Eric + Monique
Evensong, Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church, March 5, 2011
Dell Lawrence
Assistant editor, Fine Arts Series
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia
Alumni Eric and Monique Johnson returned to Avondale College of Higher Education as performers at Evensong this past Saturday (March 5).
Eric + Monique: glossy piano, dreamy vocals and relevant messages. Credit: Kent Marcus.
The vocals of this husband and wife duo, who met at Avondale in 2006, blend seamlessly. Their voices match—one does not dominate the other. Eric has a mellow, soft tone but can produce a pointed tone when the music calls for it. Monique, recovering from an illness at the time of the performance, has a gentle almost breathy quality.
The two are not dynamic performers, but they do connect with their audience. Their songs are touching—the emotional power lies in the message, such as adoration for our Creator (“Just As I Am”), a challenge for current and future Christians (“Laodicea”) and a longing for our heavenly home (“Take Us Home”).
Eric is blessed with a gift for writing lyrics and melodies. He combines them so effortlessly—no awkward arrangements, no placing syllables on “wrong” accents or beats of a melodic phrase. Eric is also blessed with a gift for playing the piano. His free flowing style melds one chord into the next.
This performance lacked variety—each song had a slow beat and a different shade of sombreness—but the glossy piano, dreamy vocals and relevant messages make Eric + Monique a must-see.
Eric + Monique’s album Pilgrim, released through the Psalter Music label, is available from Adventist Book Centres.
Evensong is a series of free meditative and reflective recitals presented and sponsored by the School of Humanities and Creative Arts at Avondale College of Higher Education.