MTC #158 - Gov. Herbert Inauguration + The Freshmen

On Wednesday morning this past week, many in the choir arrived at the Tabernacle, got dressed in performance attire, and loaded onto some buses bound for the State Capital building. A short ten minutes later, we arrived and took our places inside the Rotunda, on the steps leading up to 3rd floor. Trying to find our assigned standing places was not very fun as there were many of us trying to navigate through each other in a very cramped area. But when all was said and done, we were in place and ready to warm up.

I surveyed the scene, seeing lots of last minute preparations going on, and felt very glad to be there. After all, I'm not part of a lot of political-related events. Being at one felt good, mainly because this was an opportunity to show my support and love for the State of Utah. Utah has its share of problems, to be sure, but it's been my home for most of my life and I'm grateful for government leaders who do all they can to make it a great place to live and to raise my family.

After warming up and taking a break to get some sitting in, we filed back into place and the inauguration began. In between the swearing-in ceremony of Governor Herbert and the other state leaders, the choir filled the hall with "Climb Every Mountain, "We, the Builders of the Nation," and ended the program with "Battle Hymn of the Republic." What perfect music for the occasion, and though my feet, legs and back hurt after awhile, my smile was genuine and my spirit was happy.

May the four years ahead, under Gov Herbert, be prosperous ones!

Shifting topics, the other thing I wanted to mention today was something that happens just once a year in the choir: new choir members start their journey! As we gathered for rehearsal Thursday night, I saw a group of them taking a Tabernacle tour. I had to smile and chuckle a little because they have little idea of what's ahead for them. All the work, and all of the wonderful results of that work. I smiled, too, because I always think back to when I started and things were so fresh, new, humbling, and exciting. I still feel the humbling and exciting emotions and I'm grateful for that. But that first year is just something special that can never be replicated. 

So to all of the choir "freshman", we welcome you! And we're anxious to sing next to you and get to know you. Just seeing you and being around you helps the rest of us remember and be extra grateful for our opportunity.

Until next time, God be with you. 

 

MTC #157 - Hello 2017!

Happy new year, everyone! 
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir got an early start to the new year as we began rehearsal at our normal time of 7:25 this morning. We had been given last Sunday off, since it was Christmas day, but apparently the choir powers-that-be thought it would be too generous to give us New Year's Day off, as well. Not that I'm complaining in the least, though! Having two weeks off (Dec 19th thru Dec 31) was a most welcome break and I'm grateful that I was able to spend that time with family and friends.

As you are certainly aware (given the recent news coverage), that two week break was, however, not completely devoid of choir happenings. Aside from the lovely evening we had at the Grand America Hotel eating dinner and visiting with one another (thank you Christmas Dinner Committee!), on December 22, choir members received an email announcing that we had been invited to sing at the Inauguration of President-elect Trump. We were informed that not all could attend (only about half), so if we were interested in having our name be considered in the random selection, we'd need to let the Choir presidency know.

I'm not sure anyone was quite prepared for the firestorm of protests that erupted from some choir members, church members, and non-church members alike. There were those of the opinion that the Choir shouldn't participate in the event, for a variety of reasons. I really, really, don't want to mention the "controversy" any further. One need only Google "mormon tabernacle choir news" and you can read articles and comments to those articles until the sun sets and rises again.

Therefore, setting aside the controversy aspect of this topic, I just want to say how grateful I feel to be part of the group going back to sing. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a missionary choir and we're asked to sing at many notable events from time to time (including having sung at several past inaugurations). The hope, as always, is that we can inspire, uplift, and bring hope and peace to those who listen. Could the people of this nation, going forward, use more inspiration, more hope, more peace? I certainly think so. And I thought of the scripture in Doctrine & Covenants which says "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God."


And that is all I'd like to say about that. :)

After the broadcast today, we stayed a few minutes and rehearsed a few pieces that some of us will be singing at Gary Herbert's Inauguration on Wednesday. And from there, it was home to be with our families on this New Year's Day!

Until next time God be with you.

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

 

MTC #152 - Alleluia + The Prodigal Son

The learning of Christmas music for the Sunday broadcasts, the upcoming First Presidency Christmas Devotional, and the upcoming Christmas Concert, is coming along nicely. We still have plenty of work to do, though, and about nine hours of rehearsing were logged this week with more to come. For the Christmas Concert, we'll have a teleprompter giving us the words, but knowing the rhythm and the notes is up to us! While it's all a lot of work, I'm trying hard to enjoy the journey because as is always the case, time goes by so quickly that before I know it, it'll be Jan 1, 2017 and all of these music events related to Christmas will be but a memory. 

I enjoyed ushering in the Christmas season with a couple of Christmas songs on the broadcast today. My favorite of the bunch wasn't necessarily a traditional Christmas song anyone would recognize. But there was a piece by Giulio Caccini called "Alleluia" that I really loved. The words consisted of just "alleluia" repeated over and over, but the way the different parts fit together produced an amazing set of harmonies. The word "alleluia" by the way, means "God be praised." And what better Christmas message to send to the world? God be praised for sending his Son Jesus Christ to the world. God be praised for all of the blessings He gives us. God be praised for simply loving us and caring about us. And God be praised for allowing us to forgive and be forgiven. (Here's an earlier recording of this song, if you want to give it a listen) 

From The Wexford Carol Music Video

From "Winter Thaw"

Lastly, regarding that forgiveness theme, I want to promote two depictions of the Prodigal Son story. One is a great music video that features the Tabernacle Choir singing "Wexford Carol" as background music to a modern day depiction of The Prodigal Son parable. I thought it was rather amazing and touching. A perfect way to bring in the Christmas season (and the Wexford Carol is one of my absolute favorite Christmas songs). You're invited to watch it (HERE). The other is a short film directed by a friend of mine, Adam Anderegg called "Winter Thaw." You can catch it on the BYU-TV channel app or on the BYU TV website, HERE. It includes a dual prodigal son story line, as well as several other heart-warming themes. So good.

Are we not all so blessed?

Until next time, God be with you.

MTC #151 - Pausing to Give Thanks

The extra busy weeks for the Choir have begun! We met Tuesday night to work on Christmas music, then met an hour earlier on Thursday for Inservice (a review of good singing practices), had our regular Thursday rehearsal, then stayed after our Sunday broadcast to continue learning Christmas songs. This is how it will go for the next few weeks until Christmas Concert week arrives and we are at the Conference Center every night except Monday. Of course, we all knew this was coming--as it comes every year. But the reality of going through it and spending so much time away from home and family is a reality that can be anticipated, but not fully appreciated, until you're right in the middle of it. That all said, learning Christmas music is definitely a rewarding experience for which I'm grateful to have. I can't imagine the Christmas season without it.

Aside from the early Christmas focus, the broadcast today was all about being THANKFUL, seeing as how the Thanksgiving holiday is just four days away. I have plenty to be thankful for and could make a very long list of blessings in my life. But for purposes of this post, I want to share ten blessings (in no particular order) of being in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

10. I'm thankful to simply be able to sing several times a week. It uplifts me and helps me be a better husband, father, and friend.

9. I'm thankful to sing to so many people each week. The reality that the Choir's melodic message gets heard each week by potentially millions of people is humbling.

8. I'm thankful to associate with so many great people in the Choir. Whether it's with those who have become dear friends or just with those who I talk to only occasionally when circumstance puts us together, I've become a better person through their influence.

7. I'm thankful for energetic and talented directors who tirelessly extract the best from me.

6. I'm thankful for the types of songs the Choir gets to sing. Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, nature, joy, praise, love and heaven-earth connection are all themes that speak to my soul.

5. I'm thankful for Lloyd Newell (and his writing staff) who consistently puts together messages that are insightful, thought-provoking, and timely.

4. I'm thankful for a wife and for children who's love and support allow me this opportunity and for being able to see how the Choir has impacted their lives.

3. I'm thankful for the many, many people behind the scenes who's efforts I don't always see directly, but are woven in and out of any success the choir takes credit for.

2. I'm thankful for the orchestra members and the bell ringers who do such a fantastic job both performing on their own, and when accompanying the choir.

1. I'm thankful just to have this opportunity in the first place! I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father who saw fit, for whatever reason, to give me such a unique opportunity. 

Until next time, God be with.