One of the greatest lessons to be learned when pursuing your dream is learning to turn a deaf ear to naysayers.

The first oratorio that I composed, “The Crucifixion”, was critiqued by a prominent choral director at one of the leading Midwestern Universities. He advised me to cast away the oratorio, but I was undaunted by his negative attitude. I stood firmly committed to the work that I knew God had given me. Later, I was informed that the Library of Congress had requested my oratorio “The Crucifixion” for its “Special Collections”. This astounding news was followed by an announcement that “The Crucifixion” would be presented in a world premiere at Carnegie Hall.

What a catastrophic mistake I would have made if I had listened to that choral director. Instead, I remained steadfast and did not allow negativism to destroy my dream.