My Musical Musings Blog | BetsyLeeBaileyMusic.com - The Music of Betsy Lee Bailey

'Til we Meet Again

5/11/2026

"God be with you 'til we meet again..."

Last Saturday, many of the former women members of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square met for a luncheon, a hugging fest, and singing time. My sister Bonnie Lee has only been retired a couple of years after serving in the choir for 22 years. After we we got our name badges, I walked on into the other room, but Bonnie found friends immediately. For at least a half an hour she didn't move from her spot in the first hallway. It seemed that everybody coming in knew and had to hug Bonnie.

Here's a favorite picture of me and Bonnie at the 2015 Christmas with the Muppets concert. We were younger then.

My service in the choir was from 2010-2016. So it has been many years now since I was an active choir singer. I knew the First Sopranos I sang with in the loft and dressed next to in the dressing room during those years. But, I knew the people of our carpool the best. Those have been such special friends. But Bonnie had many more years of sitting by different people in the loft (including some First Tenors), plus riding in several different car pools. No wonder that she knows a lot of people!!

I was surprised when some ladies that I didn't know very well (mostly altos) found me and had to tell me how much they have enjoyed using some of my music. They said how they had found my posts on Facebook, or went to my websites, or found some of my music on the Church Music website. It certainly is nice to be recognized for something good.

After laughing and hugging and trying to catch up with good old friends, the best part was hearing about the future of the Tabernacle Choir. The international reach of the choir is expanding as we always hoped it would. Our speaker, former conductor Craig Jessop, made us feel good that we stood at the foothills of the mountains the choir would yet climb. We played an important part in this progression.

It was lovely to sing together again... until next year!

Singing Praises During the Easter Season

4/2/2026

One of my earliest memories at Easter time was hearing my mother practice her songs for singing in the Tabernacle Choir. My mother had a lovely clear high soprano voice. She was one of just a few voices allowed to sing the highest notes in the choir. I liked to sit with her by the piano and try to sing along. I could sing very high notes, too

Betsy Lee age 5 1/2

When I was 5 years old, she got me up very early Easter morning saying, "I don't think I can sing the high notes today. Betsy can you come sing them for me?" Bleary eyed and not wanting to wear the extremely itchy woolen sweater she dressed me in, I rode in the carpool with her from Provo to Salt Lake City. In those days, security at the Tabernacle was nothing like it is today. My mother smuggled me into the choir loft and I sat at her knees singing away with the choir during the radio broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word because she and I both knew I could.
(That would never happen today!)

For most of my life, though, Easter usually fell on the weekend of General Conference. It was always difficult to provide choral music at church for Easter Day, because of General Conference or because my choir singers would be out of town due to Easter Break vacations. I was usually the Ward or Stake choir director and tried my best to plan Easter Music before or after Easter, but rarely on Easter Sunday.

I am so pleased that this year I got to participate in some wonderful Easter themed concerts and Church programs --- even though Easter Sunday will be during General Conference in a couple of days. I am even going tonight to a Handel's Messiah Sing-In on BYU campus. Singing praises during this most important season brings me such joy.

As a member of the Tabernacle Choir, we always sang Easter-themed choral music at Easter time. One year, we had to have the entire score of Handel's Messiah memorized for the recordings and concerts we gave that Easter. What a choice experience! I love singing praises to my Lord and Savior at this special time of year.

This duet for Soprano and Mezzo is a wonderful praising piece just right to sing for the Easter season. "Come Sing to the Lord"

The Privilege of Singing Handel's Messiah

12/7/2025

My mother sang with the Tabernacle Choir when I was a small child. She was part of the choir when they recorded selections from Handel's Messiah with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1959. She woke us up every Sunday by playing that album. I had those selected choruses and solos memorized by the time I was 8 years old.

Something that was fun about when my mother's family got together for holidays were the spontaneous "Messiah" sings. My Mother and three of her brothers all sang on that Tabernacle Choir album. But everyone else in the family sang, too. So when we got together for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, we liked to sing the entire Oratorio complete with the recitatives and solos -- and those big voices made us sound good!

That tradition has continued on in our family traditions through the succeeding generations, as well. We have enough instrumentalists now to be able to swell the orchestral ranks, too. We were known to take a few of the choruses to sing at rest homes and for Christmas caroling. (Doesn't every caroling group end by singing the Hallelujah chorus?)

I have personally sung the "Messiah" (with my family, Church groups. Community Chorales, High School and College choirs, and the Tabernacle Choir), more times that I can count. I know from experience that every conductor is very opinionated in how they want their group to sing it. Some are more traditional and have let styles relax and evolve over time. Then, there are the ones who want to go back to pure Baroque historical styles and push the tempos and dramatic effects to the limits of human abilities.

The Wasatch Chorale and the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra collaborated in concert this past weekend. Our conductor Dr. Douglas Pew pushed us towards the drama of Baroque Opera. Our choruses were the fastest I have ever sung them. It actually made it hard not to just concentrate on singing technique. I usually try to keep the Spirit of the message foremost in my performance. BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT at such a fast pace.

When I have sung Messiah with other community Chorales, I wondered if the spiritual message of the music was coming across. It wasn't until we really worked to memorize the entire Oratorio for the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square's 2016 recording that I really felt that as a group we were concentrating more on conveying the Spirit of the text than just executing the music. I felt a part of a massive group bearing our testimonies of the Savior and His divine mission. That was so powerful.

I have sung with groups that did not invite the Spirit to be with them when they sang. I have also sung with groups, even "Messiah Sing-ins" where the Spirit was so strong. That's what fills me when singing "Messiah," when I can join with angel choirs singing, "For unto us a child is born, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Hallelujah!!!

Are You Famous?

12/2/2025

Yesterday I sat in a waiting room while my car was in the shop. Two other customers were willing to engage in some friendly chat as we waited. The man wore a Missionary Badge and explained how he was getting his car serviced before they left for their mission to New Zealand. He and his wife were called as medical support for the missionaries in that region. The lady next to me had a cute small dog with her. She spent most of the time hoping the dog would be well behaved as we all waited.

The man asked questions about me and as sometimes happens, I mentioned that I served my mission as part of the Tabernacle Choir. As we chatted, we shared stories about how we loved music. He had played flute in the Mormon Youth Symphony for 17 years, even during his time in Med School. We shared about kids and grandkids and how being grandparents is a full-time gig. In the process I told him about how I write Choral Music as well as Children's Theater. He even asked for my web-site to send to his daughter who helps with the school plays in her kid's school. Then his car was ready and he left.

Suddenly, the lady next to me asked, "Are you famous?"

I said, "No, not at all."

Then she said, "You look so familiar. I wonder how I would know your face?"

She asked if she would have known me from watching Music and the Spoken Word. I said probably not because I sat in a place that got very little camera time. Then I had to explain how the cameramen planned their shots for TV.

Then her car was ready and she left. So random. You never know how conversations will go with friendly strangers.

Messiah Concert Dec. 5th and 6th

That interchange got me thinking about those wonderful times singing with the Tabernacle Choir, especially when we recorded the entire oratorio of Handel's Messiah. We worked long and hard to have it memorized for our performances and recording.

So now, I am singing with the Wasatch Master Chorale of Provo, Utah, in a performance of Handel's Messiah along with the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra led by Dr. Douglas Pew.

I have to admit that having the choruses we are singing memorized makes singing less stressful, even if we are singing at very fast tempi.

For some Christmas joy, please come to our performances this weekend DEC. 5-6th 7:30 pm at the Orem High School Auditorium.

Historic Milestone

7/12/2025

Tomorrow July 13th, 2025 will be the 5,000th broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word. Former members of the Tabernacle Choir have been invited to attend and be part of the celebrations. This historic milestone represents 96 years of weekly broadcasts on either radio or television and now internet.

People from my family have been associated with the (precursor to the) Tabernacle Choir from before there was even a Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. Early converts to the Church from Wales brought their choral traditions with them. They were called upon regularly to provide music for Church meetings, especially General Conferences ever since they immigrated and crossed the plains.

My grandmother Lora Harmon (Thompson) was still a teenager when she was asked to join the Tabernacle Choir during World War I (before MSW). Three of her sons and one daughter sang in the Choir during the 1950s-60s (pre and post TV broadcasts). My sister Bonnie sang in the Choir for 22 years from 2002-2024. I sang from 2010 to 2016. (We saw Internet and YouTube become a thing). Two of my brother's children have played or currently play with the Orchestra at Temple Square, Dr. Amy Gabbitas (clarinet) and Dr. Randy Lee (trumpet). We hope that more members of the family will join the Choir and Orchestra organization in the future.

Betsy Bailey, Amy Gabbitas, Randy Lee, Bonnie Lee together in MSW rehearsal

Music and the Spoken Word broadcasts have been fundamental in our family. Even when we lived far from the Mountain West, my mother made sure we listened when we could. Mostly, we listened to her well-worn record of the Choir singing Handel's Messiah every Sunday morning of our youth. As more stations picked up MSW, we were able to listen or watch more regularly, no matter where we lived.

Early on Easter morning 1961 when I was 5 years old, my mother smuggled me into the choir loft. She said she needed help singing the high notes that day. I took my job seriously and sang the high notes with her during the radio broadcast that week. (Security was not so strict then as it is now!) For many, many years (and because I mainly lived far away from Utah), I figured that had been my one chance to sing with the Tabernacle Choir. Then our circumstances changed in 2009 and we moved to Utah. I finally got my real opportunity to audition and become a member of the Tabernacle Choir.

Singing Music and the Spoken Word, Concerts, General Conferences, Tours, and recordings was so wonderful. I was glad that my time overlapped with my sister Bonnie's time in the Choir. We knew the mission of the choir was to sing for all people, everywhere.

Once after a broadcast some people approached us asking in broken English, "When you come to my country? We love Choir!" Yes, our audiences are grateful when they feel something. They feel our testimonies of the Savior as we sing. The music and spoken word is meant to give hope and comfort to this weary world. What a glorious mission! I was so happy to be part of it.

Bonnie and I especially loved doing the Christmas Spectacular Concerts. These pictures are from when the Special Guests were Santino Fontana and the Muppets in 2014. So fun!

Ladies Who Lunch

5/12/2025

Ladies who lunch...

When I was little I couldn't understand why older ladies felt the need to go out together for lunch --- especially when I didn't get to go with them

Now that I am older, I get it. Getting together with beloved friends (without the kids) is great! It is so fun to see and catch up with people you have spent time with before and haven't seen in a long time. It is so nice to be able to renew old friendships and jog the brain about wonderful times spent together in previous years.

For the May 10th, 2025 Tabernacle Choir Emeritus Ladies Luncheon, many of us retired singers got to be together for a brief time. A lot of that time was spent hugging, laughing, and singing together. Not quite the same as singing together in the Tabernacle Choir, but delightful still.

We all wore name tags that also included the dates we sang in the choir. That really helped. As we age, hair colors and styles change. Who knew so many of us would go grey or white? (I guess that's normal, but it makes it harder to recognize people.) We get wrinkles, too. Not what any of us wanted. Our voices may show wear and tear, as well. But as we sang together, somehow the sound was still beautiful.

The noise in the room got louder and louder as we were visiting and laughing and hugging for the hour before the luncheon. I felt sorry for this one lady who looked very lost. She was struggling to be able to discern conversations. She was also having trouble finding anyone who had served in the choir during her time that she might remember. No wonder, she joined the choir in 1968 and left in 1971. And when she joined, she was only 17. There really weren't many left from that era, if any. (In those days the minimum age limit of 25 years old was not yet enforced.)

This was not a time for much in depth conversation. We could barely hear the "Hello! How are you" greetings above the din. But, we knew that we treasured the shared memories that were brought back into focus from being together again. So we whipped out our phones and took pictures.

Good times. Great memories. Lovely ladies who lunch...

When I retired from the Tabernacle Choir, I handed out one of my hymn arrangements. It contained a line I just loved: "...and there we'll meet in the heavenly choirs and sing His praises above." That summed up my hopes for the future to meet and sing with these dear people again --- even if it is not until we meet in heaven.

"Come All Ye Saints Who Dwell on Earth" SSAA and SSATB

Singing Together in the Historic Tabernacle

3/15/2025

Carolyn Thompson Lee

Our mother created music wherever she went. She herself was a beautiful singer and a very talented all-round musician and pianist. Our house was always filled with music and singing --- many, many music lessons and rehearsals!

Carolyn Thompson Lee came from a very musical family with a long history of singing in the Tabernacle Choir. Her Welsh ancestors likely made up the first choirs to sing for General Conferences when the Pioneers first settled in the Salt Lake Valley. Those Welsh choral singers made up the basis of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir after the Tabernacle was built in 1867. (Records of choir members weren't officially kept until later.)

Her mother Lora Harmon Thompson sang in the Choir during the time of WWI. Just after WWII, Carolyn went to play for her brothers Sam and John to audition for the Choir. Even though she was pregnant, the brothers nudged her to sing, too. They were all invited to join the choir. Then, as soon as brother Bob got out of the army, he joined, as well. During the late 1950s-1960s, all four of them sang in the Tabernacle Choir together. My mother bragged about how her voice was the highest voice heard on their Gold Record recording of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" in 1959.

Benny, Betsy, Bobby, Barby, and baby Billy. (Bonnie came along later.)

Growing up with our mother meant that we were singing from practically the moment of birth. We learned to sing in parts early on. In fact, we got so accustomed to holding our own parts, that we fiercely demanded that nobody else got to sing "our notes." Mom eventually had to write in six-part harmony so that we could each have our own notes to sing.

But as grown-ups we never had the opportunity to sing together in choirs, aside from the occasional Family Shows we did. We lived so far apart from each other when we were raising our families. Nowadays, four of us siblings live in Utah County, but two brothers still live on the opposite coasts of America.

Last night was rather historic for us Lee Siblings when four of us plus Bob's wife Penny found ourselves singing together in the Historic Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. Bonnie and I had sung there many times as part of the Tabernacle Choir, but we had never sung there with Barbara, Bob and Penny.

Betsy Bailey, Penny Lee, Bob Lee, Bonnie Lee, Barbara Acheson

This year we all decided to sing in the Wasatch Master Chorale in Provo. We have been having a delightful time making music together in this community group. 2024-2025 is their 50th Anniversary season, so the Wasatch Chorale has been doing some big events. Our conductor is Allison Unsworth, wife of Andrew Unsworth, Tabernacle organist. So, it was only fitting that we perform the Durufle' "Requiem" with Andy playing the Tabernacle Organ. This particular Requiem is mostly an organ showpiece with ancillary parts for chorus. Pretty cool!

Such fun singing in the Tabernacle again and feeling our ancestors' presence with us in that historic place! (I hope the carved angel statues at the tops of the pipes were smiling down on us!)

Singing at the Drop of a Hat

8/3/2024

A small group of current and former members of the Tabernacle Choir gathered to sing for our friend's father's funeral on Friday. He died suddenly and our friend was in need of comfort and support. Most of us feel this kind of service as an important extended part of our calling as Tabernacle Choir members. Some singers who came had no real ties beyond being current or former choir members. They just recognized a need of one of our own. We'll always be family.

It is such an honor for us to sing together. The song we sang for the funeral was "It is Well with My Soul" arranged by Mack Wilberg. It speaks such comforting words and was perfect in this situation. The current choir members had it memorized and the former members were experienced sight-singers, so we were able to pull together a good performance with just a couple of times singing it through. It was so nice conducting a group that knew how to blend and were willing to sing different parts if necessary for balance.

I have also been the beneficiary of this "go to the aid" attitude. In 2011, I was given an assignment to write two special songs to be recorded and given to then President Dieter F. Uchtdorf in his Birthday gift basket from the Choir.

With barely any notice, 27 members of the Choir responded to come make a CD recording of "We are His Hands" SSA and "Forget Me Not, O Lord" SATB with texts taken from two famous Pres. Uchtdorf's talks.

Writing "Forget Me Not, O Lord" came quickly. I had been to the Women's Broadcast where it was delivered just a few days earlier, and already had some ideas of how to put his words to music. The German folktale Pres. Uchtdorf based his talk on was so very tender and poetic.

I felt that the song needed three verses. The first, sung by the sopranos, would be from the perspective of the tiny flower. The second, sung by the altos, would be from the perspective of a woman. And the third, sung by the men, would be from the perspective of our loving Heavenly Father. At the end, all of the individual parts would be sung together.

The wonderful singers from the Tabernacle Choir were delightfully skilled at sight-singing and blending! We spent just a few minutes learning the new song, and then recorded it. Oh, that every choir I directed had such beautiful voices and talented singers!

These words sum up how we should never forget each other, just as Heavenly Father and our Savior will never forget us.

Like the little flower, you think you are alone,
So lost and insignificant and slight.
Our Father knows your needs, each child is loved and known.
His precious children are the source of His delight.
You are known.
You are loved.
Though you at times may feel so small,
He'll ease your pains.
He'll dry your tears
And give you power to fill the measure of your being.

Sometimes we just need to drop everything and come to lend our voices to comfort and bless each other, especially one of our own.

Good Old Hymns and Songs

4/29/2024

This month one of my hymn arrangements was quite popular and sold many copies. It always surprises me when good old hymns and songs pop up as favorites. "If the Way Be Full of Trial, Weary Not" or just "Weary Not" was composed by John R. Sweney, a music professor in Pennsylvania in the late 1800's. He created tunes for texts from many lyricists such as W. H. Flaville, but most often Sweney collaborated with lyricist William J. Kirkpatrick. Together they wrote many hymns and gospel songs. Some have continued to be popular even today such as "The Lord Is My Light" and "There Is Sunshine in My Soul."

"If the Way Be Full of Trial, Weary Not" was included in early hymnbooks in many churches including the LDS Deseret Sunday School Songs of 1909. Funny how hymns have an ebb and flow of popularity over the years. I grew up through the 1950s-1960s and even though it was included in the children's songbook The Children Sing of 1951, I had never heard of it.

Not until Mack Wilberg did an arrangement for the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra on Temple Square to perform for the "Golden Days, 85th Birthday Celebration Concert" for President Thomas S. Monson in 2012 did it get a second life in LDS circles.

A few years ago, a friend requested that I do a solo arrangement of "Weary Not" for him to sing. So, obviously, I had to write SATB and SSA arrangements, too, for good measure. These arrangements are geared to be accessible for most 15-30 voice Ward and Stake choirs.

I have no idea if this hymn will be included once again in the new LDS Hymnal. I have heard that some other old hymns such as "Amazing Grace" and "Come Thou Fount" will be included again (after years of not being in an LDS Hymnal). I also heard that "His Eye Is On the Sparrow," another old gospel song that recently got the special "TabChoir Mack Wilberg touch," will be included in the new hymnal.

The trouble is that Ward and Stake Choirs just want to sing the Mack Wilberg arrangements --- that really don't work very well for 15-20 voices without a full orchestra. Nor do I know of any Ward or Stake Choirs that even have full orchestras. Too bad.

Concerts in Historic Venues

4/25/2024

When I was a little girl, and the oldest daughter, granddaughter and niece in my family (plus the only girl amidst a bunch of brothers and boy cousins), I was treated to a lot of privileges. One activity I loved was going with my mother and her sisters to a lot of their performances. I guess they could trust me to sit very quietly and watch. Sometimes I was in the audience, but often I just went with them and watched from offstage by the curtain. They performed in some, what seemed to me, glamorous venues. Sometimes I got to meet the VIP's who were also there in the audience. I felt so lucky.

Occasionally, they had me perform with them. That was even better!

When my children were young, some of them came with me to performances (out of necessity). I preferred to get babysitters. Then, when they got older, they often performed on the same shows as me, or I was supporting them in their performances. We played in some very nice concert halls, but mostly we did shows at schools and churches. Not nearly the fancy venues my mom and aunts took me to.

Granddaughters #9 and #1 on Temple Square

As a Grandmother, and not doing the performing as much any more, I have determined to take my grandchildren to see some performances in professional concert halls and theaters. I confess it is easier to go with my daughter's families. I was able to take one daughter and 5 granddaughters to see "Wicked" on Broadway a couple of years ago. I've gone with another daughter's family on a Disney cruise and to see several Broadway style shows at an upscale theater in SLC. I try to go see another daughter's children when they perform in that beautiful concert hall in Olympia, WA. And my youngest daughter's children are very young still, yet we go together to support "mom" in her many concerts. My son's families have many school band, choir, and sports activities that I try to support. But I haven't been able to take them with me to any big events or historic venues yet.

Lyla and Makayla at the Conference Center in SLC

So, I am concentrating right now on the grandchildren who may not have had many opportunities. Last Sunday I took two granddaughters (from different families) with me to my sister's retirement from the Tabernacle Choir. Lyla, age 11, had never been to Temple Square before. It was such a pleasure to be able to tell her stories from the years I served in the Tabernacle Choir and to have her hear in person Music and the Spoken Word plus tour inside the Conference Center. She is a budding singer and was enthralled with hearing the choir sing in person and seeing up close and learning about the historic buildings. I am so glad we were able to go together!

Sister Bonnie and nephew Randy at Music and the Spoken Word April 21, 2024

The Music of Betsy Lee Bailey copyright 2020