[slidepress gallery=”022609_seminarianconcert”]

St. John Vianney’s last-chance Mass singer, senior seminary student Luke Spehar, performed a concert featuring his original songs Friday evening. Spehar released his new CD, “Be Still” and allowed audience members to take a copy home for free but welcomed donations.

An estimated 400 people filled OEC auditorium to hear Spehar’s music. His roommate, senior Vince Richardson, said it was, “an amazing turnout. It’s a testament to who Luke is and that people want to see his music.”

Archbishop John Nienstedt attended and blessed the concert before it began.

Spehar had a very simple setup onstage. With a few microphones and three guitars he played throughout the show, he sang all his songs and played the guitar.

Freshman Dillon Bogenreif said he thought the concert was “really good” and found the simple music to be “calm and peaceful.”

A faith journey through music

With his music, Spehar took audience members on his personal faith journey and decision to join the seminary. Before performing each song, he told the story that inspired it. The audience was engaged in his stories, and every song was followed by a thunderous applause.

Marcus Milless, a senior seminary student and friend of Spehar, said the stories before each song “brought everyone in.” Milless called the concert “a very prayerful time.”

“Pretty much all the songs are based on prayers,” he said. “It [was] just enjoyable to peek into his journey.”

Junior Catherine Tristani said the concert was “incredible.”

“[The concert was] the most active OEC has ever been,” she said. “It was cool to see all these people who want to come and support Luke.”

Spehar’s sister sang three different songs with him during the show. She joined him in his final song, and the two got a standing ovation and an encore from the audience. His sister sang “Somewhere over the Rainbow” alone, and Spehar followed with an instrumental that closed the show.

Putting together his first CD

Spehar told the audience how he has been working the songs for his first CD for a number of years, but he kept getting busy with other things. He said he prayed at the beginning of this year, asking the Lord to whether it was time for him to put this together, and heard from a friend a few days later who had just got recording equipment and wanted to record Spehar’s music.

In his album cover, Spehar wrote, “I praise and thank the Lord for blessing the making of this album … These songs are prayers of mine that I believe the Lord has given me. They are prayers that have helped me through some very difficult times and still sustain me today.”

For those who missed the concert, Spehar sings and plays his guitar at 9 p.m. every Sunday for the last-chance Mass in the St. John Vianney chapel.

Theresa Malloy can be reached at mall5754@stthomas.edu.