You are the final member of The Ecclesia.
The group's members - journalism junior Eric Graf, University of Pennsylvania senior Mitch Manger and recent UA graduate Brandon Kreitler - say the purpose of their music is to incorporate their listeners into their songs.
The word "ecclesia" is derived from the Greek word for congregation, but its application to the band's music has no religious meaning, Manger says.
"It's sort of [like] the theory of art. The person who sees it or hears it is the completing factor of the art itself," Graf says. "Whatever baggage or emotional ties they bring to the piece, the music sort of becomes that."
The Ecclesia's dreamlike music is certainly open for the listener's interpretation. It intentionally excludes catchy pop hooks or conventional rhythms to avoid forcing a feeling on its audience, Graf says. "I think most people expect certain things out of music, like a chorus or a big hook, but ours is a lot more subtle than that. It's appealing in a different way. It's sort of a chill-out record," he adds.
Each song on The Ecclesia's first album, "Birdsong Over the Interior Castle" features a free-flow of sounds from one moment to the next. The music incorporates melodic acoustic guitar, easy beats, digital synthesis and just about anything else the members can get their hands on, Graf says.
"Our music is like a large bed of sounds for the listeners to swim in," Manger says.
The term "ecclesia" is also an apt description for the band's creative process. Although all of the members are originally from Arizona, Manger currently lives in Pennsylvania, forcing the group to be inventive with their recording sessions.
"We could be dubbed 'The Instant Messengers' because Mitch and I are constantly logged on overnight [and] sending each other these huge software files," Graf says. "Someone will make a new mix or say, 'Here's a new guitar part; listen to this.' So [we] send it back and forth, so it can be edited or put together in a more cohesive fashion."
Although Graf describes himself as having "no real technical musical abilities," his instrumental talents have landed him success outside of Ecclesia. He sporadically collaborates with Rob Miller, a composer for TV, who plays in Graf's church band. The two have recorded songs featured on "Extra," "The Tyra Banks Show" and "America's Next Top Model."
But Graf remains humble. "I'm too embarrassed to actually sit down for an hour and watch 'America's Next Top Model' just to hear myself. Rob just calls to tell me it was on."
The Ecclesia is currently working on its second album for Arena Rock Recording Company, but has no definite plans for the future.
"Whatever comes out of me as a musician, and them as musicians, and us as people, is where we are," Graf says. "We're talented, interesting people, and we're going to be doing something interesting with our lives. Something cool is going to come out of that, one way or another."
Reach the reporter at: nicole.m.stewart@asu.edu.
