As a Ward or Stake Choir Director, I have been very fortunate. Through the years, my family was very supportive. So if I needed to do a special Ward Choir number or provide a Youth Chorus for Stake Conference, I simply convinced my family to come sing and we were halfway there. That's the blessing of having a big family who enjoyed singing together. They could anchor the sections allowing us to sing in three or four parts easily.
Now I am at a different stage of life. I am definitely an empty nester. And I am not currently serving as a Ward or Stake Choir Director. However, I still get asked a lot about music I have used for Choirs of all types, especially for a Youth Chorus for Stake Conference. I have filing cabinets full of music I could recommend, but I will limit this to a couple of pieces I was inspired to write.
Sometimes the instruction from leadership about what to sing for a certain meeting is very specific. And I have often been frustrated looking for just the right piece to fit our needs, and not finding it. Then, at the most inopportune times when I'd be out chauffeuring kids around or while waiting in the parking lot to pick up kids from activities, that's when I would get a bit of inspiration. At that point, the challenge was to get home and write out the new song or arrangement before I lost that train of thought.
Here are two examples of pieces that came through a combination of desperation and inspiration. They are in completely different musical styles, as well.
"Come We That Love the Lord" was written for a Youth Chorus for Stake Conference. The lady who was going to accompany us on the organ really only liked Baroque music. She could play hymns from the hymnal and she could play pieces heavily influenced by J. S. Bach, but she didn't play anything else. So, I wrote this arrangement with that in mind. She was happy, the kids were happy, and so was the Stake President. All was well. Besides, I got so many comments from people saying how much they loved the music.
Sometimes the instruction from leadership about what to sing for a certain meeting is very specific. And I have often been frustrated looking for just the right piece to fit our needs, and not finding it. Then, at the most inopportune times when I'd be out chauffeuring kids around or while waiting in the parking lot to pick up kids from activities, that's when I would get a bit of inspiration. At that point, the challenge was to get home and write out the new song or arrangement before I lost that train of thought.
Here are two examples of pieces that came through a combination of desperation and inspiration. They are in completely different musical styles, as well.
"Come We That Love the Lord" was written for a Youth Chorus for Stake Conference. The lady who was going to accompany us on the organ really only liked Baroque music. She could play hymns from the hymnal and she could play pieces heavily influenced by J. S. Bach, but she didn't play anything else. So, I wrote this arrangement with that in mind. She was happy, the kids were happy, and so was the Stake President. All was well. Besides, I got so many comments from people saying how much they loved the music.
"By Small and Simple Things" was inspired by seeing a beautiful plaque of Alma 37:6 done in calligraphy. I don't know why I felt so prodded to write a piece on that scripture. There have been so many songs written on that text. But, I had the inspiration, so I began to write. The music is definitely in a more modern style and complicated with some layered melodic ideas. And yet, to this day, whenever I hear this scripture quoted, I immediately think of the lines I was given to provide counterpoint to the main idea:
"As many strokes create a portrait, so our lives reflect the Lord.
Every time I read the holy scriptures, I feel the goodness of His word.
And every day I'll wear the armor that befits a son of God.
By small and simple things are great things, are great things,
Are great things brought to pass."
"As many strokes create a portrait, so our lives reflect the Lord.
Every time I read the holy scriptures, I feel the goodness of His word.
And every day I'll wear the armor that befits a son of God.
By small and simple things are great things, are great things,
Are great things brought to pass."
RSS Feed