Tis the Season to be Singing
This week is the Christmas Concert week and someone estimated that we (choir members) will spend an average of about 40+ hours involved in it.
Yes. You want to know the commitment requirement for the choir? It's understanding that we have weeks just like this and while it seems like a lot of time it flies by so fast.
We finished the First Presidency devotional last night. I received many messages from people who enjoyed the music of the devotional. I enjoyed it too! But they heard only the songs. Little did they know we had already performed a Music and the Spoken Word broadcast that morning and had rehearsals throughout the day. The First Presidency devotional Sunday is the longest day for the choir in the year. It's very similar to General Conference Sundays in that we are there for the entire day.
As delightful as it is for the listener to enjoy Christmas music for roughly 30 days of the year for choral ensembles preparation for Christmas can begin as early as July. Yes, months earlier.
For those of us in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir preparations for Christmas begin at various times. I know Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy and the staff work on Christmas at least a year in advance. A whole year. Wow.
For the costumers it begins in the Spring and Summer months according to my friend, Sue. (She does the costuming for the motab Christmas concerts.)
For choir members, it begins in mid to late October or after General Conference.
Surprisingly, you should know that we do not practice a lot. We do practice but we are also required to take music home and practice it on our own.
This week typically begins on Tuesday evening where we have mandatory rehearsals and then we begin performing in front of people on Thursday, Friday with a recording session on Saturday and then a concert with Music and the Spoken Word on Sunday morning with some additional music presented afterwards. It's a busy, busy time.
Still, I would not want to have it any other way. It's one of my favorite times of year!
