(The following words and photos are shared with permission. Original article published April 20, 2021.)
Through the Eyes of a Musician: Natalie's Musical Breakthrough
by Katherine Arend
Sunlight streams in through the windows. The scent of spring wafts in through the half-opened windowpanes. Curtains of silky white rustle in the gentle breeze. A room decked in light purple walls and furniture as dark as night welcomes a comely classiness. In the far-left corner is a record player. A tall black bookcase lined with books of all kinds—from Grimms’ Fairy Tales to Dante’s Divine Comedy to Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice—bespeaks of an individual who holds dear the world found beyond the pages of a good book. What truly draws the eye, however, is the sleek Yamaha Clavinova near the doorway that pulls the whole aesthetic of the room into one seamless picture. It is the centerpiece, the diamond in the rough, the crowning jewel.
The beautiful instrument is not left untouched. Every day its voice rises and flows throughout the whole house, seeping into the hearts of those who listen to its call. It is a call to be in the moment. To stop and breathe. To fall into the wonder, splendor, and awe of beauty.
Who is it who diligently plays this wondrous instrument day in and day out? Who has dedicated so much of their life to sit and write melodies that come straight from the soul, itself? Who has such a gift as this?
The one who claims the piano bench is none other than Natalie Arend.
The Gentle Rose: Natalie Arend
With a smile as gentle as a calm breeze and eyes that reflect a wave of serenity, Natalie Arend is a living rose, dignified yet humble in a simply beautiful way. A rose has its simplicity, but it also has its layers—petals that each bring dimension and vibrancy to the flower. Natalie, like a rose, has various layers that all speak to who she is at the core.
When asked to describe her in one word, family members and friends closest to Natalie supplied the following words:
Thoughtful. Peaceful. Caring. Compassionate. Kind. Authentic. Present. Elegant. Meek.
These words have similarities and differences, yet they all strike a similar chord as to who Natalie is. “Even if she’s not saying anything, the gift of simply being around her brings peace, a sense of stability and quiet joy into any environment she’s in,” says Anna Gavrilides, a childhood friend of Natalie’s. While she may be quieter in a group setting, when she speaks, her words have weight and meaning. But it is not just through words that Natalie speaks, it is also through her music.
“[Natalie] has a beautiful spirit that comes through when she plays that makes her playing unique,” says Natalie’s mother, Pam Arend. When asked what it was like to hear Natalie play, Pam further explained, “When I sit down and listen to her play certain pieces, it’s like I enter into that piece and I feel the emotions—her emotions.”
Sitting and listening to Natalie play is an invitation to a special place, where one not only encounters the wonder of beauty—the beauty of God, the Creator—but also the beauty of Natalie.
Musician and Composer: Natalie’s Musical Journey
Music has been a part of Natalie’s life since she was about 8 or 9 years old. When asked about her introduction to music, Natalie says, “It was definitely a journey because I remember it was something I did not appreciate as much in the beginning, being forced to do piano lessons as a young girl.” For her, music was a “I have to do this” sort of thing. But her love for it blossomed over the years, like a flower awakening from its winter slumber into the dawn of spring. A new world opened before her eyes full of hundreds upon millions of melodies worth exploring. What was once seen as a task to be accomplished because she was told to do it, turned into an act of enthusiastic discovery and pursuit into the world of music.
It was not until high school—freshman or sophomore year—that Natalie wrote her first song, "Seat of Wisdom," a solo piano piece about the Virgin Mary. “It was one of those things I never expected,” Natalie responded after describing the experience.
Once the first song was written, she found she couldn’t stop. God had given her a gift, one she realized she truly wished to develop with His guidance.
“I can’t write music without God, without the breath of His Spirit moving me,” Natalie explains. When she sits on the piano bench and lightly touches the keys with her hands, she becomes aware of herself, what she is feeling and what she wishes to express. Music for her becomes a prayer, a way for her to meditate on the beauty of God. “I feel called into music like one feels called into prayer,” she says with simplicity.
The impact music has had on Natalie’s life has forever changed her and formed her into the woman she is today. “The more I dive into music, the more I develop it. My eyes are literally opened to beauty all around me…not just beauty in music, but beauty in creation, beauty in the human person, and beauty in God, Himself,” she testifies.
By diving into music, Natalie has not only discovered the beauty of God, but also, she has come to know herself in a deeper way and she shares what she has discovered with others through her music.
Dreams Coming True and A Future Full of Vast Possibilities
This year, on April 24th, Natalie’s debut album, Memories is coming out. This has been one of Natalie’s biggest dreams since she began writing music back in high school, pursuing it even in college where she majored in Literature and minored in Music Composition at Ave Maria University. Now, God is making her dreams come true.
It is Natalie’s hope that her music will reach deep into the souls of those who hear her music, bringing them to, as she describes: “the throne of God, which is beauty itself.”
For Natalie, it is only the beginning. She is continually on a journey that has been developing and deepening her character in ways that are beautiful to see. Her calling, her purpose—the woman she is—shines through her songs to the Lord.
You can listen to Natalie's album "Memories" on iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon.