MTC #155 - Year Three Ends

With the conclusion of today's Music & the Spoken Word broadcast (and the extra rehearsal that followed), the Choir wrapped up another year. And another busy year it was! Here's a look back at our 2016 events:

**Tanner Gift of Music Performance (Singing Mahler) w/13 extra rehearsals
**The Messiah Concert in conjunction with the CD release - w/5 extra rehearsals
**April General Conference
**Tour to Europe for three weeks (w/Pre-Tour concert and 7 extra rehearsals)
**Summer Celebration of Song (Pioneer Concert)
**October General Conference
**Temple Presidents Seminar mini-concert
**Christmas Concert w/8 extra rehearsals
**48 Music & Spoken Word performances

Looking ahead to 2017, it appears that we'll have, perhaps, a less-busy year. And while things do pop-up, maybe it actually will be, dare I say, "normal"? (Wait...does the Choir have normal years?)

**Gov. Herbert's Inauguration
**Easter Concert
**April General Conference
**Recording Sessions x2
**Pioneer Day Concert
**October General Conference
**Christmas Concert
**Weekly Music & Spoken Word performances

Guess we'll see how things work out. Using more of my vacation days for family events is something I'm looking forward to, though!

As I think back on my third year in the Choir and what I've learned, I think one of the things can be tied to the word REINVENT. I've spoken on this topic before, but it's something I feel is so very important. Each audience member, each person who hears us on the radio, or Spotify, or YouTube, deserves to hear our best. Our best musically, and our best spiritually. And as I continue to serve in the Choir, there are times when it's challenging to make each experience fresh, and new, and full of the original magic I experienced my first year. Prayer helps, thinking of song lyrics helps, focusing on individual audience members before an event, helps, and taking time to remember why I'm doing this in the first place, helps too. It's not often we get a lot of audience feedback (other than clapping). But I want to conclude with a paragraph of a letter that some Choir-fans from the Canary Islands wrote (fans who, by the way, flew 2700 miles to see our concert in Vienna). Hearing feedback like this certainly helps with the goal to always reinvent:

Once again, I want to thank you and each of the choir member, the orchestra members and the rest of the supporting staff who took my friends and me to divine heights to enjoy heavenly music. We are very thankful for your efforts, your sacrifices, your traveling, your tiredness but also for your sweet smiles, your good will, your warm hearts, your voices and your music. God bless you all, today and always!  

On to 2017!

Until next time, God be with you.

Looking out at our full house, before the broadcast, and thinking. . .

 

MTC #154 - Behind the Christmas Concert

Everything I saw, felt, and heard from others would indicate that the Christmas Concert this past weekend was a great success. Mack mentioned during rehearsal one evening that it's no small feat to keep producing these concerts year after year. Expectations have been set and it's difficult to deliver on those expectations. However, through hard work and effort on the parts of hundreds of people (and the blessings of heaven, of course), the concerts rarely disappoint. Sure, everyone has their favorites, but overall, each concert is very enjoyable and brings in the Christmas spirit that people are so eager to feel this time of year. 

You can read official reviews and see lots of pictures of the concert from a variety of sources: 

Deseret News
Salt Lake Tribune
KUTV News
Mormon Newsroom (Includes a nice short summary video)

But the review I'd like to provide includes observations that were largely unseen by those not involved in the production of the concert.

One of my favorite nights leading up to the concert is Tuesday night when all involved in the concert finally come together and start combining everything they've worked on. The choir, the orchestra, the bells, the dancers, the stage crew, and the special effects join together and it's all sort of MAGICAL. Wednesday's rehearsal is much the same as we work to perfect what we did on Tuesday. Great moments.

I also enjoy our times before the concerts as we congregate in the Conference Center's Little Theater to hear notes from Mack and Ryan. We work on a portion of this piece, and a portion of another, and hear some valuable feedback. 

Saturday afternoon, as we come together for a recording session, it's not a very "fun" process, but we all know it's an important time to get things ready for the eventual CD, DVD, and television release. Yes, the cameras are capturing the concert each evening as it happens live, but there are always various numbers that need the silence of a closed recording session. As 5:00p rolls around, though, we're all very ready to head over to the Church Office Building's cafeteria for some dinner that the good people there have prepared for us. 

The chatter among choir members as we wait to go on stage, or get dressed in our tuxes, or wait for rehearsal to begin typically includes personal reviews of the concert, a listing of when family members are attending, and life outside of choir during this busy Christmas season. 

It's fun to watch the all of the 21,000 seats of the Conference Center start to fill up with people eager to see and hear what we have to offer. The anticipation of being able to perform for them, and them being able to experience our preparation, is most rewarding indeed.

There were some definite personal concert highlights for me. One was singing "Carol of the Drums", or "Little Drummer Boy" as some know it by. The message of that song hit home to me every time I sang it. Another was hearing the tale of The Little Match Girl again as it's been a very long time since I heard it. So much to think about and consider from that story. Another was the dancing. It add so much to the show (and wow--those camels!) And yet another was seeing Mack or Ryan's face when we nailed a particular part of a song that we had worked hard to perfect. Lastly, "Angels from The Realms of Glory" is the absolute best way to end a Christmas Concert. I get chills and teary-eyes every time.

I'm so thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ. And I'm thankful, once again, that I get to have the opportunity to sing in this Choir. A special thanks, as always, to my wife and kids who manage things at home during all of my extra rehearsals. I love them so much, and today when I came home after the broadcast, I gave them all big hugs. 

Until next time, God be with you.


 

MTC #153 - Christmas Greats

Do you ever have days when you just feel so worn out that the thought of doing anything that requires work or thought (i.e. writing in a blog) makes you want to shut down completely? That's how I'm feeling at the moment--so this may be shorter than normal.

It was another week of much rehearsal and preparation for both today and the Christmas concerts this coming week. While it's been tiring, I've enjoyed it and today was no exception. It was great to see the Conference Center decked out in Christmas decorations. It was great to sing Farandole and remember back to the last Christmas concert when three "kings" would come out on stage and prance around with a kingly strut (see here).  It was great to sing Wexford Carol at the First Presidency Devotional this evening. It was great to see the Conference Center almost all the way filled (21,000 seats) with those who had come to hear leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speak. It was great to take time and think about that night when Christ was born--all the things happening, the various groups of individuals participating, and probably many unknown "side-stories" going on, each with their own miraculous wonder. It was great to see my cousin attend this evening. It was great to hear the spoken word today. And it was great to come home, get in my jammies, and see my wife and children who I had missed! 

And that, my friends, is that. The choir-related "greats" of the day.

Looking forward to this week despite all of the hours that will be logged. Grateful for the opportunity and thankful for my Savior. There was a portion of a document called "The Living Christ" that I recited today as part of a program at church. And I'll end with a portion of it here:

"Jesus is the Living Christ, the Immortal Son of God. He is the great king Immanuel, who stands today at the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life, and eternal life in the world to come."   

Until next time, God be with you. 

Singing "Farandole", 12/4/2016