The Canadian Reformed Seminary (CRTS) in Hamilton, Canada, organized a project, this year, which is called ‘Celebrate 1517’.

For this project, CRTS created a number of opportunities in the arts.

Part of this project was to have ‘commissioned music’ which can be performed by bands and orchestras.

Mr. Kent Dykstra in British Columbia composed “Arise”. This is inspired by the first lines of the rhymed version of the Genevan Psalm 68, a Psalm tune used by Huguenot armies entering battle in France in the 1580s.

A further explanation of the music can be found on the website of the seminary. We received permission from br. Dykstra to publish the music as it was being performed by a number of skilled musicians recently in British Columbia.

Br. Dykstra, who is at the moment principal of Credo Christian High School in Langley and before that of the William of Orange elementary school in Cloverdale, is well known by many because of the ‘Reformed String Camp’ that is being organized every year in July in Canada. The one year in Ontario (Smithville), the other year in the Fraser Valley (BC). He does this together with his sister, Roxi Dykstra. These string camps have become a huge success and string players from reformed churches all over Canada and beyond participate in it.

After Reformed String Camp 2009, Kent & Roxi and a number of other participants recorded a CD of Psalms. Individual mp3 tracks are available for preview and purchase here, and CDs are available here.
In July 2013, a second recording was done. To order “Praise Him with Stringed Instruments II” in digital format, visit www.cdbaby.com/kentdykstra2 .