Choirs

I recently read Woody's account of participating in the Choir at the dedication of the Newport Beach California Temple this past weekend. It sounds like it was a marvelous experience. Some of the most spiritual experiences I have had in my life, were when I have participated in choirs, on sacred occasions.

My first experience with choirs came in high school. My friends persuaded me to join the Jr. Class choir. My previous musical experience had been 5 years of accordion lessons (ages 7-12) and 3 years of piano lessons after that. (I also had the calling of priesthood meeting accompanist from ages 14-17 -- which would serve me well later on my mission.) Up until then, I hadn't done much singing. I joined the choir, and really enjoyed it. Later I would sing in the Sr. Class choir as well.

Now this was back in the days when you could actually sing religious music in the public schools. We sang great classical sacred music: Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Palestrina, and Faure. Much of this music was in Latin. We also sang religious music of more modern composers such as Natalie Sleeth and Randall Thompson. Singing the sacred music, was almost like having a second seminary class each day. It brought the Spirit of the Lord into our hearts. It was very uplifting.

It's too bad that today, even non-denominational Christian and classical music is under fire in the public schools. Christmas music that actually speaks of Christ is all but gone in the putlic schools. (See my post from last year's elementary school Christmas Program. )

Later I sang in a couple of different Choirs at BYU (University Chorale, and Male Chorus). After my mission, in the early 80's, I had the privilege of singing with the Mormon Youth Chorus. Perhaps my most memorable experience with Mormon Youth was when we got to sing in the April 1980 general conference in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. It was the sesquecentennial (150^th) anniversary of the organization of the church. President Spencer W. Kimball spoke, via satellite from the Peter Whitmer cabin, in Fayette, New York.

I had the opportunity to sing in several sessions of General Conference as a member of the Mormon Youth Chorus. Priesthood Sessions were especially fun, because they would invite the men's section of the Tabernacle Choir, and of the Mormon Youth Chorus to join together. It was fun (and even awe inspiring) to rub shoulders with the Tabernacle Choir members, and to be directed by Jerrold Ottley.

Since my Mormon Youth days, I have sung in various ward and stake choirs. Occasionally I will sing in a quartet or other small group for a musical number in Sacrament meeting (usually at Christmas time.) Nowadays, my church calling includes responsibility to oversee the music programs in the wards and in the Stake. Which introduces my latest experience with church choirs.

A little over a year ago (July 1, 2004) I was called in by the Stake President. He informed me of a new assignment that our stake had been given. It was to organize and oversee a choir of 360 primary children (11-year-olds) to sing in the upcoming General Conference to be held on October 2, 2004. I was to be called as the "Choir Manager". As choir manager, I was to coordinate and organize this choir from among 7 different stakes. I was to organize rehearsals, transportation, security arrangements, and establish the ground rules of the choir. I would work directly with coordinators from the General Church Music committee. I had no idea how much background and organizing work went into putting something together on this scale was.

This turned out to be a massive undertaking. A year ago today, we were halfway through the 8 rehearsals. I was working through issues with the choir director, and with the various stake leaders. E-mail turned out to be a real blessing, as it afforded me a way to communicate with a lot of people very quickly.

The Primary Choir turned out to be a most memorable experience. At the conclusion of our experience, I wrote a big thank you note to all of the ward and stake primary leaders who had been so crucial in making it all work out. In the end, the choir sang well. We received a lot of nice compliments. And we were able to feel like it had been a job well done. You can read the thank-you letter which also contains my thoughts and impressions of the overall Primary Choir experience here.

Music has always been a large part of my worship experience. It is one of the things that helps me to get in tune with the Spirit of the Lord faster than most anything else. Even to this day, if I have had a particularly trying day I will come home and play on the piano, or quietly sing some of the hymns. Sacred music can be a balm to the battered soul. I know it has been for mine.