The extraordinary musicians of The Annie Moses Band visited the offices of Christian Retailing this month, performing four songs with their unique blend of fiddle, jazz and classical influences along with folk-inspired vocals.

Their theme song, 1988's "Make His Praise Glorious," first recorded by Sandi Patty, launched the songwriting career of Bill Wolaver (composer/arranger/pianist) and his wife, Robin (vocalist/lyricist/composer/ speaker). Their children joined them in what became a family band: Annie (lead vocals, violin), Alex (lead vocals, viola), Benjamin (cello), Camille (harp, keyboard, vocals), Gretchen (violin, mandolin, guitar, vocals) and Jeremiah (guitar). The older siblings trained at the Juilliard School, and all have studied with renowned instructors.

"Make His Praise Glorious" led to "a way of life that says that we were not going to give something to the Lord that costs us nothing and that we were going to strive for excellence because He was worthy of glory," Annie Moses said.

Moses--who is named after her great-grandmother, from where the band's name is derived--said in recent years the band has found its calling. "We had no intention at all of having a family band ... and yet that was really what he led us to," she said.

Today, with their summer academy, held each July in Nashville, they "invest in the vocational and musical training of children because we see how much we are losing the battle for the hearts and the minds of this current generation by the influence of the arts," Moses said. "There's never been a time in our world when so much artistry has been so cheap or so easy, and yet 99% of it does not reflect the truth of God or the beauty of His character. And it is a question for the church to ponder how we will ever combat that barrage with three songs on Sunday morning."

With a program that covers voice, dance, drama and more, the academy is like "Riverdance on steroids," Moses said. "We long to see a day where the best jazz bands and the best string quartets and the best orchestras and the best Broadway musicals and the best film scores are all written and performed by people who proclaim the name of Jesus."

Pilgrims & Prodigals (Dream Journey Productions/Man Alive Records), a live DVD and studio CD package, releases next spring.

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