Even though the Tabernacle Choir itself continues to not meet, a new logo for the Choir was unveiled on Thursday of this week. There are several articles you can read about the new logo, HERE, HERE, and HERE. This is the 6th logo the Choir has had during it's existence. Check out all six, below (click picture to enlarge):
As for me and myself, I like the new logo. While some individuals I know are sad to see the iconic/traditional organ pipes replaced by the new, golden thinner ones, I kind of like the new ones. The one aspect of the logo I like the most is the font they used. All in all, I think the new logo is clean, bold, modern-looking, and--in my opinion--may just hold some special appeal to our younger listeners (we obviously love ALL of our listeners, but we're always interested in attracting whoever we can from the rising generation).
You'll find the new logo already being used on the Choir's website and will be featured on an upcoming album to be released soon.
Changing topics, if I have my Sundays and dates correct, today would have been the day when our new choir members (who started Choir School back in January) would have sung on their very first Music & the Spoken Word broadcast. I feel sad that they'll have to continue to wait for that opportunity. But for what it's worth you new guys, we're thinking of you! Hopefully we'll all get to reconvene soon and do what we love to do: sing and spread the light of Christ through music and testimony.
Until next time, God be with you.
Today was supposed to be the one day a year when the Tabernacle Choir recognized those who were retiring--those who had given many years of dedicated "musical missionary" service. (As a reminder, choir members retire from the choir for one of three reasons: they have reached 20 years; they have turned 60; or they've decided to leave for personal reasons) Due to the pandemic-related social restrictions of course (what ISN'T related to that), retirement has been placed on hold--to be scheduled on some future mystery date. A date we wish we could actually know the month and day of. Thankfully however, those retiring will be invited back to sing on another broadcast of Music & the Spoken Word and will thus get the "closure" experience they can both prepare for and treasure.
I don't know all of the people retiring, but one of my best friends, Ryan Bateman, is. I've been thinking about him today and feeling very grateful for all of the wonderful experiences we've had in Choir together. I have many more thoughts to share about Ryan, along with a few photos, too, but I'll save all of that for the actual day in which he will be asked to say goodbye to the Tabernacle Choir experience and gently place his astounding 20 years of choir service on the shelves of his memory.
As for me, I continue to miss not being able to participate in the Tabernacle Choir experience. I almost hate to admit how much I've counted on it to give me a boost every week--both spiritually and socially. It'd be one thing if we just knew when--exactly when--we would resume normal operations. But we don't, and know one knows, and it's just all frustrating. Several people have been asking me about whether or not we're still going on tour this summer. And all I can ever say is, "I don't know." I'd frankly be surprised if we still were, but miracles can happen! We're all just waiting for the choir presidency and all involved in tour planning to analyze what they can and make decisions accordingly. I have no doubt they are doing their best with the information and forecasting they have available to them and when the time is right, they'll make the choice and let us all know.
Until next time, God be with you.
The hiatus from Choir continues. . .
What are we doing with our time?
Probably many of the same things everyone else is doing these days: helping our kids adjust to online learning, getting used to working from home, trying to limit trips to supermarkets and grocery stores (and sanitizing like crazy after getting back home), having lots of game nights, taking lots of walks, binge watching TV shows, getting used to extra dishes (kids being at home all day long=extra dishes), wondering when we'll get our next hair cut, finding projects we have been meaning to do but have never made a priority...until now, dreaming of actually having social contact with friends and loved ones, reading news headlines--95% of which are related to COVID-19, spending a little more time on Facebook and Instagram, contributing to the Coronavirus Quarantine Karaoke Party FB group, having Zoom conferences with family and friends, remembering how it felt to actually shake someone's hand or give them a hug, writing more in journals, being creative, and spending a little more time on various hobbies. And then, of course, there's praying for people--a lot of people. People out of work, those struggling with isolation-induced depression, those medical professionals on the front lines, those battling with COVID-19 themselves, and so many others.
One day, though, we shall prevail and while the daily lives we return to might be forever influenced and/or changed in various ways by what we all just went through, hopefully we'll continue to be kinder, more sympathetic, less apt to judge, and more eager to be unified rather than divided.
Anyway...
Any Choir-related news to report, you ask?
Well, over the weekend, the Choir organization made arrangements to broadcast the 2018 performance of The Messiah (since we obviously couldn't perform it live this year). I did not catch the performance (I've seen it before), but those I know who did see/listen to it were very impressed and mentioned how much it added to their unique Easter celebration. If you'd like to watch it, you can do so HERE.
Other than that, we choir folks have a lot of questions that just don't have any answers right now. I won't speculate about anything, but I think the top questions on every choir person's mind include
1) when will we be able to sing together again?
2) will we still be going on tour at the end of June or will it be canceled or postponed?
3) will there be a retirement ceremony for those leaving the choir?
Until those answers are known, we'll carry on as we have been.
I do want to end today with my testimony of Jesus Christ, seeing as how it IS Easter today.
I know that Christ lives. I know He loves me. I'm most grateful for his Atonement that allows me to do better, be better, and start fresh no matter how many times I mess up and fall short. I love to learn about Him--to study and ponder His amazing life full of miracles and wonder. Amazing mostly because of how many people He helped on both a group level and on a personal level. I'm grateful that I get to testify of Him and the truths He taught through music and song. Not singing for four weeks has made me realize just how much I miss doing it and how much I look forward to doing it again. I pray I'll continue to follow the one person who understands me and loves me the most.
Until next time, God be with you.
It was a strange, emotionally challenging conference weekend for me.
I tried to mentally prepare myself for it, but I either over-prepared or under-prepared...or something.
Like the rest of the world who was interested in watching Conference, I watched from my home today, surrounded by my family, which of course was nice. It's been six years since I've watched Conference with my family and I was thankful for the opportunity. I think it would have been even more memorable had I not already been spending every day with my family for the past three weeks. But regardless, I love spending time with my family and I was grateful to listen to the words of living prophets and apostles with them, while also helping to provide the music for the conference at the same time.
As mentioned in earlier blog posts, the Choir had prerecorded some of the music for Conference many weeks ago, just in case COVID-19 prevented us from gathering today. Kudos to Pres. Nelson for being so inspired. We ran out of time, though, to record ALL of the music. So throughout the sessions of Conference, it showed our prerecorded numbers, as well as other music that was taken from past sessions of Conference--even going all the way back to October of 2000. I will say that it WAS kind of cool to see songs from various years in the past, mainly because I got to see people who aren't currently in the choir anymore.
I think my favorite number today was the one at the end. It was one that we HAD prerecorded a few weeks ago and it involved other choirs from around the world. I hope we do more of this sort of thing as it powerfully depicted how global our church really is and how many talented singers there are in every country around the world.
While there were several members of the choir who commented on Facebook about how they were so moved today in watching the choir, and how songs caused them to just cry tears of joy and peace, I didn't quite feel any of that. I'm glad they did though. Surely this is a time, particularly, when finding peace is so important.
For more about how choir members reacted to the music today and thoughts on all of it in general, go HERE and HERE.
Until next time, God be with you.
