Norfolk musician whispers a message of hope
Professional Norfolk composer and producer Roger Mayor, has released a new double CD of music, words and hope, despite living with cancer for the past decade. Kevin Gotts reports.
Roger has spent a lifetime devoted to Christian music, but believed that his recording days were over through serious illness.
With encouragement from friends, and inspired by the sad loss of a friend, Roger has spent the last 10 months writing, recording and finally producing the Whispers CD launched this month, interspersed with frequent hospital visits for cancer treatment.
“My aim all along has been to provide music that is enhanced by Bible readings and my own very brief personal reflections, with an underscore of appropriate, beautiful music of artistic merit, to give an uplifting experience of the presence of God,” explains Roger.
He reflects that “hardly anyone speaks in whispers these days; we are so caught up in the bustle of everyday life. The Bible tells us on several occasions that God’s message to us is only heard in whispers and in the stillness. The fifteen tracks on this CD have names that most can relate to easily such as Whispers of Hope, Whispers of Encouragement, Whispers of a Deeper Love, Whispers that All Shall be Well....and many more.”
The piano is Roger’s instrument - he started playing at the age of five. He explains: “my natural instinct was to write the whole album for gentle piano, building on my past history recording many Christian instrumental albums. But then I thought of some of the remarkably talented instrumentalists that I have recorded with these last 30 years and decided that 'Whispers' would be greatly enhanced by having them join me on some tracks.”
Roger said: “Whispers was created out of much physical weakness. There were many weeks during the process when I couldn’t walk unaided; I suffered severe bouts of dizziness / vertigo and I could rarely get comfortable at my desk and piano with excruciating lower back problems compounded by three secondary cancer tumours.”
Almost ten years ago he began a battle to overcome Stage 4 prostate cancer, and reflects: “But I have yet again proved that St Paul was absolutely right: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ ‘His strength is made perfect in our weakness’.”
Roger is married to Penny and together they live in a village some eight miles from Norwich with their two beloved golden retrievers. Roger concludes: “As I look back, I see the litter of a lifetime just fluttering in the breeze, while the whispers of God in my soul remind me of what really matters in my life.”
The Whispers CD is available at www.rogermayor.uk
Pictured above is Roger Mayor. Picture by Gracie Gill.