Christmas Sounds Go Techno

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for Christmas, a new song celebrates the birth of Jesus 2010 years ago with a sound as fresh as the 21st Century. "Mary Did You Know?" is impressing listeners with a techno beat typical of dance clubs rather than church pews. A rising star named Johnny Hammer, age 12, performs this tune. Its popularity is growing on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/technopraise

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101223/AQ21690)

Technopraise — a breakthrough label and genre founded in Nashville by Russian-born producer Yuri Mamchur — starts with American dance and pop and adds European trance/house/techno rhythms. "Mary Did You Know?" is Technopraise's inaugural release. (www.technopraise.com) Technopraise's advisors include music industry legend Tim DuBois, Managing Executive of ASCAP in Nashville, and Dr. Kenton Lee, the Fine Arts Minister of Life Center Church in Tacoma, Washington.

"Nashville's Technopraise is an exciting trend in Christian music and the Nashville scene," says DuBois. "The electronic dance sound will help reach hearts of teenagers and people worldwide with the Christian message."

"Technopraise is a breath of fresh air on the contemporary worship music scene," says Dr. Lee. "At first listening, one may think it is just for young people. But I have discovered that it is pleasing to many age groups, for it offers inventive, new sounds, and gives renewed wings to the timeless Good News. Yuri Mamchur ingeniously has brought us another genre!" adds Dr. Lee.

"This new genre allows worship songs to reach Asian, European, and other global markets," Mamchur says. "Many kids worldwide who love Jesus will appreciate worship songs in a style that they already like. Those who don't know Jesus still can enjoy these incredible songs and their redeeming message," Mamchur adds.

"As Christians, we should be global trendsetters," Mamchur says. "This means pairing soulful vocals with techno beats and spreading the Gospel in universally approachable ways." Technopraise takes God's message to the greatest global audience through a musical style that dominates overseas and has grown rapidly here in the last two years. The new label is releasing "technopraised" versions of Christian songs sung by a young, ascendant artist named Jocelyn Lee on a five-track EP "transformed" for Christmas 2010.

Mamchur grew up in the then-Soviet Union in a Russian Orthodox family. While he generally understood Christianity, he did not personally find Jesus until after moving to America in 2003. Mamchur discovered Christian music in 2005. While traveling between America and Europe in 2007, Mamchur noticed that Europeans avoided worship music, as it seldom matched their tastes.  In 2009, Mamchur began his MBA studies at Nashville's Vanderbilt University. Last spring, he won Vanderbilt's Summer Enterprise Grant, declined regular MBA internships, and began producing Christian techno music. Says Mamchur: "I am living the American dream."

"Mary Did You Know?" video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77ZfKaP6I3I

PHOTO of Johnny Hammer: http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/139/l_dbdffb506ed14deead38692e9495d663.jpg

PHOTO of Yuri Mamchur: http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/114/l_5403e4e6876d4005b66681c3f2d4c470.jpg

SOURCE Technopraise