:55 p.m. Pacific

Under the heading "OAMC - A dream come true for Romania," Majesty.tv ran a very nice story in Romanian about our tour and concert in Bucharest.

It emphasizes and praises the highlights of the concert; the sing around; it tells how the earthquake went unnoticed as we sang “Nearer, Still Nearer” and “Holy, Holy, Holy”; it cites Alin's comment that we serve a God of the impossible; it says that it was a cross-cultural faith reaffirming experience for the participants and that it ends with "Saturday night they sang about hope, about an all powerful God, full of love, who promised He'll come back again and who will keep His promise. Who could ask for more?"
The entire article can be found here.

The translated text of the article follows:

OAMC - A Dream Come True for Romania

By Alexa Plescan, Majesty - concert review
Translation by Eddie Ciobanu
Source: majesty.tv

A packed concert hall and a packed stage with over 200 men in black suits; this is what Sala Radio looked liked Saturday, April 25. No, this was not some mystical meeting; it was the concert of the Oregon Adventist Men’s Chorus (OAMC) with Maestro Lou Wildman conducting.

And because when you bring praises to the Creator there are no limits when it comes to nationality, Romania Adventist Men’s Chorus (RAMC) with Alin Apostol conducting united in one voice with those from across the Ocean to create an atmosphere that made people present forget for approximately two hours about earthly things.

In a sober note, the concert started with Schubert's "Sanctus," deep, impacting men's voices, to reach the apex than with "Psalm 150" – "Praise ye the Lord with the sound of the trumpet, praise ye Him with the timbrel, the loud cymbals and the stringed instruments!" One of the most impressing moments was the hymn sing around when the members of the immense chorus mingled with the people in the audience, us, the listeners and invited us to sing with them. We felt God to be "Nearer, Still Nearer" and the earthquake passed unnoticed as we sang with all the power of the ephemeral being "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty."

For two weeks the united men's chorus had concerts in various places throughout the country, offering an experience that will not easily be forgotten. This dream came true because of the enthusiasm of a dedicated young man, who loves music and loves God, who wanted OAMC to come to Romania.

This is how Maestro Lou Wildman described Alin Apostol, who for five years had sung with OAMC while studying in the U.S., to only disappear all of a sudden afterwards. For a long time this wish ate at him, Alin says, having such a chorus in his native country. "Our God is a God of the impossible," he adds. Why "of the impossible?" Because that wish became reality in a way that surpasses any expectation. The Romanian Adventist Men's Chorus is not a dream anymore.

I talked to some of the members of the RAMC. Beyond the musical experience they had offered to the thousands of listeners that enjoyed a sacred, unaltered music, they had lived something unique. They had reaffirmed their faith through singing together with other people, from a different culture, speaking a different language, but worshipping the same God.

The ending was climactic. The entire audience together with the beautiful chorus and the orchestra sang "We Have This Hope." The hope of all? Jesus is coming soon!

They sang about hope Saturday night, about an Almighty God full of love, a God who promised that He'll come back and a God who will keep His promise. Who could ask for more?