Every Christmas season, which in our home begins around the second week of November, I am on a mission. My goal: find one new CD and one new Christmas movie to add to our growing collection. The movie gets rotated in with about a dozen or so other favorites while the CD takes front and center stage.
Whatever this CD is, it is played so constantly throughout the next 6 weeks that it must, by nature of its place in our routine, be extraordinary. I don’t give this spot to just any artist; but, rather, I spend time searching one out. I gather recommendations from friends and family and listen to sample scores on the Internet. This painstaking process is important because the CD creates the memories of the particular year in which it gets center stage. We listen to it as we trim the tree; I listen to it as I cook holiday meals, and I even bring it along with me on trips to the store.
This year, God clearly took pity on me and must have looked at my busy schedule and decided to deliver an actual artist to my doorstep!
During my early November trip to the EWTN studios in Alabama to record a television series for the “All Things Girl” books I was absolutely delighted to make the acquaintance of Adrianne Price. Of course when I met Adrianne I had no idea that she was a mezzo-soprano vocalist whose voice truly is a gift from God — not just once but twice. I simply found her to be one more wonderful soul that the good Lord had allowed me to meet during my trip.
But Adrianne turned out to be so much more.
Adrianne’s is an amazing story of faith and struggle. At a very young age, and throughout high school, Adrianne sung in choirs, musicals and recitals. All the while, nodules were developing that sent her constantly to Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists. By the time Adrianne earned her Bachelor’s of Music degree she was told by doctors that she would never sing again and that she would need to start a new career. For many years thereafter, Adrianne sang softly in choirs and avoided solos. During most of this time Adrianne was not practicing her Catholic faith, until a conversion experience in 1996 wherein Adrianne “surrendered” her voice problem to the Lord.
On February 3, 1998, the feast of St. Blaise, Adrianne had her throat blessed. Her surrender was complete and she knew that if the Lord wanted her to sing, she would. During the blessing she said this prayer: “Lord, if the healing of my voice aids in the salvation of my soul or anyone who hears me, (through the intercession of St. Blaise) please heal me.”
Her commitment was such that if she were healed she would no longer sing secular songs but would devote her life to singing for Mother Church. After having her throat blessed, and her prayer for intercession, Adrianne found herself able to sing more frequently and — most miraculously — have no ill effects. A doctor’s visit confirmed this when she was told that she no longer had nodules nor scar tissue!
True to her word, Adrianne now serves Mother Church with her beautiful voice and has released a CD titled Sacred Classics. The first time I played Sacred Classics in my home I was mesmerized. I knew I had found the perfect CD for my Christmas collection; but also realized that it would quickly become the ideal CD for my life. Adrianne’s voice reflects her operatic training and the music truly wafts through the air making you want to fall to your knees in praise of God.
Adrianne’s hope for the CD is, first and foremost, that she has pleased the Lord. She also prays that those who are meant to hear it will and that those who are meant to be touched by it will.
In the future Adrianne hopes to record a CD of mostly traditional hymns with some new, “meatie” hymns mixed in.
Based upon the beauty of Sacred Classics, it is my prayer that the Lord opens up this avenue for Adrianne to do just that.
Sacred Classics is available through the CE online store and is the perfect Christmas present for you and for your friends and family. A portion of all sales go to a local women’s pregnancy center and to the Missionaries of the Poor (Father Richard HoLung’s order).
Adrianne’s website is www.adrianneprice.com.
