Choir Resumes for Fall

Welcome Back, Choir!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer full of all kinds of fun! To ease the transition back, we're starting off with an easy yet powerful song we all know and love:

September 24th: A Child's Prayer

Monthly Theme: Keep the Commandments
Difficulty: Easy
Description: Most of you already know and love this one! I know it doesn't fit the theme this month, but it's just such a great, and approachable piece. MoTab did some beautiful things with this arrangement as well, but they're easy to catch on to. 

Sheet Music: Similar to the arrangement in the Primary book song #12
Recording: Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing in April 2017 General Conference 

Reminder: Choir is at 10:15 in the Blackhawk building, so come grab a comfy bench seat for your family before sacrament! Choir is typically every Sunday except Fast Sunday (1st Sunday of the month). However, due to travel, September is off to a nice, slow start. Here's the schedule for September:

September 17th: Rehearsal

September 24th: Rehearsal and sing A Child's Prayer in Sacrament

Thanks everyone! See you soon!

Schedule Update

I apologize for the last minute change, but we were out of town at a funeral and had to adjust. But hey, because of it, you get the entire month of February off!! With one condition: Please listen to the Ward Conference and Easter songs we will be singing in March & April, as we will not have much time to practice them.

I'm settling in on "Consider the Lillies" for our Easter song, but still have a few weeks to decide. Some of you did it a few years back before the ward split, and it is an elegantly simple song that we've probably all heard before. We will only have 2 full rehearsals dedicated to the Easter song, so you'll need to listen to the song on your own and come to rehearsal ready with questions!

Singing in Sacrament:
March 19th: Fill My Soul (Ward Conference)
     Sheet Music: Fill My Soul, Recording: Rob Gardner's Fill My Soul
April 9th: Consider the Lillies (Easter)     Recording: MoTab singing Consider the Lillies

Updated Schedule:

• February 12th: no choir
• February 19th: Stake Conference, no choir
• February 26th: No choir - I am traveling
• March 5th: Choir - Begin work on "Fill My Soul with Peace" that we'll be singing for Ward Conference on March 19th. We will read through "Consider the Lillies" for our Easter song as well. Please take note of any questions you have so we can immediately address them when we rehearse the song. 
• March 12th: Choir - Continue work on "Fill My Soul with Peace". Run through "Consider the Lillies". (Daylight Savings begins)
• March 19th: Ward Conference - Choir holds final "Fill My Soul with Peace" rehearsal and sings in Sacrament.
• March 26th: Choir - Only deep dive into our Easter song, "Consider the Lillies"
• April 2nd: No choir - General Conference
• April 9th: Easter - Final rehearsal of Easter song "Consider the Lillies", and sing in sacrament.

March 19th (Ward Conference): Fill My Soul
Monthly Theme: The Atonement of Jesus Christ
Difficulty: Moderate
Description: This is one of the most moving songs I know. Written by Rob Gardner for the Joseph Smith the Prophet movie, this a capella piece brings the Spirit in by the truckloads (sorry, couldn't think of a more appropriate analogy...). While the melodies aren't very difficult (except for those crazy high tenor parts, which I am rewriting! Bear with me!), this song requires a lot of dynamics and finesse. Because of this, I hope to start practicing it in February, and hope that everyone can memorize the piece as much as possible.

Sheet Music: Fill My Soul
Recording: Rob Gardner's Fill My Soul

April 9th (Easter): Consider the Lillies

Difficulty: Moderate

Description: You've heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing this song before, and each time this piece has spoken to you. Due to our time constraints, I wanted to pick something fairly simple that we were all likely familiar with, but that had a powerful spirit about it.  While it may not be a typical Easter song, it is a reverent reflection of the life, love, and mercy of Christ. What is the meaning of Easter, if it is not to celebrate the life, love, and mercy of Christ?

That being said, I reserve the right to change my mind until it's time to rehearse! 

Recording: MoTab singing Consider the Lillies

February Message

Now the schedule starts to get crazy....

We've got a lot going on in the coming months, so I wanted to give you a heads up on the schedule.
(See links for the upcoming song at the bottom of the page)

Side Note: Stake Choir is every Sunday until Stake Conference (February 19th), @6:30 PM in the Stake Chapel. 

• February 5th: Fast Sunday, no choir

• February 12th: Choir - read through "Fill My Soul With Peace" that we'll be singing for Ward Conference in March, and introduction to other upcoming pieces.

• February 19th: Stake Conference

• February 26th: No choir - I am traveling

• March 5th: Choir - I know it's Fast Sunday, but we will begin work on  "Fill My Soul With Peace" that we'll be singing for Ward Conference on March 19th. (We may begin working on an Easter song as well)

• March 12th: Choir - continue work on "Fill My Soul With Peace" that we'll be singing for Ward Conference on March (We may begin working on an Easter song as well)

• March 19th: Ward Conference - Choir holds final "Fill My Soul With Peace" rehearsal prior to singing in sacrament

More schedule will be posted soon - currently, we are waiting on word of whether or not we will sing on Easter. That will change a few things. At this point, I am tentatively planning for it, so we do not get caught off-guard. 

March 19th (Ward Conference): Fill My Soul
Monthly Theme: The Atonement of Jesus Christ
Difficulty: Moderate
Description: This is one of the most moving songs I know. Written by Rob Gardner for the Joseph Smith the Prophet movie, this a capella piece brings the Spirit in by the truckloads (sorry, couldn't think of a more appropriate analogy...). While the melodies aren't very difficult (except for those crazy high tenor parts, which I am rewriting! Bear with me!), this song requires a lot of dynamics and finesse. Because of this, I hope to start practicing it in February, and hope that everyone can memorize the piece as much as possible. 

Sheet Music: Fill My Soul 
Recording: Rob Gardner's Fill My Soul

2017 Preview

Hello Choir!!

I made a blog just for you! I'm so excited about the songs we're going to sing this year, and I wanted you to be able to listen and see them too. Here's an overview of the plan for the next few months (Warning: this is most definitely subject to change!!):


January 29th: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Monthly Theme: The Godhead
Difficulty: Low
Description: This is a really simple but beautiful arrangement. Pretty much straight from the hymnal, but with opportunities to really bring it alive with dynamics.

Sheet Music: Sally DeFord's arrangement of Come Thou Fount 
Recording: TJ Pini Solo (sorry, no SATB), or MoTab singing Come Thou Fount


February: Choir break!!....Sort of =D
We'll use a one or two Sundays this month to get a head start on preparing for Ward Conference (Fill My Soul)


March 19th (Ward Conference): Fill My Soul
Monthly Theme: The Atonement of Jesus Christ
Difficulty: Moderate
Description: This is one of the most moving songs I know. Written by Rob Gardner for the Joseph Smith the Prophet movie, this a capella piece brings the Spirit in by the truckloads (sorry, couldn't think of a more appropriate analogy...). While the melodies aren't very difficult (except for those crazy high tenor parts, which I am rewriting! Bear with me!), this song requires a lot of dynamics and finesse. Because of this, I hope to start practicing it in February, and hope that everyone can memorize the piece as much as possible. 

Sheet Music: Fill My Soul 
Recording: Rob Gardner's Fill My Soul


April 30th: Praise to the Man (may change in favor of an Easter song)
Monthly Theme: The Apostasy and Restoration
Difficulty: Low
Description: This is a simple but powerful arrangement of Praise to the Man, also by Rob Gardner, as produced for the Joseph Smith the Prophet movie.

Sheet Music: Rob Gardner's Praise to the Man
Recording: https://app.box.com/s/s6ctyve25byj67i1t3trqfw6z1yrenfm


May 28th: We Ever Pray for Thee
Monthly Theme: Prophets and Revelation (Also, Mother's Day on May 14th)
Difficulty: Low
Description: This is the beautiful hymn you've heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing at conference every once in a while to honor the prophet. This simple arrangement expresses our gratitude for the prophet in reverence and love.

Sheet Music: Not available - came from stake music library
Recording: MoTab sings We Ever Pray for Thee

June: Priesthood and Priesthood Keys

July: Ordinances and Covenants

August: A Child's Prayer
Monthly Theme: Marriage and Family
Difficulty: Low
Description: This is the gorgeous and moving arrangement you've probably heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform for Music and the Spoken Word. A Child's Prayer is one of the most beloved and tender Primary songs. This arrangement is made for a 2-part adult choir and includes a sweet introduction and final exit line. 

Sheet Music: This version is not publicly available, sorry...but you can review all of the original song in the Primary Book
Recording: MoTab sings A Child's Prayer for Music & the Spoken Word

To Be Determined:
June: Priesthood and Priesthood Keys (also, Father's Day on June 18th)
July: Ordinances and Covenants
September: Keeping the Commandments
October: Becoming More Christlike
November: Spiritual and Temporal Reliance
December: Building the Kingdom of God in the Latter Days





Please remember this list is subject to change.
Other songs that are waiting for the right moment:

- Rob Gardner's "My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee", one of my FAVORITE songs ever!! Hopefully we can make this fit a theme this year. If not, we may just sing it anyway!
Listen Sheet Music

- Lynn S. Lund's "No Other Name"
Listen Sheet Music


Any recommendations? I'd love to hear them!!