LACS is pleased to introduce our new accompanist, Ethan Holmes. Ethan is a lifelong Michigander and classically-trained pianist. He developed a love for classical music as a child and started taking piano lessons at age six and violin lessons at age nine. Growing up in church, he also developed a passion for sacred music and for church ministry in general. He gained much of his early musical experience through playing in churches. In high school he studied with Penny Draper of East Lansing and competed in the Michigan Music Teachers Association student achievement program. He was a winner of the 2009 Capitol Area Sonata Competition in honor of Eileen Keel.
He continued his piano studies at Bob Jones University in South Carolina under the instruction of David Lehman. Other musical experiences there included studying theory and composition with Dan Forrest and Joan Pinkston, violin with Rebecca Grove, and organ with Ed Dunbar. As a student, he worked as an accompanist and teacher assistant; he also performed in the BJU symphony orchestra under the direction of Michael Moore and Dwight Gustafson and the BJU chorale under the direction of Warren Cook. He was the winner of the 2011 BJU Commencement Piano Competition, the 2012 BJU Commencement Composition Competition, and the 2013 BJU Concerto and Aria Competition. He won first place in the 2013 Richardson Collegiate Piano Competition in Lansing, Michigan, and graduated with his Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from BJU in 2013.
From there he went on to obtain a Master of Arts degree in theology (2015) and a Master of Divinity (2021) from the BJU Seminary. Since 2016 he has lived in the Hastings area and has had the privilege of serving as a pastor at Cedar Creek Bible Church in Delton. In addition to his regular ministry of preaching and teaching, he also teaches in the Cedar Creek Christian School and is heavily involved in the church’s music ministry through playing, singing, teaching, composing, and directing the choir. He also enjoys playing violin in the local area Music Connections Ensemble directed by Beth Lepak.
