SAINT JOHN
, NB – Known as a passionate
worship leader, Stephanie Mainville officially launched her debut album – Family – on March 14. Family
is refreshingly God-centred, capturing a unique Maritime sound bursting with
high-energy fiddling, rocking inspirational praise and deeply moving, intimate
worship.
Family
is an accomplished collection of 14 original compositions highlighting
Mainville’s lively fiddling. Mainville
wrote [both] music and lyrics, with the exception of “The Winds of God”
(although she created a new arrangement, the lyrics are not original).
Graham Ord helped refine some of the lyrics on “He’s A Faithful
God” and “We Will Arise.”
Mainville
explains that fiddling is “a style of music that resonates with people.”
She longs to see “the sound of the fiddle being reclaimed for
worship.” Her music conjures up
visions of windswept highland, ocean spray and the voice of God.
Although
the Maritimes is renowned for its fiddling and Celtic dance, fiddling has long
been frowned upon in some religious circles and rarely heard in church worship
as it was considered to be the “instrument of the devil” so much so, that
some senior Atlantic Catholics can recall when fiddles were gathered and
burned in their parishes.
Mainville
recalls praying about her longing to record a Celtic/gospel album at a worship
conference in
Saint John
,
New Brunswick
in the fall of 2001. After
declaring her willingness to be the Lord’s vessel, she asked, “Lord, where
are the songs that represent the sounds of our region and Your heart in
destiny for us in Atlantic Canada?
She
says God was quick to answer. “That
very night I wrote the lyrics to what is now “The Maritime Song,” explains
Mainville. The lyrics read: “Flow Lord, make our people free/Take us
to Your sea/Our hearts hear Your voice through the wind and the
waves/There’s a sound that’s calling me/God of the islands and all who
smell the sea – the Atlantic, you Maritimes, rise up!/The Lord comes to meet
you and He’s dancing.”
As
many people reacted positively to her song, Mainville felt an increasing
awareness of God’s distinctive plan for her.
“God just kept giving me a heart for our region, our area.
I continued to be open to Him to use the sound of the fiddle to express
worship and thanks to the God who made us to be, and for our history and who
we are going to become.”
Born
in
New Brunswick
, Mainville began writing songs while in her church choir and later joined a
band in the early ‘80s that played for youth events in the southern part of
the province. She played violin
with the
New Brunswick
and
Nova Scotia
youth orchestras, and has since traveled many countries of the world playing
formally and on mission outreaches. She
has sung on CBC Radio, played fiddle on a number of Maritime artists’
recording projects and enjoyed many opportunities to lead worship in local
churches and conferences.
Family has been nominated for Inspirational Album of the Year at the Shai
Awards 2005, Canada’s version of the People’s Choice Awards for gospel music.
For
more information,
Visit
www.stephaniemainville.com
