Why Julian?

I am an artist-theologian using words and music to invite people into the rest we were created to live. I fancy myself a bridge builder, moving between all kinds of worlds that otherwise would see as off limits. I don’t play the conservative or liberal game because of how I see Black life not involved in either one all that well. Being a Christian, Black millennial, professional musician with an M. Div., I bring a unique perspective to conversations on music, faith, and rest.

Here’s what I mean by bridge builder. My undergrad degree is in Philosophy from Yale, where my thesis focused on the lessons we can learn in politics from the jazz combo (thus bridging my experience as a jazz practitioner with my training as a philosopher). I thought I was going to go into finance, and did internships throughout high school and college in investment banking. But after my junior year stint on Wall Street, I realized that I was more interested in the conversations behind the numbers instead of numbers themselves. So, I pivoted to campus ministry, where I worked for the (evangelical) interdenominational ministry InterVarsity. During this time I studied at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, an evangelical school outside of Boston. But after that, I studied Scripture, Theology and the Arts at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology (a liberal Methodist school in Atlanta). It is there where my earned my M.Div. After that I TA’d at Candler and then at Columbia Theological Seminary up the street. I currently attend a non-denominational church in Chicago but lecture and play at mainline seminaries around the country (e.g., Candler, Duke, Yale). All to say, I’ve been a bridge builder!

While in school, I co-founded a band called The JuJu Exchange, a jazz-electronic fusion group. Our blend of music also points towards beautiful synergies across all kinds of worlds.

After seminary, I started Notes of Rest, a retreat about restlessness and restfulness. It’s fitting that it centers music, rest, and contemplation, because all of these are features that everybody needs, no matter your stripe of faith. I love this journey I’m on of helping people rest and build bridges instead of walls.

Why Julian’s Note?

We each have a note to play, and hopefully hearing Julian’s will help you hear your own. Julian’s Note houses a few different offerings. The main is Fermata, which is the Notes of Rest Weekly Newsletter. It recaps events in the Notes of Rest for the week. You can learn about the latest happenings in this musical-spiritual retreat ministry.

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