The Tabernacle Choir welcomed the distinguished a capella St. Olaf Choir today as guest performers on Music & the Spoken Word. Some interesting facts about this choir:
*The choir was founded back in 1912 and is based in Northfield, Minnesota.
*During their 110 year history, the choir has only had four directors.
*The choir is currently directed by Anton Armstrong who has actually been a guest conductor for the Tabernacle Choir on several occasions in the past.
*The choir is made up of about 75 college students (who obviously attend St. Olaf College).
*Of the choir's mission, Armstrong has said "We seek to be a transforming force in society through choral performance, bringing understanding, mercy, justice, peace, and hope to a world that desperately cries out for these things.”
While the Choir's website doesn't mention much about testifying of Christ, St. Olaf college is a Lutheran college. And it, along with it's associated choir, believes in Jesus Christ and believes in promoting Christ's message of peace and hope.
While we sang together today on a few of the pieces, there were times when members of the St. Olaf choir sang on their own --and they sounded beautiful. The choir reminded me of a lot of the BYU Singers choir in terms of exceptional quality, cohesiveness, and perfect blending. All in all, it was a joy to have them with us today.
There were two things, though, that I wish could have happened.
First, I wish we would have had time to visit with members of the choir and establish a personal connection. Obviously there was no way for 400 members of the Tabernacle Choir to each have a conversation with even just one of the members of the St. Olaf choir. But, I don't believe all 400 would have wanted that. Perhaps just those interested could have had the chance-- had it been offered. Then again, our overall mission today was to come together and sing to the world--not personally connect. It's like when we go on tour. We never get to mix and mingle afterwards with members of the audience.
Second, I thought FOR SURE that members of the St. Olaf choir would be asked to turn around and face us as we sang "God Be With You". Guests always turn to face us so we can sing TO THEM. As we had been staring at the back of their heads for over an hour, it would have been great to see their faces--to see their eyes--and then sing directly to them. But that did not happen. We sang to the back of their heads. :(
After the official MSW was over with (ending with one of my favorite pieces "Thou Gracious God Whose Mercy Lends"), the St. Olaf choir sang two additional pieces. Both were really beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the second one in which members of the choir started swaying back and forth and sharing enthusiastic expressions. With their purple robes and a couple of the women doing some pretty cool solos, it was kind of like what you'd envision seeing some Baptist choir do. Sort of. Anyway, the way they performed it was very effective.
All too soon, the experience was over and they departed. Weird to think that we'll probably never see them again. Such a realization is always weird--when you meet someone or have some sort of experience with someone and then you part ways knowing it's very unlikely you'll see each other again.
Life is filled with lots of weird things.
Until next time, God be with you.
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