Carnegie Hall
I'm all a buzz tonight. We just finished the first of two concerts at Carnegie Hall and I'm reeling from excitement. What was it like? There are no words.
It was a dream come true for me. I feel like I won the lottery.
I was emotional. Whenever we are singing "Come, Come Ye Saints" I just think of my grandparents and my parents. Good, solid, hard working people who sacrificed everything they knew to move to the United States and be close to the church and Prophet. Their own gathering to Zion. I know they would have no thought that their own son and grandson would be here and singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I'm here because they came before me. I'll always be grateful to them for their decision to join the church and to do whatever the Lord asked.
When I first arrived I just sat in the Hall and soaked up the beauty of that space. Some of the greatest musicians in the world have performed in this space and to think I was here, in this historic place to perform music.
I looked up on stage and noticed Mack Wilberg getting ready for rehearsal. I just had such a great feeling of gratitude to him. He brought us here. All of us. From humble beginnings to here. Who would have thought a kid from a small Utah town would end up here? It goes to show how the Lord works and who he puts in place to carry out his work.
We rehearsed, returned to the hotel, changed into our tuxes, had dinner then walked back to Carnegie Hall.
I was seated right behind Craig Decker. He is a fellow bass singer. He was also my Jr. High Band Teacher and we sing together. I wrote about him not too long ago. I thought of all the amazing coincidences (if you want to call it that) and the amazing people in my life. Who would imagine that a Jr. High Student would eventually sing with their Teacher in a choir in Carnegie Hall decades after they had originally met?
The crowd was so receptive.
One of the highlights of the evening was performing "Requiem Aeternam" in that room. Mack Wilberg stated that the first time he heard this work (he composed it) was in that very room. It was commissioned by Carnegie Hall and performed by High School students. Now, all these years later, we were performing it under his own baton. Such a neat experience. I had the chance to sing it also last year in choir school so I have always loved the music. I wish we could sing, "Let Peace Then Fill The Strife" as I really love that song.
We walked back after the concert and the streets were a buzz but we were a buzz as well from all the excitement.
I just want to remember that tonight I feel like anything and everything is possible. I want to also remember that it doesn't matter where you are born on this earth, the Lord will and can bless you to bless others, just like Mack Wilberg has blessed all our lives and has brought us here. I feel so blessed.
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| Carnegie Hall in Midtown Manhatten. Learn more about this historic place HERE. |
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| Isaac Stern Auditorium |
It was a dream come true for me. I feel like I won the lottery.
I was emotional. Whenever we are singing "Come, Come Ye Saints" I just think of my grandparents and my parents. Good, solid, hard working people who sacrificed everything they knew to move to the United States and be close to the church and Prophet. Their own gathering to Zion. I know they would have no thought that their own son and grandson would be here and singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I'm here because they came before me. I'll always be grateful to them for their decision to join the church and to do whatever the Lord asked.
When I first arrived I just sat in the Hall and soaked up the beauty of that space. Some of the greatest musicians in the world have performed in this space and to think I was here, in this historic place to perform music.
I looked up on stage and noticed Mack Wilberg getting ready for rehearsal. I just had such a great feeling of gratitude to him. He brought us here. All of us. From humble beginnings to here. Who would have thought a kid from a small Utah town would end up here? It goes to show how the Lord works and who he puts in place to carry out his work.
We rehearsed, returned to the hotel, changed into our tuxes, had dinner then walked back to Carnegie Hall.
 |
| Craig Decker and Me. Craig was my former Jr. High Band Teacher and now, decades later, we both sing in the Mormon Tabernacle together. We have reached Carnegie Hall. Amazing. |
The crowd was so receptive.
One of the highlights of the evening was performing "Requiem Aeternam" in that room. Mack Wilberg stated that the first time he heard this work (he composed it) was in that very room. It was commissioned by Carnegie Hall and performed by High School students. Now, all these years later, we were performing it under his own baton. Such a neat experience. I had the chance to sing it also last year in choir school so I have always loved the music. I wish we could sing, "Let Peace Then Fill The Strife" as I really love that song.
We walked back after the concert and the streets were a buzz but we were a buzz as well from all the excitement.
I just want to remember that tonight I feel like anything and everything is possible. I want to also remember that it doesn't matter where you are born on this earth, the Lord will and can bless you to bless others, just like Mack Wilberg has blessed all our lives and has brought us here. I feel so blessed.
