{"id":15204,"date":"2011-07-28T17:10:57","date_gmt":"2011-07-28T22:10:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=15204"},"modified":"2011-08-01T00:40:54","modified_gmt":"2011-08-01T05:40:54","slug":"abilene-pianist-and-organist-composes-his-life-around-helping-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2011\/07\/28\/abilene-pianist-and-organist-composes-his-life-around-helping-others\/","title":{"rendered":"Abilene pianist and organist composes his life around helping others"},"content":{"rendered":"

Abilene pianist and organist composes his life around helping others<\/strong><\/p>\n

Musician with hearing loss sees ability as gift<\/p>\n

By Brian Bethel<\/p>\n

July 21, 2011<\/p>\n

In the blue-carpeted sanctuary of First Christian Church, Tim Adcock’s hands
\nfly deftly over the keyboard of the church’s piano, offering up crystalline
\ntones to the echo-laden hall.<\/p>\n

Adcock, who was born with severe hearing problems, makes it look easy,
\nmasterfully intermingling the majesty of traditional hymn “How Great Thou
\nArt” with selections from a piece by Rachmaninoff.<\/p>\n

It’s something he does fairly regularly, Adcock said, combining classic
\nmusic with hymns in a way that transforms each into each, and it’s something
\nhe does with skill and obvious delight.<\/p>\n

Earlier, sitting in his tax preparation office on Butternut Street, he
\nexplained that his mother thought learning to play the piano and the organ
\nwould be “good ear training.”<\/p>\n

“I think God gave me that gift because of the hearing loss,” he said of his
\nability to play, noting that he “cannot function” without his hearing aids.<\/p>\n

Even with them, he has to be looking at people to read their lips to catch
\ntheir total meaning, Adcock said.<\/p>\n

But when it comes to music, with his hearing aids he can “hear every note”
\nexcept the final key on a traditional 88-key piano keyboard.<\/p>\n

Adcock said he has never seen his lifelong condition as a disability but as
\na “challenge.”<\/p>\n

Growing up in Iowa Park, near Wichita Falls, he used to accompany his father
\nto church while his patriarch prepared to teach Sunday school classes.<\/p>\n

He started banging on the piano at the church, he said, when he was 5 or 6
\nyears old, displaying some potential even before he started formal lessons.<\/p>\n

“And there was an adding machine in the church office, and I always like to
\nplay on that,” he said. “So that’s where you kind of get the two things \u2014
\nmusic and math.”<\/p>\n

Adcock, 50, a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University, has an accounting
\ndegree, though not a degree in music. But the accomplished way he rings out
\nnotes and chords with practiced ease bespeaks years of training and
\npractice.<\/p>\n

“I started playing piano for church when I was 14, and then gradually, by
\nthe time I was in high school, moved over to the organ,” he said. “So I’ve
\nbeen playing organ for a church I guess about 33 years.”<\/p>\n

Music, in certain respects, combines both of his passions into one, he said.<\/p>\n

“On one aspect, math is a totally left-brained thing,” he said. “And in
\nmusic, some of it is left-brained, like when you count the number of beats.”<\/p>\n

But the emotion and power of music transcends something beyond mere numbers,
\nhe said, ideally blending together in a way to become something divine.<\/p>\n

“I feel like I can reach people though this ministry,” he said.<\/p>\n

The church’s pastor, Don Wilson, said Adcock brings in not only skill in
\nplaying but faith, which flows through his music and through those who hear
\nit.<\/p>\n

“It really lifts the congregation,” he said. “His math is one side of his
\nbrain, his poetic expression is another, and I think his music just brings
\nthem both together. And the fact that he’s so skilled on piano and organ
\ngives us so many options and gives the choir whatever options they’d like.”<\/p>\n

Adcock came to Abilene to attend HSU in 1980, he said, playing at Calvary
\nBaptist Church and later Pioneer Drive Baptist Church.<\/p>\n

“I even played at the (Episcopal Church of the) Heavenly Rest one summer
\nwhen their organist was on sabbatical,” he said.<\/p>\n

In 2002, he came to First Christian Church with the idea of substituting
\nthere for about six weeks.<\/p>\n

“Nine years later, I’m still there,” he said. “People are just so nice and
\nfriendly, and the type of music they do is just right up my alley.”<\/p>\n

Adcock plays for the church’s 11 a.m. service, switching instruments as
\nrequired.<\/p>\n

“There’s about four steps I have to take up to get to the piano” from the
\nchurch’s organ, he said. “During the service, I’m back and forth four or
\nfive times every week.”<\/p>\n

He loves the ability, he said, to switch instruments.<\/p>\n

“I can express myself in multiple ways, with all different types of music,”
\nhe said.<\/p>\n

It’s not something he has ever considered a job, he said, instead seeing his
\nplaying as a gift to God \u2014 and to those whose spiritual experiences he hopes
\nare enhanced, whether he’s playing a meditative piece for the church’s
\ninvitation period or a rare but still popular “good old, Southern gospel
\nhymn.”<\/p>\n

But it’s not his only contribution to the congregation.<\/p>\n

Adcock’s office on Butternut streets deals primarily with income tax clients
\n\u2014 he has a few hundred, he said.<\/p>\n

“I’ve been doing this kind of work for 28 years, and I’ve been here since
\n2003,” he said. “This is my bread and butter, this particular office.”<\/p>\n

In 2008, Adcock got a chance to contribute his mathematical gifts to his
\ncongregation when a transitional minister asked him to take over the
\nchurch’s accounting.<\/p>\n

After the church secretary who had been responsible for keeping the books
\nleft, “they actually created a position for me,” he said, and now,
\nmaintaining the church’s finances is another part of how he chooses to
\nserve.<\/p>\n

“I have my practice, which gives me my full-time income,” he said. “But I’m
\nso grateful to be able to use aspects of this in church finance.”<\/p>\n

It is, he said, another ministry, and one that he enjoys immensely.<\/p>\n

Jane Hurley, First Christian’s Christian education and evangelism
\ncoordinator, praised Adcock’s aid.<\/p>\n

“We all knew he had other talents when he came here, but when he started
\nhelping with the finances, it was so helpful,” she said. “The finances had
\nbeen done in-house, and the person that was doing it had other jobs, so Tim
\nhas been able to really help us keep a handle on the pulse of the giving and
\nthe bills.”<\/p>\n

Joe Mack Hill, the church’s choir director, was similarly full of praise for
\nboth Adcock’s accounting acumen and his musical chops.<\/p>\n

“I could not do my job if it weren’t for Tim,” he said. “He is very
\ntalented, committed and flexible, and I’ve told my choir that we sing
\nanthems that other groups couldn’t sing because they wouldn’t have an
\naccompanist as accomplished as he is.”<\/p>\n

Adcock’s skill in both reading music and improvisation make him a versatile
\nand important component of the choir’s musical success.<\/p>\n

He also plays handbells, Hill said, and “doesn’t let his job description
\nlimit what he does.”<\/p>\n

“He makes the best of every situation,” Hill said, calling Adcock
\n“indispensable” whether it be playing a hymn or tabulating the church’s
\ncoffers.<\/p>\n

“He’s someone you can really rely on, someone you can really trust,” he
\nsaid. “And he’s become a good friend through the years.”<\/p>\n

As for Adcock, he said he can’t imagine not sharing the joy he feels as his
\nhands move over the keys on a Sunday morning, or as<\/p>\n

he helps to keep the church financially secure.<\/p>\n

“I just know that’s what I’m supposed to be doing,” he said. “Those things
\nare my contribution to the Lord.”<\/p>\n

Source:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.reporternews.com\/news\/2011\/jul\/21\/abilene-pianistorganistfinancial-wiz-composes\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Abilene pianist and organist composes his life around helping others Musician with hearing loss sees ability as gift By Brian Bethel July 21, 2011 In the blue-carpeted sanctuary of First Christian Church, Tim Adcock’s hands fly deftly over the keyboard…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[3194,10121,10126,10127,1623,94,10120,637,10131,10133,10124,10130,1245,10129,10136,10135,10134,705,10123,10122,10132,10128,17,10125,392],"class_list":["post-15204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-abilene","tag-adcock","tag-brian-bethel","tag-butternut-street","tag-calvary-baptist-church","tag-church","tag-composer","tag-disability","tag-don-wilson","tag-episcopal-church","tag-first-christian-church","tag-hardin-simmons-university","tag-hearing-loss","tag-iowa-park","tag-jane-hurley","tag-joe-mack-hill","tag-mathematical-gifts","tag-music","tag-organist","tag-pianist","tag-pioneer-drive-baptist-church","tag-rachmaninoff","tag-texas","tag-tim-adcock","tag-wichita-falls"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-3Xe","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":20750,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/11\/15\/toni-garzas-christmas-party-for-the-deaf-hh-koda-abilene\/","url_meta":{"origin":15204,"position":0},"title":"Toni Garza’s Christmas Party for the Deaf, HH, & KODA – Abilene","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"November 15, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Toni Garza's Christmas Party for the Deaf, HH, & KODA DATE: December 8, 2012 TIME: 6 pm - 9 pm Toni Garza's Christmas Party for the Deaf, HH, & KODA Address: 11th & Willis Church of Christ 3333 S. 11th Abilene, Texas 79605 Buffet start @ 6pm Please bring your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21776,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2013\/02\/06\/obituary-toni-s-garza\/","url_meta":{"origin":15204,"position":1},"title":"Obituary: Toni S Garza","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"February 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Obituary: Toni S Garza December 31, 1951 - February 3, 2013 Toni S. Garza, 61 of Abilene, passed away Sunday, February 3, 2013 at a local medical center after a brief illness. A service is scheduled for 10:00 am Saturday, February 9th at the Piersall Benton Chapel, 733 Butternut St.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"toni Garza","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/toni-Garza.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":20384,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/10\/18\/allie-ward-elementary-sign-language-interpreter-helps-students\/","url_meta":{"origin":15204,"position":2},"title":"Allie Ward Elementary sign language interpreter helps students","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"October 18, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Allie Ward Elementary sign language interpreter helps students Crystal Porter hopes to make Deaf Awareness Week more eventful next September.The last full week in September is an opportunity for people like Porter, a certified sign language interpreter, to raise awareness about hearing disabilities and also to empower those who deal\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15244,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2011\/08\/02\/job-opportunity-abilene\/","url_meta":{"origin":15204,"position":3},"title":"Job Opportunity – Abilene","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"August 2, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Job Opportunity - Abilene RESPONSIBLE TO: Executive Director for Salary, Hard of Hearing Specialist for Supervision, Deafness Resource Specialist for Supervision HOURS: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm REQUIREMENTS: College degree preferred; not required Have knowledge and ability to address the unique communication needs and issue of persons who are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19125,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/06\/27\/deaf-picnic-abilene-state-park\/","url_meta":{"origin":15204,"position":4},"title":"Deaf Picnic – Abilene State Park","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"June 27, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Deaf Picnic- Abilene State Park DATE: July 7, 2012 TIME: 10:30am - 5 p.m. ADDRESS: 150 Park Road 32 Abilene, Texas West Texas Community for the Deaf\/Hard of Hearing\/KODA invites you to join with us @ Abilene State Park. Park Entrance fee: discount rate: $5.00 per person for 13 yrs\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15428,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2011\/08\/16\/interpreter-wanted-819-2011-abilene\/","url_meta":{"origin":15204,"position":5},"title":"Interpreter Wanted 8\/19-20\/11 – Abilene","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"August 16, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Interpreter needed this weekend! DATE: August 19th & 20th, 2011 TIME: 6 pm Fri to 6 pm Saturday ADDRESS: Miller Ranch, SE of Abilene Calvary Chapel West Texas Women's Retreat! I know this is last minute, but we are in need of a 2nd interpreter to help sign worship and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15204"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15209,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15204\/revisions\/15209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}