Vision

Maybe my best choir experience was in Primary as a child. I cried as we sang “Did Jesus really live again? Yes! And so will I!” I liked the jazzy rhythm of “I love you, and you love me”. It didn’t matter whether we ever performed the pieces for anyone: the purifying power of the music was that I was finding my testimony. I suppose that I memorized the words because I couldn’t be trusted to be able to read them under pressure, but the result was that I could go home and sing them by myself. Primary music (and other music since) has became a strong spiritual reserve for me.

I want our choir to be similar in many ways. I would like it to happen predictably: every Sunday, if at all possible, so people can plan on it and schedule it in, no matter what else is happening. I would like it to be more of a worship service and less of a rehearsal (i.e. little to no focus on performance), less technical (I want people to focus on the spiritual impressions they received while singing rather than “Dang! I missed that note/entrance!”) and more open to anyone and everyone in the ward. I want this to be a family activity, a continuation of singing time for those graduated from Primary, and a strengthening experience for converts who never had the chance to participate in Primary. I will be looking for ways to improve participation from everyone because I want more people to have the soul-enlarging experience of singing their testimonies. I will also be looking for creative ways (more like Primary) to teach the music.