Another conference has come and gone.
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square continued to play its usual role of providing music for Saturday morning and all of the Sunday sessions. We had extra rehearsals for the past several weeks to adequately prepare and also had a Tuesday rehearsal (in addition to our normal Thursday one) this past week, just to make sure we were in tip top shape.
This conference experience was different for me in several ways, mainly because I only sang on Saturday. That said, I wanted to just share a few brief thoughts/observations about this weekend.
**While I was glad to spend Sunday with my wife and family (which included sleeping in a bit, having a homemade cinnamon roll breakfast, etc), half of my heart was at the Conference Center as I watched my fellow singers do an excellent job delivering their musical message.
**From the feedback I got, Rick Elliott's arrangement of "Let Us All Press On" continues to be a favorite. It was sung right after some stirring words by President Nelson, which I'm sure just added to the performance.
**God often answers the righteous desires of our hearts (though, of course, sometimes He doesn't for whatever reason). A friend of mine was slated not to sing the Sun AM session due to not having as high of an attendance percentage. He was really really sad about it. There were two songs in that session he was looking forward to singing-- and I knew that given his testimony and personal devotion to his faith, his vocal contribution would help those songs be even more effective for those who heard them. Come to find out, at the very last minute (literally), some bass singer got sick and this friend of mine was able to take his place. He was stoked.
**I have another friend in the Choir who, just a few months ago, didn't know for sure whether he'd live to participate in another conference. But the long road he's traveled has led him to have had that opportunity and it was inspiring to watch him sing today.
**President Nelson specifically requested that we change the last song of conference to allow for a little more time to speak. The new closing song was "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again." My whole family felt, along with some of my siblings, that having that specific song sung was a parting tribute to President Nelson, who would not live to see another conference. (That's purely just a THOUGHT, but since we all had it, and given the way President Nelson gave the final words of his talk, well, it may just come to pass) We all were singing it to him. And he was singing it to us. 😢
**My cousin had this to say about the music: "The messages of conference are so timely and wonderful, but without the music, it wouldn't be conference. The closing hymn (of Sun AM) did me in--I loved the arrangement even more this time....to me, it just made sense of everything in life and gave me courage for the next six months."
**I think I'm slowly, but finally coming back to the truth that fulfilling my calling as a musical missionary NEEDS to be about the music and the message. Sure, some of my wishes for the choir would be cool if they ever came to pass (IMO), and sure, it'd be great if I always personally loved the music we sang. But the fact is, there are many, many people that love what we do, just the way we do it. And I need to trust that if God is at the helm, which I believe Him to be, He'll inspire the program however He sees fit. And in His time.
Until then, just carry on Ryan! Do your job. And do it well.
Until next time, God be with you.
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