Reflections on Twenty Years
in the Tabernacle Choir, Part 2
By Brian C. Roberts
Photography © 2006 Debbie Gehris.
All rights reserved.
Editors’ note: Our dear friend, Brian Roberts, has just
completed 20 years of service in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
We pled with Brian to take some hours to transform from being
a singer to a writer and give Meridian readers a perspective
on his experiences in the choir. The following is a
heartwarming, inside voice from the choir we all love. Please
don’t miss the miscellaneous interesting facts at the end
of this article.
If you missed
Part 1 of this article, click
here.
Choir Tours
There are many other experiences
that stand out, particularly the tours. I remember with fondness
my first “tour” with the Choir in August 1986 to Vancouver,
British Columbia, Canada for the World Expo, which included
a concert in Seattle — and an impromptu fireside in Victoria
on Vancouver Island. The day following the concert in Seattle,
we boarded a ferry to Vancouver Island, where our buses took
us to the beautiful Butchart Gardens and eventually on to
a chapel where the local ward had fixed us a scrumptious lunch
of freshly broiled and steamed salmon. In gratitude for their
efforts, we gave a special fireside where some of the Choir
leadership spoke and Jerry led the Choir in Isaac Watts’ “When
I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” The Spirit was overwhelming.
Many in the congregation were very moved, including many of
us in the Choir, and there was not a dry eye anywhere. The
goodness of these wonderful Saints in Canada was met with
appreciation on the part of the Choir.
Most of the Choir during
the 2003 tour to the Northeast performed with the Boston Pops
from the famed Esplanade.
A similar experience occurred
in 1992, when the Choir made a trip to Jerusalem at the special
invitation of the mayor of that city and close friend of President
Howard W. Hunter (then President of Quorum of the Twelve),
Teddy Kollek. The Choir and Bonneville International took
advantage of this opportunity to film the Choir in several
key sites in Israel for a special video (In a Land Called
Israel), including the traditional site where the Savior
delivered His Sermon on the Mount, the Mount of Olives, the
Shepherd’s Field near Bethlehem, and the Garden Tomb, where
some latter-day prophets have felt impressed was the vicinity
of the Savior’s resurrection and initial appearance to Mary
Magdalene (John 20 11-18).
For this video, the Choir recorded
all the pieces at the Tabernacle prior to leaving on the tour
and sang to the recording from the various locations. At
the Garden Tomb, they used “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”
But the Choir gave more than “lip-synch” service to this powerful
anthem of redemption and exaltation. Testimony came through
strong and clear that He indeed had risen and “Were the whole
realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small, Love
so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.”
It was a moment to cherish.
Here I am admiring the
National Medal of Arts.
An experience I had during the
Choir’s 1991 tour to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union stands
out as one of the more poignant to me. The final stop on
that trip was Leningrad, now St. Petersburg. As at several
venues during the course of this tour, our concert was held
in a classic European concert hall. This one, the Philharmonia
Hall, was as exquisite as any in which we had performed —
and one of the smallest stages as well. It required some
clever staging to fit everyone on for the performance. In
order to make it work, they put a row of chairs on the front
edge of the stage where medium height people sat during the
concert. One of those was me. This gave me a remarkable
perspective of the audience I had not previously had.
As the concert began and we took
our places on stage, a couple out in the audience caught my
attention — who I perceived to be an older woman and her son.
Their look epitomized what you would expect to see of Russian
farmers on the pages of National Geographic — haggard
and hardened by years of struggle. Perhaps they were remnants
of those that survived the siege of Leningrad during World
War II. Regardless, their faces echoed the trials of life
and said to me, “Give your best to entertain us; we are not
easily impressed.”
With the first strains of our
opening number, I made it my purpose to sing especially to
this woman and her son and to the extent I could, convey the
love of Christ to them. The program itself was one of Jerry
Ottley’s traditional ones for tours. The music was heavier
at first (and included three beautiful, sacred pieces by the
beloved Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff). After the
intermission, the music became lighter, being filled with
toe-tapping songs of Americana. With each number the woman
and her son and the audience as a whole would quietly sit
and observe and then politely applaud at its conclusion, which
applause grew in intensity as the performance wore on. By
the time the Choir finished their final number and sang their
traditional encore of “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” the audience
in unison rose to their feet in thunderous applause, tears
of joy flowing over every cheek, including my little farm
family.
As had been the case throughout
this tour, following the conclusion of the concert, we were
encouraged to mingle with members of the audience — an integral
part of our missionary calling. As we exited through the
back stage door of the hall, I stopped to linger, hoping I
might see someone I recognized in the audience, particularly
the two I felt so attached to during the performance. I wandered
for a time and eventually began to head towards the buses
when out of the corner of my eye, I was approached by none
other than the “son” that I had watched so intently from on
stage. He came to me, clasped my right hand in both of his,
and in the little English he knew and with tears streaming
down his face repeated over and over, “Thank you, Thank you,
THANK YOU!” Again, the Choir had touched a heart and perhaps
lightened a heavy burden, and I was so grateful that I was
part of that effort.
The Nauvoo Temple Dedication
Another experience that stands
out was the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple in 2002. As Craig
Jessop relates it, he and President Christensen were approached
by President Hinckley to have about 80 Choir members come
to Nauvoo for the dedication services. Craig countered and
asked if the entire Choir could come, but President Hinckley
indicated, “You’re too expensive; you’ll take up every hotel
room in the area!” Then Craig and President Christensen suggested
the idea of giving a concert in Quincy, Illinois for the citizens
there in gratitude for the compassion their ancestors showed
the early Saints following the expulsion from Missouri during
the winter of 1839. They also added that the Choir would
pay for the trip themselves and find hotel rooms outside the
Nauvoo area. President Hinckley warmed to the idea and the
wheels were set in motion to pull it off. The Choir would
stay in Quincy, do a concert there, and bus to and from Nauvoo
for the dedication services.
My last broadcast from
the Tabernacle before its closure for renovation, November
2004.
The arrangements were made and
the Choir made the trip in groups to accommodate the sessions.
Not everyone in the Choir could fit in the Temple at one time,
so the Choir was split into four groups of about 80 singers
each that would participate in at least two dedicatory sessions
a piece. I was in the first group of singers to leave for
Illinois.
The trip itself was uneventful,
but the arrival in Nauvoo for that first rehearsal was one
to remember. I recall from my earlier trips traveling up
the highway to Nauvoo and being told to watch for the tall
water tower that could be seen above the trees. That would
give you an idea of what the Saints must have felt as they
came up the river and would see the Temple rising above the
horizon. What a thrill that would have been for them then.
Now, as we traveled, we could actually see the newly restored
temple rising in all its splendor and the feeling was one
of awe.
I was not prepared, however,
for the overwhelming emotion I would have as the bus finally
pulled into Nauvoo and I disembarked and walked up to the
Temple site. I was overcome with gratitude and appreciation
for the tremendous sacrifice the early Saints made to complete
the original edifice so they might obtain the promised blessings
before being driven to the West. The tears came uncontrolled
and I openly wept.
While
the rest of the Choir (the "Not ready for prime-time
singers"), including yours truly, were voice to the Choir
from an adjoining tent.
This carried over to all the
events during those eventful few days. That first dedicatory
session was full of spirit and testimony. From the moment
I entered the House of the Lord, I knew that this was a special
occasion, particularly given the date, June 27th,
the anniversary of the deaths of the Prophet Joseph and his
brother Hyrum. The solemnity of the event was underscored
as bells tolled marking the hour of martyrdom as the session
began.
As President Hinckley spoke of
the great sacrifice of the Nauvoo Saints, you could not help
but weep for them, yet at the same time feel of their great
joy at the rededication of their beloved temple. And no matter
the hymn being sung, whether “Come, Come Ye Saints” or “Praise
to the Man” or any of the others on the program, it was easy
to imagine the choirs of early Nauvoo being there in the temple
with us, lifting their voices right along. And when President
Hinckley bore witness that not only the early Saints — Joseph,
Hyrum, Brigham Young and so many others — were there to rejoice
with us, but the presence of the Father and the Savior was
there as well to accept our humble offering. The veil was
indeed very thin that session, as it was for each session.
It was a humbling experience and an honor to participate.
The 75th Anniversary Broadcast of Music
and the Spoken Word.
As for the concert in Quincy,
it evolved into a benefit affair for the city and all proceeds
that came from it were donated. President Hinckley even made
an appearance at the beginning of the performance to express
his personal thanks to the citizens of Quincy, both past and
present, for the generosity they have shown to the Church.
Later, when the audience was asked how many were descendents
of those in Quincy who helped the early members of the Church,
a good number of individuals stood. It was then asked who
in the Choir had ancestors that were part of that trek of
Saints that were assisted by the citizens of Quincy, and nearly
80% of Choir rose to their feet. The sight was moving and
the impact very touching. We were all so grateful for Craig’s
insistence we all go and President Hinckley’s willingness
to allow us.
General Conference
But the experiences that will
stand out in my memory are each and every General Conference.
My first was so very significant, being a solemn assembly
when Ezra Taft Benson was sustained as the 13th
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I remember as a student at Ricks College witnessing on television
the solemn assembly for President Spencer W. Kimball back
in 1974, and the powerful witness that I had received at that
time that he was in reality a living prophet, a spokesman
for the Lord. But the feeling here was matched, if not exceeded.
And that same feeling was repeated at the sustaining of Howard
W. Hunter as the 14th President of the Church and
Gordon B. Hinckley as the 15th. These men were
indeed preserved for a very special purpose at a very special
time, and I gladly raised my arm to the square to sustain
them as a prophet, seer and revelator and President of the
Church.
At the U.S. Capitol for
the Bicentennial Inauguration (of President George H.W. Bush).
Similar feelings were experienced
at every conference. I was humbled to sit at the feet of
the Lord’s anointed and hear first hand their counsel as they
were “moved upon by the Holy Ghost” and to know I was hearing
“scripture... the will of the Lord... the mind of the Lord...
the word of the Lord, and... the voice of the Lord, and the
power of God unto salvation” (D&C 68:3). There were many
instances when the spirit was so strong that singing became
very difficult as emotions welled up in my throat and my contribution
had to be limited to my countenance.
Conclusion
But now it all has come to an
end. My 20 years of service have been completed and it is
time for me to move on. I have had many people ask me over
the course of the past several months whether or not I will
be sad with this passing chapter of my life. I would be less
than honest if I said I would not be affected. How could
anyone give 20 years of their life to so great a cause and
not have some angst at its completion?
I remember how I felt as I left
my mission to Korea back in 1977. The member of my stake
presidency who released me expressed well the feelings I experienced
at that time. As I boarded that plane in Seoul and the wheels
lifted off the ground, I could just feel that special spirit
— that mantle needed to fulfill my mission call — leave me.
And I felt it was being transferred to another who was in
more need of it. This is how I feel about this call.
As I have reflected on my release,
I have seen great wisdom in the policy that was established
shortly after Jerold Ottley became the Choir’s music director
(service is restricted to 20 years or age 60, whichever comes
first). My time in the Choir has been phenomenal and the
Choir has changed so much since I joined — all for the better.
But that time is now done and it is important for me to step
aside so that someone else can take that special spirit I
had to fulfill my call and continue to help improve the Choir.
The words of President Hinckley
sum it up quite well:
