New Joyful Memories

Time is passed, and my final musical moments have come and gone, leaving new joyful memories. There were some beautiful moments that I experienced during these two great opportunities. The funeral I attended for my choir director was a great mix of memories and music. Going a few minutes early, there was plenty of time to wander around and see some faces I hadn't seen in years, people whom I looked up to while I was growing up and those with whom I grew up in both school and in choir activities. It's been a long time, but what a reunion! Meeting them brought back memories from those years of beautiful moments we shared in our experiences, and it also brought back the emotional memories of the love and support these people gave me during those tender and precious years.

We sang the song, all of us packed together around the casket to sing once last song for our beloved director, and even though it wasn't the arrangement I learned during my years in choir, I found the music to be fairly easy to pick up and singing it with the other alumni reminded me of the uplifting power and inspiration that choir instilled in our hearts for life. I wasn't even in it as long as many of my peers, but long enough to catch it.

The other music for our church meeting was to happen later. It happened this past Sunday. I have been involved in this before, but it was a few years since I was last invited. Our conductor was a cheerful sort, and very enthusiastic about music. I love having passionate conductors! We had two songs we were learning for opening and closing the meeting. One was really easy to learn. The other took some time, but I picked it up eventually. I was singing the second soprano part, and that can be really tricky finding the note between the alto and first soprano. It's a harmony sandwich needing the correct ingredients! In this particular choir were people who were neighbors, living within the area, but most of them were a more distant proximity than the usual neighbors I meet more frequently. Many of them I'd sung with before, and it was a great experience catching up with them.

The music for this meeting was awesome. I felt like I was in a legitimate choir! The music was so powerful, and some people said it was the best part of the whole meeting. I'm so thankful for this opportunity.

You may watch a video here:

I Never Stand Alone as sung by the Utah Valley Children's Choir, choir alumni, and other friends of the choir. Performed at funeral of the original founder and director of the choir Beverly Thomas. Solo is sung by her son David. Heads up, the tradition of wearing black at a funeral isn't practiced as much here.

The following choral number Rejoice, The Lord is King was recorded during a choir practice prior to a conference.

I have better recordings of the music which are audio only. It's easier to post video. There was a third song, but no video was recorded.

A relic of the past on the display table at the funeral.
This photo was taken in the old Provo Tabernacle,
which was destroyed by a devastating fire in 2010 and rebuilt as a temple of 
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I'm in there. This is the only concert that I sang in as a soprano.