Dr. Aaron Alfred Lee during his piano concert at the Central Philippine University Rose Memorial on February 8, 2018 shared the message that the symphony of life is composed of diverse melodies of highs and lows that intertwine our hearts to the choices that lead us to our purpose. Life is therefore a song—a duet with our Creator, an infinite harmony of grace and thanksgiving.

A pre-CEW event—For the words of welcome, CPU President Dr. Teodoro C. Robles thanked Dr. Lee for sharing his time and talent to the university. “This is indeed a rare opportunity for us to listen to a great performance from a world-renowned artist. We’re happy that Dr. Lee, who is an honorary Centralian, will perform for our entertainment. We decided that since our Christ Emphasis Week is in the last week of February, we will call this a pre-CEW event. I thank the students and guests for joining us tonight.”

Christ Emphasis Event will be held on February 26 to March 2, 2018.

Rev. Cris Amorsolo V. Sian, in his message, talked about this year’s CEW theme entitled “With You Always.” He shared that the theme is a response to the growing percentage of youth who experience depression. “This coming February 26 to March 2, we will again celebrate the Christ Emphasis Week. Our theme for semester highlights the text in Psalm 23:4, which says, ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ We are cognizant of the fact that behind the façade of great technological and scientific innovation that grant us remarkable capacity to travel, communicate, and explore the world, a lot of people are still lonely.”

According to him, this year’s CEW is about reaching out to those who are experiencing depression and anxiety. “We are aiming to minister to those who are undergoing tough times by tapping into our spiritual resource in the Scriptures. We are also aiming to increase the awareness of the Centralian community on this topic of loneliness and to encourage the hearers that there is a need for us to create a safe haven, caring and compassionate, where our uniqueness is honored and respected, our gifts are celebrated, and our brokenness is restored by the power of God.”

Music and testimony—Before the performance proper, Dr. Lee shared his love for CPU and his devotion to Christ. “My first trip in the Philippines was to visit CPU. I consider this university my home away from home. The focus of my life, if you know me well, is Jesus. When you hear Christ Emphasis Week, you need to know who that Christ is—and that Christ is Jesus. The most important person of tonight’s program is Jesus.”

The two-hour concert showcased Dr. Lee’s musical prowess and his commitment to share the love of Jesus to others. In the middle of his performance, Dr. Lee talked about the importance of knowing the purpose of one’s gift. “It’s good to know what talent you have. Every one of us has been given a talent but it is better to know why the talent is given—to know the purpose. Having the talent is no good if you don’t know the purpose; knowing the purpose is greater. How you use your talent is very important.”

Dr. Lee performed classic Christian hymns, a couple of his compositions, and for his finale song, he played John William’s “Across the Stars” from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Humorously, before playing, Dr. Lee remarked, “I will play Star Wars but let us not go to the dark side but to the side of the light.”

To the delight of Centralians, Dr. Lee’s concert was a testimony of encouragement and grace. His musical talent has inspired a generation of dreamers and his love for Christ has helped others pursue Christ and His purpose. An adopted son of Iloilo City and an honorary Centralian, Dr. Lee will always find a home at Central and a stage for his testimony to be shared.

The following article about Dr. Lee appears in the Ministry of Grace Notes (http://mgniusa.org/founder/).

“Dr. Aaron Alfred Lee hails from Malaysia, but has been residing in the United States of America since 1991. He received his degree in music composition from the University of North Texas of Denton, Texas, USA and an honorary Doctorate of Music from the Central Philippine University of Iloilo, Philippines. His success as a composer, arranger, performer, and vocalist has earned him many awards and accolades, plus an extensive experience of traveling around the world as a renowned musician. However, he considers being known as the ambassador of the Gospel of Christ the most thrilling, and the highest position in life.

“For Dr. Lee, his conversion to Christianity at the age of 17 remains his best experience of all. His supernatural encounter with the Lord Jesus appearing to him has caused him to forever consecrate his life to God, and dedicate all his talents to serving Him. Sharing his testimonies of God’s grace working in his life constantly makes it real for the world to see the existence of the one true God who still communicates and is present in the lives of the faithful today.”

To know more about Dr. Lee, his albums and performances and testimony, please visit: http://aaronalfredlee.com/ and http://mgniusa.org/.