At the end of each concert on tour (at least the ones I was part of), the Tabernacle Choir's audiences were given a choice of encore numbers. They were asked to vote by text. Almost uniformly, "Climb Every Mountain" was chosen for the encore number. I could only guess that our audiences loved the universal message of that song. We would all go out of the performance filled with HOPE.
In the early 1960's, I remember seeing a short movie about the Von Trapp Family Singers. It was more like a Newsreel production shown before the main movie in the theater, and yet, even as a child, I felt quite a connection to their story. They were a singing family, and so was mine. My mother had us singing all over the place, any time.
I knew about the Broadway Musical "The Sound of Music" popular from 1960. My mother made sure we sang some of the songs. But then in 1965, a friend of my Aunt Dot's was directing a stage production of "The Sound of Music" while we were visiting Provo for the summer. My mother marched me over to audition. I got the part of Marta, the 7 year old. I was actually 9 that summer, but that didn't seem to matter. My mother and my aunt were cast as nuns.
In the early 1960's, I remember seeing a short movie about the Von Trapp Family Singers. It was more like a Newsreel production shown before the main movie in the theater, and yet, even as a child, I felt quite a connection to their story. They were a singing family, and so was mine. My mother had us singing all over the place, any time.
I knew about the Broadway Musical "The Sound of Music" popular from 1960. My mother made sure we sang some of the songs. But then in 1965, a friend of my Aunt Dot's was directing a stage production of "The Sound of Music" while we were visiting Provo for the summer. My mother marched me over to audition. I got the part of Marta, the 7 year old. I was actually 9 that summer, but that didn't seem to matter. My mother and my aunt were cast as nuns.
Also that summer, the movie "The Sound of Music" opened in theaters all across the country. We went to see the movie during the time were were in rehearsals. What a difference that made to our show. We only wished we could do the scene with the puppets! We also wished we could sing "Do Re Mi" with the background of places in Salzburg, Austria. What a thrill it was to sing all of that glorious music and have a great experience. I still remember the final scene where we climbed up the fake mountain singing "Climb Every Mountain." That song always gave me the feeling of HOPE.
In 2019, my sisters took me on a European trip. We visited Salzburg and took the "Sound of Music" tour. We sang all the way. Such fun! Oh how everyone needs HOPE in this world. I am glad for my religious convictions, but also grateful for inspiring stories and songs that help us face each day with courage and HOPE. May we have courage to face life's challenges and climb every mountain until we find our dream.
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