MTC Week #57 - Connecting with Emotion

The Giver: Just like music, there's something else you can't see with your eyes. Something that's deep inside you:  emotions.
Jonas: You mean, like "feelings"?

The Giver: Feelings are just fleeting--on the surface. But emotions, they are very deep. Primal. They linger. Jonas, you might not understand where you are or what is happening, but don't think about what you are seeing. Listen. Listen to what's calling inside!

(from the 2014 film, THE GIVER)

An interesting aspect of our humanity is how we influence others and let others influence us--through emotions. Such emotions find their way to the surface in various ways--through conversation, through experiences, through anticipation, and through various modes of expression, such as music.

Choir this past week was full of connecting with that emotion.

At Chorale every Tuesday, after we have been rehearsing for awhile, Ryan

Murphy pauses for 5 minutes for what is called "Joys and Concerns". This is a time when choir members can share joys they've experienced or concerns/trials they are having. Personally, I must admit that I found this weekly ritual both interesting and perplexing. I kept thinking "We all know probably less than 10% of the people in this room. So why would anyone want to open up and risk sharing personal feelings?" After awhile however, I gained respect for what this ritual was trying to accomplish and for the people who chose to participate each week. 

Individuals stood up and told of sons or daughter getting called on missions; of anniversaries being celebrated; of those who were just diagnosed with cancer or other life-threatening diseases and needed prayers; of getting promotions at work. There were the funny joys of having a car heater finally fixed so journeying to the Tabernacle each week could be more enjoyable. And there were some very open concerns shared--one who shared it was his goal to lose weight, or one hoping to conceive after years of not. As I listened and connected with the emotions being expressed, I realized the importance of "Joys and Concerns": such sharing helps us connect with others and helps us love them. Which in turn helps unite us as missionary choir members. 

And as human beings.
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Emotions seem to be running high with ACDA on the near horizon. Our beloved directors are, shall I say, a little stressed out. And understandably so. (For all of you who may not appreciate what performing at ACDA is all about, it's like having all of the best football coaches come together to watch YOU play with reporters ready to call out your best--or not so best--plays). As they strive to help us sing the very best we can sing, we as choir members are faced with the continual opportunity to connect with that emotion being expressed and let it work within us for our good. In so doing, our hard work will lead to musical excellence and a feeling of confidence as we perform at these ACDA concerts. More importantly, we'll be prepared to change lives and influence those who listen. They'll connect with us, and us with them.
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Speaking of emotions, I did want to make mention of one of the pieces we sang today. It has a rather plain title: "Psalm 148". Most of those who are familiar with Christian music would recognize it's tune as "All Creatures of Our God and King". But there's just something about the notes and the arrangement and the words (which, by the way, don't follow the lyrics of "All Creatures..."). This piece is heavenly and wonderful and very much worth connecting to emotionally. As the last note is sung and Bro. Wilberg motions for us to cut off, the notes we had been singing just reverberate through the Tabernacle. It's simply amazing. 


Until next time, God be with you!

Singing "Psalm 148".

MTC Week #55 - Of Spirituals and Journeys

Our broadcast today consisted of nothing but spirituals in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and all that Mr. King (and many other individuals) stood for. I don't know of anyone who doesn't enjoy listening to a good spiritual. The only thing better than listening to one is singing one! In fact, I was half-hoping that as I walked into our dressing room this morning and looked at the whiteboard telling us what we were wearing, that it would say "New blue robes and grey slacks!" And then as we started rehearsal, Mac would tell us that we were going to do a little soul-filled choreography, clapping, and hallelujahs. 

Didn't happen.

But that's OK. We had a great time singing these songs anyway! 

While I was singing, I started to think about what these songs really meant to the African-Americans from whence they came. I'm not a music history expert, but to me, I think about our brothers and sisters who were bound down by the shackles of slavery, the reality of oppression, and the bane of bondage. It was a time of awful inequality. These songs, these beautiful songs, express the feelings of their hearts and how, a midst their afflictions, they found solace in God and the good news of the gospel. These sacred tunes

of the heart speak of hope of a better world and of being saved from their oppressors. And they speak of ultimately finding peace in the One who they knew loved them when love was so hard to find.

Though inequalities and racism still exist today, I think the message found in these spirituals can continue to promote love, peace, faith, and solace. And hopefully progress can continue to be made by all mankind to show genuine love to all.
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Tues night at choir school

Switching topics, I wanted to comment on the Choir School journey that began Tuesday night with the 1st years. Suffice to say, I was impressed. I was impressed with their attitude and with their musical skills. In fact the couple of basses sitting behind me seemed to catch on to the notes and rhythm better than some of us 2nd years. There was an excitement and energy in the air, and it was great to be back with Ryan Murphy and to be singing a great work: Requiem, by Mozart. For the next four months, we'll be preparing to sing Requiem at a concert to be held April 17th and 18th. Those close to Salt Lake City won't want to miss this inspiring event!  

From today's broadcast. No robes, swaying, or clapping, but we put our hearts into it!

Until next time, God be with you!

MTC Week #53 - Standing on the Promises

As was the case Christmas week, the choir had another week off this past week due to New Year's Day landing on a Thursday. So, Mac Wilberg and Ryan Murphy again chose songs today that the choir was mostly familiar with so that we'd be able to quickly get them ready for the broadcast. Fortunately, most of the choir members were in attendance today and I think we looked and sounded fairly complete.

After a few announcements--one of which was about the tour participation roster being posted tomorrow (roster=those who have been selected to go) and the need for those going to find a roommate--we launched into our rehearsal which seemed to go much more smoothly than last week's.

One of the songs we sang today was "Standing on the Promises". We had performed this song back in May but this time I thought more about the words

and how they applied to me in my life right now. While 2014 could certainly be described as a monumental year in the life of me and my family, part of what made it monumental were the trials. It's a bit ironic that in order to grow and move forward in life (and ultimately find happiness), one must go through hard

times. That's just the way it is. But what makes going through trials a positive and rewarding experience in the end, is being able to stand firmly on the promises of God. Through His son Jesus Christ, He is there to help us. He's there to love us. He's there to extend kindness and show us miracles and give back to us much more than we could give Him. While His love to us is freely given regardless of what we do, if we choose to follow Him, specific and wonderful blessings follow. Stand firmly on the promises with faith and then, whether it's immediate or some time down the road, the blessings will be given and we'll be all the more grateful for them.

Standing firm is hard. Walking in the dark or the dim, hoping for more light, is not easy. Having faith that things will work when "reality" seems to speak loudly that they won't, is difficult. But the promises that light will come, that faith will be rewarded, that God will extend mercy, will all be realized if we stand firm.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,

Standing on the promises of God.


I'm thankful again to be in this choir and for the many blessings that flow from the music I get to sing and the people I get to interact with. 

Stand firm...and until next week, God be with you!

MTC Week #52 - Looking Ahead

It was a bit of a rocky morning for the Choir today. Chalk it up to the holidays or the fact we didn't have a Thursday rehearsal or that everyone had to wake up early this morning or because we had over 80 members of the choir missing or maybe it was just a combination of all of those possible reasons. But suffice to say, we weren't quite "in the game" and it manifested itself in various ways. The women couldn't quite sing in tune on a particular song and after Mack observed us on camera during the run-through, he reported that we all "looked dead." He proceeded to give us a motivational speech of sorts meant to inspire us to look alive and be happy to be singing about the new year approaching. And I think most of us took it to heart and did better during the actual performance. 

After all, we need to sing our best and look our best for every performance. Those watching and listening are ready to be inspired. They are ready to find peace. They are ready to think more about Jesus Christ. And if we don't do our very best (regardless of fatigue or minds-prone-to-wander or being few in numbers), then we, by default, let someone down. And we don't want to do that.

I suppose there's a gospel principle in all of this which ties directly to enduring to the end. It's easy to keep going forward with a happy cheerful attitude when everything is going well in life. It's easy to live up to commitments and deliver on promises when trials are at a minimum. But when situations are less than ideal...well, then the test commences. Can we play the game of life with a smile then? Yes, yes we can.

Well...looking ahead to the rest of this year, I thought I'd just take a minute to let you all know what's in store for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. 2014 seemed like a whirlwind. A great, exciting, tiring and overwhelming whirlwind. But I'm sure that 2015 will have it's own challenges and rewarding opportunities as well.

Here are a list of events upcoming:

1) ACDA: As mentioned before, between now and the end of February, we'll be preparing for the ACDA Conference Concerts (February 26th-28th). 
2) General Conference: We'll then turn our attention to getting ready for General Conference in April
3) East Cost Tour: Next up will be lots of rehearsals for our New York tour (June-July)
4) Pioneer Day Concert: Right after the tour, we'll be performing our annual concert to commemorate the pioneers
5) General Conference: conference again in Oct
6) Christmas Concert: weird to think about preparing for this again so soon after just being done with the one this year.

And on top of this, the first year members, which, come January, will become second-year members, are required to re-attend Choir School to sing with/assist the new first-year members. This will be every Tuesday thru the end of April. It's strange to think that I won't technically be a "newbie" any longer (and it will be fun to see all of the new people). However, I realize that I still have a lot to learn. And I'm reminded of this all the time when Bro. Wilberg has us pull out a piece of music and says "Now this is one that we all know well...". I always smile at that comment because while that's not true for me today, perhaps someday, it will be.

Until next time, God be with you!

MTC Week #51 - He is the Gift

Today's Music & the Spoken Word marked an end for singing (and thoroughly enjoying) Christmas music with the Choir. I think some of the most powerful songs ever written are the ones that testify of Christ's life and His importance in our own lives. And certainly a lot of the Christmas music does just that. I love to picture myself as one of the characters in these songs. Whether it's being one of the heavenly hosts praising God during the visit to the shepherds, or the little drummer boy who realizes his gift of playing the drums for the baby Jesus is gift enough, or one of the wise men determined to make a long journey to see the Christ child, or a shepherd boy testifying to a king that someone greater than him has a message to share to the world.... There are great feelings to be had when you liken all of those great songs to yourself. 

Yes, I'll miss those songs.

One other thought:

As I was sitting in Church today listening to the lesson, the instructor mentioned he had listened to the broadcast today and the song that touched him the most was "Come, All Ye Faithful." We've all heard that song dozens of times--but this

time, the title of the song really stuck out to him. Here is a plea from Christ to come. Come to Him. Come everyone who has faith and is trying to live a good life. Through HIM, you will find peace and hope and the abundant rewards of your faith. 

We come to Him when we live as He did. When we serve others. When we recognize, and give thanks for, blessings. When we go out of our way to help another in need. When we ponder the scriptures or spend time in prayer. When we realize we messed up and seek forgiveness through repentance. When we put our arms on the shoulder of someone needing a smile and kind word. When we shoot off a text of appreciation or give someone a call who could use some cheering up. 

What can you do today or this week?

Lastly, I just want to say how grateful I am for a very busy, stressful, but miraculous year. Being in the choir has been marvelous and all of the hard work has paid dividends 100 times over. Each time I go to choir, I still think "Can this be? Am I really here?" New friends and soul-stirring music have been incredible. Life outside of choir has been stressful and busy as well but tender mercies from heaven have caused me to realize that without a doubt, the Lord loves me and my family, and He loves each of you as well. To all of you who have played a part in my life this year, THANK YOU.

And Merry Christmas!

Until next time, God be with you!

MTC Week #50 - Santino Fontana & the Muppets!

Wow. I'm not sure I'll be able to adequately describe how great of an experience these last four days have been (and actually, the last six). I feel so blessed to have been a part of the 2014 Christmas Concert featuring Santino Fontana and the Sesame Street Muppets. In keeping with concert tradition, I'll record my thoughts and feelings via "Top 10" style. But overall, it was an amazing experience. And before I start with the Top 10, I want to thank my wife and children for being without a dad and husband for a lot of hours during the past couple of months. I appreciate all they did to keep things moving along on the home front!

The Top 10 of What Made the Concert Amazing? (in no particular order)

10. Seeing how it all came together. As a choir, we had practiced our songs for months but were never sure of how those songs would fit into the overall production of the concert. On Tuesday though, as we came together for the first rehearsal with everyone involved, we witnessed the wonder the concert was going to give to all who would see and hear it. Whether it was the playful and fun dialogue from the Muppets or excellent solos from Santino, or the dancers adding movement and flair, or the incredible organ solo, I was in awe at how all of the individual pieces came together to create such a magical program.

9. Watching the puppeteers bring Elmo, Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, Grover, and the rest of the muppets to life. At first I thought that the "magic" would be ruined a bit by seeing what went on behind the scenes. But it was nothing short of incredible to see how these puppeteers put their whole heart and soul into these beloved monsters who have given us all lessons of kindness, love, and respect over the past many years.

8. Hearing comments made from other choir members. Everyone seemed to

have their favorite moments that inspired them or brought them joy. And hearing them talk about them not only gave me some great insights but made me feel all the more grateful. It was great, too, to stand next to a treasured friend as well as hear all of the commentary coming from my fellow basses occupying the top corner!

7. Having the younger kids recognized. This year those as young as 5 were allowed to come to the concerts and Santino took several opportunities during the concert to involve the kids and let them know how special they were. I'm positive that most of them won't forget it.

6. Getting to spend time with choir members. We were with each other A LOT this past week. And while most of that time was rehearsing, we did have some down time to mingle. I had some important, meaningful conversations with some and I was grateful for those opportunities. 

5. Hearing funny portions of dialogue that the muppets gave:
Bert: (upon being asked if he was ready to sing) "No, no, no, SantiNO."
Cookie: (talking about not having cookies) "Tis a disaster of epic proportions!"
Count: (during 12 days of Christmas) "Enough with the birds already!"
Grover: (after realizing they were all late to the concert) "When we go out, just act na-tur-al."
Big Bird: (after being asked if he needed any conducting tips) "no, that's OK. I'll just wing it."
Elmo: (wanting to hear the choir sing) "Please Santino, please, please, please, please..." [while moving around in various begging poses]

4. Looking down at the puppeteers who played Abby and Rosita near the end of one of our choir numbers testifying of Christ. They just had such a thankful expression on their faces--as if they were saying "We're so grateful to be here."

3. Hearing some of the puppeteers in the hallway backstage talk about their experience while being here in Salt Lake. They mentioned how much they had enjoyed it, how they had really been taken care of, and how they loved doing this concert.

2.  Hearing our Choir President say to the choir (paraphrasing) "You know, some people ask me if I ever miss singing in the choir. And usually I say 'no', I had my time and I've moved on and it's OK. But for this concert (getting emotional), you all have the best seats in the house."

1. Looking upon the faces of our guests at the very end of the last concert on Sunday. We had them all turn to face the choir, and then we sang to them "God Be With You Till We Meet Again". The Spirit was very strong and I noticed several of them wipe a few tears from their eyes. I know that they'll never forget this experience. Not only because it was fun and refreshing and it had a wonderful Christmas theme, etc. etc. But because they felt the love we had for them, the prayers that had been offered on their behalf, and felt the truth of this great work our Church is proclaiming to the world: that Christ lives, and He loves every one of us.

Until next time, God be with you!

PS: Some video/pic links here.

MTC Week #48 - Cum Sancto Miracle

Miracles happen every day. Through the years though, my definition of what constitutes a miracle has changed significantly. I used to think, when I was much younger, that all the "cool" miracles were over with. You know, the ones that the Bible is filled with: parting of the red sea, all of the Egypt plagues, the walls of Jericho crumbling, fire coming down from heaven to consume water-soaked wood, men of God being saved after being thrown into a fiery furnace...the list goes on. I remember longing to see one of those! 

While I have no doubt that such miracles could occur today if God wanted them to, I've come to adopt a less outwardly-dramatic definition of miracles: a personal expression of God's love. And perhaps I would add, an undeserved expression of God's love that gives way to deep gratitude.

This year has been full of such miracles for me and my family. Whether it was me being accepted into the choir; or our home in American Fork selling to just the right family; or my wife getting an employment opportunity to help us financially; or my kids making some very good friends; or receiving help just when we needed it; or going to choir with a sinus infection or an upset stomach only to have those ailments temporarily taken away; or even finding a perfect parking spot during a day of stress and fatigue. Such things happen all the time if we but recognize them.

And so it goes with learning and memorizing one of the pieces we sang today. This piece of music called "Cum Sancto Spiritu" was given to us probably two months ago and Bro. Wilberg mentioned to us new choir members that it was going to be a very challenging piece to learn. So, for weeks now, during the days I get on the elliptical to exercise, I'd pull out that piece and set to work memorizing it. It did not come easy. But with prayer and lots of practicing, it started taking shape-- little by little-- before finally having things really lock into place. Performing it today and only forgetting a few spots was, in my mind, a miracle. The red sea did not part, literally, but the obstacles to getting this thing memorized did part. And I was grateful.

Look for your own miracles. You'll be surprised at what you find.

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Today after the broadcast was extra rehearsal #7. #8 will be Tuesday....but we are nearing the home stretch. Rehearsal Tues, then Thurs, then again on Sunday. On Sunday, we'll not only have that extra rehearsal until 11:30, but then will come back at 4pm to rehearse for the First Presidency Christmas Devotional that evening. And THEN my friends, I might as well rent a hotel room in Salt Lake City because, well, look at this schedule:

Ah, the fun of it all (it is fun, it'll just be a tiring week).

Until next time, God be with you.

MTC Week #47 - Take and Seal It

By far, the most beloved hymn arranged by Mack Wilberg is Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing. If you were to go on to YouTube and search for "mormon tabernacle choir", one of the first videos to display would be the one for this song (currently at close to 880,000 views). Aside from it being an incredible song to listen to, those who know its lyrics become emotionally tied to this song and its message. While all of the words are great, two phrases seem to stand out:

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it;

Seal it for Thy courts above.

These words seem to perfectly describe what we all experience. We're prone to wander from God and His teachings; we're prone to leave the strait and narrow path from time to time. But despite our failings, we really do want to give God our heart and let Him seal it--let Him know that whatever happens, whatever heartache we go through, whatever soul-wrenching experiences we have, we'll still be true. We'll still love Him. We'll still choose Him no matter what.

As I was singing this today on our broadcast, I thought particularly about a good

friend my wife and I have named Melissa. This song helped her get through a very tough time in life and was instrumental in helping her faith remain strong amidst struggle and heartache. You can read her blog post on it HERE. For Melissa, and for thousands of others who have found solace from this song, I'm grateful for the message and testimony of righteous desire that this song conveys. 

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Following the broadcast today, we continued learning more Christmas songs for our upcoming concert. I think we're shooting for 12 songs (memorized) that the choir will sing (in conjunction with Santino Fantana and the Muppets) and there will be other performances as well by dancers and the orchestra and perhaps the Bells. I'm curious as to how everything will take shape when it's all said and done. 

A classic line from Bro. Wilberg today...  So he was reviewing notes with us and said that for one of the songs, we really needed to work on our intonation (singing in tune). Then he said, "You've got to fix it. I'd do it for you, but I can't. If I could, it'd be perfect every time!" Ha :)  That's probably true though.

Until next time, God be with you!

Thanks to Jeff and Siope on either side of me and my other fellow basses
for keeping me on track)

MTC Week #46 - 4,444

So today's Music & the Spoken Word broadcast marked its 4,444th performance. Rather remarkable I'd say. In fact, Brother Lloyd Newell, in his closing remarks (addressing the audience after the performance) asked that we pause for just a few seconds and consider that significant fact--also saying that it's going to be awhile before we reach #5,555. (Doing the math, that performance won't occur for another 20 years). I suppose as far as milestones go, the next one will likely be the 5,000th performance which will occur in little over 10 years. 

Numbers aside, we had a special guest join us today, Mr. Stanford Olsen, who was a soloist for two pieces. One of those, Nella Fantasia (pronounced "Neh-lah Fahn-tah-zee-ah") is definitely a favorite of mine.  The song is sung in Italian and is based on the theme "Gabriel's Oboe" from the movie "The Mission". It's composed by Ennio Morricone. 

I must confess that the movie's details aren't very fresh in my mind as it came out back in 1986 (and I saw it around 1994 while in college). However, I remember the music against a background of love, injustice, and terrible loss of life. The melody is haunting and yet beautiful. As I sang it today and listened to Mr. Olsen give the song depth and emotion, I just felt tingly all over.  


Here's one of the verses, translated into English:

In my fantasy I see a just world,
Where everyone lives in peace and honesty.
I dream of souls that are always free
Like the clouds that float

Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.

Here are a few pics from this song:

Stanford Olsen

Full choir and orchestra, along with Mr. Olsen
performing Nella Fontasia. The oboeist is below.

In other choir happenings, we continue to prepare for our upcoming Christmas Concert and have rehearsed about 8-10 songs thus far--coming in on Tuesdays (in addition to Thursdays) and staying for an extra rehearsal on Sundays after the broadcast has ended. More pieces to learn are coming (they are in the process of being written/arranged) and things are shaping up nicely. Kudos to all of the spouses and families out there who are supporting us singers while we are away so much!

Until next time, God be with you! 

MTC Week #41 - Cheering Beams of Hope

We sang some very beautiful music this morning including a piece called "Thou Lovely Source of True Delight" which is one of those majestic pieces with grand orchestration to bring the text to life. There was a verse in particular that spoke to me:

Tis here, whenev’er my comforts droop 
And sin and sorrow rise 
Thy love with cheering beams of hope 
My fainting heart supplies, 
But ah! Too soon the pleasing scene 
Is clouded o’er with pain 
My gloomy fears rise dark between 

And I again complain

Don't we all go through such an up and down cycle? We have a hard time, we mess up, and then we feel God's love sustain us and help us and give us hope. Only to have something hard come again and we can't help but complain about the lot we've been given, or the weaknesses we have to overcome, or the trial that doesn't seem very fair. 

It reminds me of some verses from a prophet Nephi, in The Book of Mormon:

And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?  Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.  O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever.

Hopefully, you, and I, can trust that our trials are for a purpose and the Lord is in control and as such, we'll be OK if we just keep going forward. Hold on to those cheering beams of hope! 

Switching topics, Thursday night we received more details about the upcoming 2015 tour and were given some handouts going over the itinerary, costs for guests, physician signoff, etc.  There was an audible gasp over the price to bring a guest ($3500). But then again, it is to New York and staying there is not cheap. Especially when it's for two full weeks. At any rate, it should be a very fun and exciting opportunity. 

Until next time, God be with you.

MTC Week #40 - 184th Semi-Annual General Conference

I was grateful to be a part of conference this weekend. The Choir worked hard to perfect nearly every note sung and our conductors were pleased with the result. Aside from the technical aspects of how we sounded, there were many songs that really did touch my heart and inspire me to be a better person. I hope that those who listened around the world felt the same way.

There's much I could say about this event but I thought I'd do a "top ten" to mark this event.

I enjoyed...

10) rehearsing in the Conference Center when all the 22,000 seats were empty and then seeing all of those seats get filled up with anxious individuals ready to listen to the prophet speak (and us sing of course)

9) sitting at the end of the 2nd to the top row (in the corner) which allowed me to peer over the edge and watch the prophet and the apostles enter and leave the podium area (and see them wave to the audience--including younger kids whose faces showed light and happiness)

8) munching on some snacks being passed around the bass section while we were listening to the speakers and waiting to sing (thanks to whoever provided the stay-alert goodies :)

7) getting to talk to fellow choir members during the breaks (since, as I've mentioned before, some opportunities are fairly rare)

6) seeing all of the MANY people who contributed the conference experience. There were hundreds of volunteers doing everything from ushering, setting up teleprompters, cleaning the seats, doing the floral arrangements, coordinating the broadcasting aspects, feeding us lunch between sessions, and, well, I'm sure I've just scratched the surface.

5) having bathrooms nearby (this may sound funny, but until just recently, the nearest bathrooms for the men were 5 min away)

4) walking right past David Archuleta, who must have been back stage to be escorted to some place where he could enjoy conference without getting accosted (I should have told him thanks for his latest song but I was so taken back by him actually being there, I was at a loss for words)

3) hearing all of the speakers give their messages (and, in particular, those who delivered them in their native tongue)

2) singing so many wonderful songs. Some of the ones I enjoyed the most were "Praise to the Man", "Softly and Tenderly", "How Firm a Foundation", and "Lo, the Mighty God Appearing". 

1) feeling inspired, warm, comforted, and wanting to follow the counsel given by modern day prophets and apostles. Also, having a prayer in my heart for those I know need particular peace and guidance in their lives.

Until next time, God be with you! (and enjoy some pics below)

Conference Center - Empty

Conference Center - Full

The basses in the corner section.

Bass Section

MTC Week #39 - The Standing Ovationist (& Conference Prep!)

So each week as we perform Music & the Spoken Word, the Tabernacle typically fills to capacity. Visitors literally come from far and near to be a part of the program and they often get our their smartphones to take pictures or video of the choir rehearsing before the performance. We have distinguished guests from time to time, general authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, pastors and ministers from other faiths, and even ward and/or stake groups from across the valley. I'm a bit overwhelmed each week at the sight of it all. 

Among those who attend EACH week, are the Elder and Sister missionaries who have been called to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those in this area. And among those, is one elder who is, I dare say, one of our biggest fans.

I don't know his name, but each week he sits on the front row and eagerly takes

in the rehearsing and performing. As we finish singing the last song and the organ plays a short fade-out number (and Lloyd Newell completes his concluding words), this elder enthusiastically jumps to his feet and starts clapping with more vigor than I've seen from anyone else in my entire life. People in the choir give short chuckles of laughter every week upon witnessing this, and of course the rest of the audience follows suit shortly after his unashamed gratitude. While some might say he does this just for fun, I think he does it because he's really showing what he feels. 

Thank you, standing ovationist, for your enthusiasm, courage, and support.

Two other things to mention...

First, my favorite song today was "Love Divine, All Love Excelling" which was arranged by Bro. Wilberg and reminded me of the feeling I get when singing "Come, Thou Fount". My favorite lyrics in "Love Divine..." are

Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation

Perfectly restored in Thee;

Lastly, we're spending the week preparing for General Conference this upcoming weekend. I hope you all are planning to tune in. Along with the excellent talks, you'll be able to hear some inspiring music as well. 

Until next time, God be with you!

MTC #36 - Richfield!

This past Friday, the Choir had the opportunity to perform in the quaint little town of Richfield, UT. Apparently the city was celebrating 150 years since it's founding by the Mormon pioneers and we were all happy to go down and put on a performance for them. 

Friday afternoon around 12:30, the choir and orchestra members boarded several buses and by 1:00 we were off for the journey. As this was my first performance outside of Temple Square, I wasn't sure what to expect but was excited to be a part of it all. I sat next to a choir member I hadn't met before, on the way down (I still don't know a lot of the tenors). His name is Earl Whitmore and he was fun to talk to. We spoke of our music background, families, work, and other mutual interests. We then took a little break to review some of the music we'd be performing at the concert since it was all to be memorized. :)  

When we arrived, we went right into rehearsal mode as Mack and Ryan wanted

Where we performed

to run through as many of the pieces as we had time for. The venue's acoustics took some getting used to, but our directors were confident that we'd sound well with a few minor adjustments. It was fun rehearsing but I had to laugh because as has happened in the past, the ones I really needed to practice were the ones we only glossed over. 

Getting ready to rehearse

From there, the ladies went to a different building to eat some dinner while the men changed into their performance attire. Nothing like cramming 200 men into some small locker rooms! We then sat in the auditorium awaiting our dinner turn. I was glad for the time to just converse with other choir members! Such moments are rare. We certainly don't get them at rehearsals so tours like this are prime time to get to know others.

Dinner was pretty good. I was sad to see some choir members sitting all by themselves though and thought how interesting that was. Several of us "newbies" sat together in the middle table and enjoyed our social time.

From there, it was a quick back to the auditorium and lining up for the concert. While waiting, I was able to get this photo taken, again, of some of us who just joined the choir this year. Fun times!

The performance itself went well. There was a fairly large crowd (for Richfield) and they seemed to enjoy our music selections which included some pioneer-related songs, some popular ones from Oscar and Hammerstein, and some pieces from the early 20th century. While I didn't have the words down perfect

for some of these (despite many hours at home practicing) I enjoyed a concert without holding music. Some of the lyrics really resonated with me as I thought about their messages. A friend in the choir (Ryan Bateman) reminded me that music can be like scripture. We get different things out of it each time we sing it. The Lord can help remind us of things we need to know through both the notes we sing, and the words we sing.

I was grateful to stand by a new friend Paul McGuire who helped me stay on the right rhythm and harmony. I think it goes for all of us (depending on our tenure in the choir and the song we're singing) that we rely on each other for this musical cue or that musical cue and I'm grateful for that!

The bus ride back seemed a little longer than the one down. I sat by someone new--an orchestra member--and we had some good conversation. Everyone has a story to tell and everyone has something interesting to say. 

I'm grateful again for such an opportunity. Thankful to my wife and kids who support me in this and cheer me on from the family sidelines. And thankful to be part of a group that inspires and brings peace and happiness to others. When I think of the many people who are uplifted by these types of performances, it makes me happy.

Until next time, God be with you.

[9/15 update: Here's an article from the Richfield newspaper reporting on the event]

MTC Week #31 - One Person Can Change the World!

The choir has been singing a lot of Broadway/movie tunes lately, which fact Bro. Wilberg admitted, and which will be coming to an end shortly. Not that there's anything wrong with Broadway tunes. In fact, I've quite enjoyed learning them being a big Broadway musical fan myself. However, Bro. Wilberg will be getting back to a more wide variety here soon now that the Pioneer Day Concert is over and the concert at Deer Valley will be over later this week.

Today on Music & the Spoken Word, we sang a couple of showtunes, one of which was quite catchy and had some fantastic lyrics. The song was "One Person" from the musical "Dear World." This musical starred Angela Lansbury and opened in 1969 (to rather poor reviews). At any rate, our associate conductor Bro. Ryan Murphy came up with a great arrangement of this song which we sang on the broadcast today. Here are the lyrics:

One person can beat a drum
And make enough noise for ten;
One person can blow a horn
And that little boom
And that little blare
Can make a hundreds others care.

And one person can hold a torch
And light up the sky again.
And one little voice that's squeaking a song,
Can make a million voices strong.

If one person can beat a drum,
And one person can blow a horn,
If one person can hold a torch,

Then one person can change the world! 

I just love the message that one person really can make a difference. His or her small acts can affect countless others. So make those actions count!

Two other things about today.... First, I got to sit next to Joseph Ogden for the performance today and I was happy about that as the two of us sang in Concert Choir together nearly 20 years ago. Over the past few years as I watched the choir on TV (and not yet being in the choir) I remember seeing Joseph singing and thinking how great it would be to reconnect. And today that happened :)  Second, there was a really large group of Japanese students in the audience today and I kept praying they'd all have a great experience (having spent two years in Japan myself). 

This week is the Deer Valley concert which I won't be participating in. The venue only holds 250 singers so the choir staff was asking for volunteers to "sit this one out." It promises to be a great event though if any of you locals want a nice evening under the stars with great music.

Until next time...God be with you!