Mark
Hansen, the Latter-day Saint “Joyful Noisemaker”
At last, an LDS musician tackles the
daunting task of making inspirational rock music. Read an interview
with Mark Hansen here.
By Bruce T. Forbes
Two
New CDs Show Tabernacle Choir’s Amazing Range
Two recent releases by the Tabernacle
Choir — Requiem and Called to Serve —
are about as different from each other as possible, yet the two
demonstrate the choir’s vast range. Although both were recorded
under Craig Jessop’s baton, it’s fitting that both also
showcase the composing and arranging talents of newly announced
choir director Mack Wilberg.
By Laurie Williams Sowby
Wanted:
Songs about the Mormon Battalion
Songwriters are invited to add their
craft in conjunction with the trek reenactment this year.
By Laurie Williams Sowby
“Hosanna,” an Easter Oratorio
Lex de Azevedo's Easter oratorio “Hosanna” debuted at the Washington, D.C. Temple Visitor's Center on Saturday evening to wild applause and a standing ovation from a standing-room-only audience.
By Steven Orton
The
Power of Simple Music
I appreciate and respect great composers and
their works and have been generously exposed to them through my
years in BYU choruses, bands, and orchestras and in my years as
a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Nevertheless, I want to
offer one sincere voice in praise of simplicity and the idea that
sometimes in music, less can be more.
By Janice Kapp Perry
Newly
Released CDs Reflect Reverence, Resolution
Established as well as new LDS songwriters
and recording artists have some fresh offerings to start the year
out. Here’s an idea of what you can expect.
By Laurie Williams Sowby
How to Write and Publish a Hymn
A writer and budding lyricist shows how a traditional English anthem inspired the writing of his own Latter-day Saint hymn.
By Marvin R. VanDam
Sara Bethany Ham — A New Voice with a Firm Mission
Sara Bethany Ham may be one of the first truly new artists to hit the LDS market in years. Youth and parents who have heard her debut album, Wanna Be Brave, seem to bubble up adjectives like a fountain — ”youthful, fresh, vibrant, sincere, upbeat, and wholesome — just what we've been wishing for.”
By Greg Hansen
New
CDs Offer Sounds of the Season
It wouldn’t be Christmas without music,
and LDS artists contribute their share. Here’s a sampling
of the latest; most are available through LDS retail outlets.
Reviewed by Laurie Williams Sowby
Christmas
with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Sissel
The excitement of another
bright and glorious Christmas season has descended upon Temple Square,
and that means it is once again time to experience the annual Christmas
Concerts of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple
Square.
By
Robb Cundick
Sissel
Brings Joy to the World in Recordings with Tabernacle Choir
A Norwegian singer with the voice
of an angel is a class act in DVD, CD from 2006 Christmas concerts.
By Laurie Williams Sowby
"The
Wonder of Christmas" Engenders Holiday Spirit
A
compilation from annual Christmas concerts by the Tabernacle
Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square features
guest artists in sacred and secular songs.
Reviewed by Laurie Williams Sowby
Violinist/Mom
Keeps the Music Going
She may be a top-notch violinist, but when
people see Jenny Oaks Baker with her four children —
the oldest 6, the youngest 1 year —
they assume she's either their older sister or their nanny.
By Laurie
Williams Sowby
Memories
of Miracles: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Exhibit
A new exhibit on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
opened just in time for touring Choir members to visit during a
stopover in Historic Kirtland.
By Sunny McClellan
Morton
On
the Road in 2007: Voices from the Choir
For nearly two weeks, June
21 through July 3, 2007, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra
at Temple Square once more went "on the road" for a spectacular
concert tour. Our correspondent Robb Cundick gives a recap of the
trip and tells Meridian readers how to get the full story.
By
Robb Cundick
"Showtime!" Music of Broadway and Hollywood
If you're a fan of Broadway musicals or feature
films, the latest Tabernacle Choir album may just be your new favorite
CD. Read all about it and hear clips from every one of the 15 tracks
on the album.
By
Robb Cundick
BYU
a Capella Group is Noteworthy
In
the fall of 2003, a young BYU student named Esther Yoder decided
to form a nine-member, all-female a cappella group on campus. The
rest, as they say, is history.
Nabby Parkinson
How
Country Music Can Improve Your Marriage
Country music
doesn't just espouse the virtues of cattle and trucks. An astute
male can use the lyrics in a country song to help him navigate the
back roads of married life.
By Greg Hansen
Cherie
has Gifts
It may be difficult to find time to single-handedly
bring peace on earth to the world, but you will be able to bring
peace to yourself with this new CD. At just over a half hour long,
listening to Gifts will be a rejuvenating and refreshing
moment to supplement your shopping sprees and tree decorating.
By Michelle Roberts, BYU Meridian Correspondent
Christmas
with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple
Square
Tabernacle Choir correspondent Robb Cundick
reminisces about the 2005 Christmas program, which will be broadcast
over public television this week.
By Robb Cundick
Singing
with the Stars in “The Wonder of Christmas”
You have perhaps heard of the contemporary
television show "Dancing
with the Stars?"
Well,
when it comes to Christmas, members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
have become accustomed to —
singing with the stars!
By Robb Cundick
The
Other Wise Man: Leading People
to the Savior through Song
What inspired composer M. Ryan Taylor to take
his Christmas opera on the road? Find out this and more in an interview
by John Newman.
By John Newman
One
Believing Man
Has Soul
This is no average church musical: the storyline
is taken out of its nineteenth-century context and retold with a
little more soul. Parley P. Pratt is given a Soul Sister to help
him through his trials, and she brings a lot of spunk and personality.
By Chris Wilson and Dallin Graham, BYU Meridian Correspondents
Reflections
on Twenty Years in the Tabernacle Choir, Part 2
Yesterday we ran a heartwarming article by
a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir upon his retirement after
20 years in the Choir. Today, we run part 2 of that piece, giving
touching stories and insights into the rigors and the joys of serving
in the world's most famous choir. You'll not want to miss the miscellaneous
facts at the end of the article.
By Brian C. Roberts
Reflections
on 20 Years in the Tabernacle Choir
Our dear friend, Brian Roberts, just completed
20 years of service in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir yesterday, June
11. 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. As Brian said, "Who would have
thought anyone would spend that much time in one calling in the
Church? Aside from a few General Authorities, that is something
unheard of today." The following is a heart-warming, inside
voice from the choir we all love. Don't miss this two part article.
By Brian C. Roberts
The
Hottest Ticket in Town
On the morning when tickets for the
2005 Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square Christmas
concerts became available, there were more than three thousand people
lined up outside the Conference Center ticket office.
By
Robb Cundick, with pictures by Deb Gehris
San
Jose, Sacramento and Reno: The Final Sprint
As we left [one
of them] said, 'The hair all over my body is finally lying back
down. It's been standing on end the whole time.'
By Robb Cundick,
with photos by Deb Gehris and Marene Foulger
Oakland:
The Sun-Drenched Wait at the Golden Gate
Lloyd Newell told the audience that
this was the first time he had arrived at a Mormon Tabernacle Choir
concert to find our fans having tailgate parties in the parking
lot.
By
Robb Cundick, with photos by Deb Gehris,
Marene Foulger
and Keith Finlayson.
Portland: Winning
Friends and Influencing People
The experiences we had in
Portland confirm that the city was in a particularly receptive mood,
and we leave with a feeling that we have indeed made many friends
and influenced many people.
By
Robb Cundick, with photos by Deb Gehris and Marene Foulger
Seattle:
A Show Divine at Ninth and Pine!
The audience
was exuberant! One man couldn't restrain himself and shouted, "Bravo!"
before the echo of the final chord could even begin to fade.
By
Robb Cundick
Music
and the “Spokane” Word
"Any concerns about the concert being too long were unfounded
— they could have sung encores until sunup and I'm sure the
entire near-sellout crowd would have stayed!"
By
Robb Cundick
A
Northwest Musical Passage — Choir Fulfills a Dream in Idaho
Senator Davis
confided that of the life goals he set for himself, there were two
which he had no chance of ever achieving. One had been to sing with
the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. To fulfill his goal, he wanted to actually
stand amongst the Choir.
By
Robb Cundick
How
Can I Keep from Singing?
A man who walked up to a Choir member on the
way back to the hotel remarked, "Thank you. I don't have to
go to Church tomorrow now ...because of you I attended Church tonight."
By Robb Cundick, with pictures by Deb
Gehris
As
Chance Would Have It:Thomas
Makes Award-winning Music in California Mountain Retreat
As a bishop, Chance Thomas has to
be a little bit larger than life for his sprawling congregation.
For one thing, he has won an Oscar.
By
Ron Simpson
The
Mormon Tabernacle Choir: Three Quarters of a Century and Coming
On
Monday afternoon, July 15, 1929, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir gathered
in the Salt Lake Tabernacle to launch what was to become the longest-running
network radio program in broadcasting history.
By
Robb Cundick
Wings
of Glory
A CD and Book That Deal with Addiction
LDS mom's book and songs, "Wings of Glory,"
give hope that "individual self-worth can be restored, friendships
can be mended, and families can become strong once again."
by
Laurie Williams Sowby
Inspiration
On Demand
Part
1
How would you like to be able to get
consistently great ideas and solutions to everyday problems whenever
you need them?
by
Greg Hansen
BYU
Music Groups Record on Own Label
Tantara
Records puts all BYU music groups under one umbrella -- and all
over the world -- with high-quality recordings.
by
Laurie Williams Sowby
Utah
Musician Receives Distinguished Alumni Award from BYU-Idaho
Greg
Hansen of Eagle Mountain, Utah, received the Eliza R. Snow Distinguished
Alumni Award for Performing and Visual Arts Thursday at Brigham
Young UniversityIdaho.
Singing
Before the Saints:The Stories of Lulu and Liriel
(Part 2)- On Sunday, April 4th, 2004, a young
woman with an extraordinary gift will step before the Church to
sing in General Conference.
Singing Before the
Saints: The Stories of Lulu and Liriel
In 1932, Lulu Christensen sang what
was thought to be the very first solo with the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir in General Conference. Her rare and remarkable voice is legend.
By Robb Cundick
Bloom
Where You’re Planted
Have
you got the musical or artistic talent to make it in the big leagues?
Here are some tips from a professional on how to make that leap.
by
Greg Hansen
Missed
By an Inch or Won By a Mile?
Oft-repeated Nashville Saga has a BYU Ending
Dan Cahoon might have been just a
flash on the Nashville scene, but as a light in God's service, he
continues to shine brightly.
by
Ron Simpson
From
OutKast to Evanescence:Become
a Pop Music Expert in 30 minutes or Less
Wanna raise your 'cool' factor among
the youth? Here are some helpful hints for a Music Insider on how
to get your kids' attention.
by
Greg Hansen
Surprising
LDS Echoes and Overtones: Old Time Music in Hi Tech Austin
Traditional cowboy singers like Don
Walser are custodians of a Spartan old-west ethic and value system
long gone yet much revered in present-day Austin.
by
Ron Simpson
Sweet
Sounds
Hearken
back to yesteryear with Craig Heesch's return to romantic music
in his new CD "From Out of the Wings."
by
Laurie Williams Sowby
Music
for Missionaries
Is
the Mormon Tabernacle Choir the only acceptable music for our missionaries,
or is there something else out there that will pass muster with
the mission presidents?
By Laurie
Williams Sowby
Calling On Cherie: Q&A
With Cherie Call
So
why is Meridian’s sports writer doing an arts and entertainment
article? Read about what inspires Cherie Call and her music.
by Kelly L. Martinez
Joe
Anderson at the Console:Sweetening the Sound of Mormon Music
Joe Anderson is a soundman extraordinaire
who provides the perfect sound solution for top LDS artists.
By
Ron Simpson
We're
Gonna Miss You, Bob Peterson: Utah Loses Legendary Baritone at Christmastime
That Robert Peterson, the great Utah
baritone and our warm enduring friend, had suffered a heart attack
in the middle of a handball game in St. George and passed away.
By Ron Simpson
"Nativity" CD Celebrates Christ's Birth
Harpist
Cate Todd and violinist Amy Osmond offer sweet, appealing Christmas
music in their own arrangements.
by Laurie
Williams Sowby
Utah’s
Songwriting Senator:Orrin
Hatch Blends Politics and Music
Orin Hatch on the cover of Billboard Magazine?
And why not for a man with his long standing love for and experience
in the music industry?
By
Ron Simpson
Notes
in the Northeast: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Tour : Part III
Come
with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on the third and last leg of their
significant 75th anniversary journey. Robb Cundick said: Our Northeastern
Tour has been a great mental, physical and vocal challenge. The
bus travel alone spanned over 4,000 miles, but there has undoubtedly
never been a tour where we have performed before even a fraction
of the people we sang for this time.
By Robb Cundick
"Consider
the Lilies": Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at
Temple Square
Choir's first album on its own label -- featuring 17 hymns
and 67 minutes of beautiful music -- is a keeper.
Reviewed
by Laurie Williams Sowby
2003 PEARL AWARDS TO AIR JULY
13 on ABC4
Two-time Emmy-nominated program
features performances, appearances from
Local and National Celebrities
Notes
in the Northeast: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Tour :
Part II
The choir sings at Lincoln Center and with the
Boston Pops--while fighting traffic, rain and heat. Come with the choir
on this memorable journey.
By Robb Cundick
From
Musician to Administrator:
Newell Dayley, New BYU Vice President
How
does a big band jazz musician end up being a top administrator
at BYU? Ron Simpson takes us down memory lane to the
'early years' of Dayley's career from jazz musician
to teacher, role model and much more.
by
Ron Simpson
Notes
in the Northeast: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Tour
Come with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
on their 75th anniversary trip to some of the great outdoor pavillions
in the northeast with Robb Cundick's colorful, personal reporting.
By Robb Cundick
Pictures by Debra Gehris
2003 Pearl Awards Finalists
Here
are the finalists for the Pearl Awards, presented by the Faith
Centered Music Association and recognizing excellence in faith-centered
music.
Paul
Jacobsen a Cut Above:
Promising
New Singer-songwriter Launches Debut CD
New
BYU graduate who took a few songwriting classes cuts a CD.
by Ron Simpson
The
Mormon Tabernacle Choir:
Sharing Peace and Joy
How
dark the world could be if there weren’t something to counterbalance
the daily dose of bad news. The Gospel brings us hope in so many
ways, and as I have recounted in the past, the Spirit of the Lord
in combination with beautiful music is one of the best antidotes
to discouragement.
by
Robb Cundick
Shaping
the Sound of Music:
Technical Innovations from
Broadway Enhance Mormon Music
We’re
heading to the San Francisco airport in a rented Taurus for what
seems like the twentieth time this year.
by
Ron Simpson
O
Say, What Is Truth?—Is It Green or Blue?
Revisiting my Entry into Latter-day Saint Hymnody
by Ron Simpson
Eight
Master Musicians. Ninety Exotic Instruments. One Great Cause.
Enoch Train to Perform Benefit Concert April 3
The
eight-member band is about to release its third full-length studio
album, and still has found time to perform for national television,
do educational workshops in schools and get involved in good causes.
by
Ron Simpson
The
Orchestra at Temple Square: Playing From the Heart
In
early 1999, President Gordon B. Hinckley appeared at a rehearsal
of the Mormon Youth Symphony and informed that ensemble that it
was soon to be disbanded. To soften the blow, he also stated with
a twinkle in his eye that “something better” was coming
along.
by Phil Lowry
Driving
LDS Music to Market: Softening Some of the Hard Realities?
One of Utah's most renown songwriters
speaks about the state of the art.
by Ron Simpson
Composer
Merrill Jenson - Finding the Right Balance
Merrill
Jenson has come a long way.
By
Thomas C. Baggaley
Silent
Night, Holy Night:
Walter Cronkite and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
His smile and enthusiasm
while leading the chorus made it clear that he was having the time
of his life; he did a terrific job – and had a great sense
of style.
by Robb Cundick
The
Mormon Tabernacle Choir:
New Members Jump from the Frying Pan into the Fire!
After
our stretch of high profile performances (highlighted by the 2002
Winter Olympics and the Nauvoo Temple dedication) the Tabernacle
Choir enjoyed a relatively quiet summer. But hold your horses...
by Robb Cundick
Singing
the Songs of God in a Strange Land
Ron Simpson takes Meridian
readers on a musical journey to Finland.
by Ron Simpson
LDS
Singer-Songwriter Brett Raymond Points the Way: How Good Does Your
Demo Have to Be?
by
Ron Simpson
Piano
Portraits — Jon Schmidt, Paul Cardall, David Tolk, Michael R. Hicks
by Jared
Johnson
Our
Days Renewed as of Old
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Nauvoo
“Turn
thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days
as of old.”—Lamentations 5:21
by
Robb Cundick
Pointing
the Way: What Would It Take to Join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?
Perhaps
there are those among you who are like I once was: you love to sing,
but - while you're a fan of the choir - the idea of trying out for
it never occurred to you. Perhaps - like me - all you need is someone
to point the way.
by Robb Cundick
Part
1
Part 2
2002
Pearl Awards a Smashing Success
Largest
and Farthest Reaching Program to Date
Giving
and Receiving: LDS
Music Makers Find Happy Homes in Nashville
Today's
LDS music makers in Nashville seem to be flourishing.
by
Ron Simpson
The
Flavor of the Month and Bookstore Bewilderment
In
high school, without any evidence to the contrary, I inevitably
concluded that LDS music was plain vanilla: a single, bland flavor
that just doesn't satisfy the palate like other flavors.
by Jared Johnson
The
Mormon Tabernacle Choir: Meeting the Challenge
The
marathon I described last time has continued for three more weeks,
yet even now there is more to come: a final concert to honor the
Paralympics. How have we managed to meet the demands of this unprecedented
schedule?
by
Robb Cundick
The
Trailblazer for Today's Mormon Media Composers: Crawford Gates Celebrates
his 80th with Music
by
Ron Simpson
A
Vocal Marathon: The Tabernacle Choir and the Olympics
The
Tabernacle Choir has gathered together - either for rehearsal or
performance - for thirteen straight days. Like the Olympic Torch
Marathon, these days have covered much ground and have been a test
of our endurance, yet they have been filled with anticipation of
a singular and spirit-stirring goal: the Opening Ceremonies.
by
Robb Cundick
The
Olympics are Finally Here!
There
could be no better time for nations to join together in peace and
unity. We are delighted to have the world coming to Salt Lake City!
by Robb Cundick
Innovators
II—Keepers of the Flame: Kurt Bestor and Sam Cardon
“Innovators
II: Keepers of the Flame” takes the same format as its 1992
predecessor: honest instrumental odes to men and women who have
made a difference in the world.
Reviewed by Jared Johnson
Behind
the Scenes with Jericho Road: Some Colorful Backroads Lead to Jericho
Musical,
athletic, good-looking, hip, and wonderfully gospel-based—Jericho
Road has it all.
by
Ron Simpson
A
Very Special Guest
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
sings with Angela Lansbury.
by
Robb Cundick
Exceeding
Expectations: Strong New Release from Enoch Train
Listening
to the band's latest album, Set Sail, was a whole new experience,
like hearing Enoch Train for the first time. Or hearing them reinvented.
by
Ron Simpson
Helping
to Heal Our Land
"What
you do for the Church—what you do for the spirituality of this
country—cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the world."
–Senator Orrin Hatch to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
by
Robb Cundick
"Meridian's Voice from the Tabernacle Choir"
Grant
Johannesen's Labor of Love:
Introducing the Music of Helen Taylor
The
music is interesting and vibrant: a strong example of American music
at mid-century, when, we should add, composers were almost invariably
men. Definitely for Grant Johannesen, but also for all the rest
of us, discovering Helen Taylor and getting caught up in her light
has been a career highlight, a labor of love.
by Ron Simpson
Barefoot
and Prolific
“Strictly
Barefoot” provided quite an enjoyable listen. There must be
something in the Utah water, as evidenced by the profusion of some
great new artists (many previously unknown to me) on this sampler.
by Dick Diamond |
