Senior Amir Girgis leads the band in a makeshift practice in front of Calvary Chapel. After Evan Tan, former leader of this band, received the position of AS President, Girgis worked on rebuilding the band for this school year. | Kalli Thommen/THE CHIMES

When band leader Evan Tan was elected AS President, one of the newest chapel bands struggled to find a new frontman. Amir Girgis, a senior graphic design major, eventually decided to set down his drumsticks and assume the new position of worship leader.

Becoming a band

Girgis, although not an original band member, had been playing with the band for over a year and a half when elected to lead it. According to Girgis, the band was formed three years ago by Evan Tan and Paul Storm, who were roommates. Tan was the worship leader and Storm was on bass. As Tan began running for AS President, the band had to prepare for a possible loss of its leader and a band member adjustment.

“It was up in the air whether or not I would be the worship leader or not of the band if he became AS President or not,” Girgis said. “If he didn’t, I would have still just been the drummer.”

Since then, the band has consisted of Storm on bass, David Noble on electric guitar and Girgis’ stepbrother, Sean Matta, on the keyboards. Last spring, during finals week, the band held tryouts for a new drummer while Morgan Lott temporarily filled in. Girgis said that it was a hard decision, but the members ended up agreeing to accrue Matthew Sugg. Sara Perry, who had sang with the band a couple times back when Tan still led joined the group as a permanent vocalist as well.

This semester, having already set the semester’s schedule, the band will mainly invest in chapel. However, the schedule for Torrey Bible Conference has not yet been set in stone, and the band is unsure when they will be able to play during the conference.

“Things are up in the air for Torrey,” Girgis said. “But we’ll probably play a session.”

Finding a sound

Girgis said the band intentionally doesn’t have a definite sound, but if he had to give it a label, he he believes it to be a sort of ambient sound. He said that the music starts slow and quiet while slowly increasing in sound and becoming bigger.

Robert Harrell, a junior music education major and member of another chapel band, however, labels Girgis’ band as a mix of indie and rock.

“They have more complex rhythms than typical worship songs,” Harrell said. “They have highs and lows — really big but also tender.”

The band unites under intentionality

Girgis said that the band defines itself by its intentionality of putting God at the center of the music. He explained that they make and use their music so people have a gateway for experiences and conversations with God.

“We want to feel like we make and use music to make people’s hearts available for God, and make God available in the music. We really are very intentional about every chapel that we do,” Girgis said.

When it comes to intermember relationships, Girgis said that he likes to have a band that knows how to support him as a leader. He always makes it a priority to come to practices, chapels or hangouts.

He also said the members have similar senses of humor as they enjoy random jokes and fun chemistry with each other. They dedicate a lot of their time coordinating their thoughts and song ideas with each other in order to have one agreed upon sound and specific purpose. Although they are all different people with different ideas, the band is able to come together and form one cohesive group.

Matthew Sugg, a junior film production major, says that the band has good chemistry.

“During the chapel band off-campus training, I became closer to the members of the band before I even played with them — building friendships with the musicians before I even got into the actual playing setting,” Sugg said.

But even the best groups have tensions. Girgis said that the members are relaxed and open people, with tension being rare. However if there is ever any small problem, he deals with it after practice.

“I’ll pull them aside and talk to them or encourage them to talk it out with the other person,” Girgis said.