MORMON SOPRANO

BYU Broadcasting Corporation will premire a long-anticipated documentary on Sunday April 4th at 12:00 PM MDT [between sessions of the LDS General Conference ] entitled:

“ONE VOICE: ON THE ROAD WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR“

A ”behind-the-scenes” film crew joined with over 600 people as part of (more…)

Nearly a century and a half ago, LDS President Brigham Young gave a prophetic command to the membership of the church, with a promise:

Pres. Young

“There is a great work for the Saints to do…progress, and improve upon, and make beautiful everything around you. Cultivate the earth, and cultivate your minds….and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful locations.”

(Brigham Young, Deseret News, Aug. 8, 1860, 177, as quoted by Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

This ’call to cultivate’ is still in effect, and can certainly be likened to our modern circumstances and 21st Century creative work. That also means the promise is still  in effect: angel visitors.

I personally like the image of of our departed loved ones taking a little down-time from preaching the gospel beyond the veil to surf the net. [do you think they use MAC or PC?] Imagine angels online, checking in on our virtual activity…Hundreds of heavenly beings lurking through cyberspace, bookmarking their favorite sites, and hopefully, delighting in our online offerings! Do you think perhaps they’re even allowed to help us out a little? Maybe they attempt to whisper some heavenly inspiration into our ears as we sit down at our desktop, ‘boot up’, and ponder post subjects. Who knows? Certainly anything is possible in the Realms of Glory. So, I decided there’s no harm in sending a message:

Dear Online Angels,

You are officially invited to visit my humble blog, www.MormonSoprano.com. I extend a warm welcome to each of you. Please enter my world wide garden! Pull up a …er, cloud, and rest your wings. I’ve been cultivating this little spot of earth for awhile. I hope you will find joy, and delight, in my offering. Comments and/or inspiration is always appreciated! – Best wishes always, MoSop

P.S. Please feel free to sing along!

2008 Re-dedication

On January 4, 2008, after four years of extensive renovation, the Utah State Capitol building held a formal Re-dedication ceremony. The ceremony’s 2008 program was based on the program used during the original dedication in 1916.

Included among the many performances was a new musical commission entitled “Anthem for a New Year: Into Light”. The lyrics were a new poem written by Utah’s Poet Laureate Katharine Coles, PhD, and set to music by Utah composer Kurt Bestor.  The premeire was conducted by Craig Jessop, and the extensive cast of local performers included The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Utah Symphony Orchestra, The Bells on Temple Square, the 23rd Army Band, the International Children’s Choir, and the Cathedral of the Madeleine Choir School.

“Into Light” compares the cold dark winter dawning slowly into spring as an allegory for our personal opportunities to change with the season, reach for new possibilities, and become beings of light.

“Lift us again, moon for the season.
From its warm nest the bird breaks into flight.
Set loose we spin with earth into blue,
Heaven’s dome turning us back into light.”

Video Courtesy Kurt Bestor

Historic Trivia: The dedicatory prayer for this ceremony was given by the current President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley. This would be his final public appearance. He passed away 3 weeks later, on Jan. 27, 2008 at the age of 97.

On Christmas Eve 1906, a 33-year-old university professor, and former chief chemist for Thomas Edison, named Reginald Fessenden did something long thought impossible. Using a new type of generator, Fessenden spoke into a microphone and, for the first time in history, a man’s voice was broadcast clearly over the airwaves:

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed…,”

Reginald Fessenden

He began in a clear, strong voice, hoping he was reaching across the distances he supposed he would. Shocked radio operators on ships and astonished wireless owners at newspapers sat slack-jawed as their normal, coded impulses, heard over tiny speakers, were interrupted by a professor reading from the gospel of Luke.

To the few who caught this broadcast, it must have seemed like a miracle. Some might have even believed they were hearing the voice of an angel. After finishing his recitation of the birth of Christ, a second miracle took place. Fessenden picked up his violin and played “O Holy Night,” the first song to ever be sent through the air via radio waves. Music had found a new medium, and the world would never be the same again.

Placide Cappeau

The Christmas song “Cantique de Noël“ has a fascinating history. A parish priest in Roquemaure, France commissioned the poem from Placide Cappeau. Mr. Cappeau enlisted the musical talent of his friend, the opera composer Adolphe-Charles Adam. The song was first performed for Christmas Mass, 1847 in Roquemaure. It took the American continent by storm during the Civil War, becoming an anthem of sorts for the abolishonist movement, due to the English translation of the final verse: 

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.

Adolphe-Charles Adam

Over the centuries, this Christmas song has been sung millions of times, in hundreds of languages. The carol has also gone on to become one of the entertainment industry’s most recorded and played spiritual songs.

Requested by a forgotten parish priest, written by a poet who would later split from the church, given soaring music by a Jewish composer, and brought to Americans to serve as much as a tool to spotlight the sinful nature of slavery as to tell the story of the birth of a Savior –”O Holy Night” has become, in my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful, inspired pieces of music ever created.

~~~~~~~~~

video courtesy the MoTabChoir01 Channel

 ”On The 11st Day of Christmas, as Mo’s Countdown posts increase“

…It’s time for some Heavenly Peace

Hush,
The Baby Sleeps
In the arms of His loving mother.
The night is still
And the beasts of the stable
Hover near
In soundless adoration.

Hush,
The world’s asleep
In the dreams of this loving Infant,
And our hearts are still
In boundless adoration.

Sleep, Child, sleep
Your sleep of purity.
Sleep, world, sleep
In God’s Security.

- Van Varner, published in Guideposts Greetings

For over a year now I have been continually amazed and inspired by the inspirational gems created on YouTube, especially the Guru of Mormon-YouTube-ism SethAdamSmith. Off and on I would say to myself:

“Self, Someday I’ve got to sit down and learn how to make my own movie! I mean, how hard can it really be?”

Well, for some [insane] reason I decided that last night “someday” had arrived.

I embarked on my Movie Producing quest with gleeful abandon. Of course, knowing me, I certainly couldn’t go about it in any sort of logical way. My learning process always involves twists and turns and scaling the Mt. Everests of the Creativity Kingdom.

This time was no different.

For the sake of posterity, or anyone else who thinks they might like to become a Movie Producer (more…)

Here is a very clever and funny version of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. These “monks” have found a creative way around their vow of silence. (Kudos for all the practice hours this took to pull off!) - MoSop

African Children's Choir

Twenty-five years ago Ray Barnett visited Uganda, where he first envisioned the African Children’s Choir™. Today, the Music for Life program has helped hundreds of African children receive shelter, food, education, musical training, and the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Many of these children have lost one or both parents to war, AIDS, and other effects of poverty. The children selected for the world touring choir range in age from 7-11 years old. Once chosen, the organization commits to long-term support of the child through primary, secondary and upper education, which ensures the child transitions into adulthood with a career and a bright future. The Music for Life program has become so successful, and the need is so great, that a larger school is currently under contruction.

These children have become the rising leaders of their countries. Programs are currently located in Uganda, Kenya, Rowanda, Sudan, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa. Former graduates of the choir program now have professional careers in the areas of science, medicine, finance, international relations, journalism, and more. They actively serve their country and community in humanitarian work. The healing power of music, combined with love and Christian education is creating peace and hope in Africa, one life at a time.

The Nkomazi children singing “You Are The Shepherd”

Purchase one of their beautiful Music CDs, in time for Christmas!

Or, give an online donation (all amounts large or small welcome)

MoTab Choir Tour 2009

Well, it’s official. I can now tell you about TOUR 2009!

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir will conduct its tour in the USA Central States from June 18-29, 2009.

The tour will consist of seven concerts, with performances in: (more…)