The ReDedication Choir

I wrote earlier about the opportunity to sing in the Jordan River Temple re-dedication choir. Let me give you a wrap up.

These were the members: Jan Svedin Director Klint Day Organist Ann Frampton David Pulsipher Evelyn Cann (made us the Handkercheifs) Heidi Christensen Jared Plouzek Jay Trujillo Tenor Jonathan Lofgren Kyle Pehrson Tenor Laurel Mills Lori Crosgrove Marilyn Namwill Mark Brousseau Tenor (from my Stake) Maura Chilcott Rob Gardner Shawn Cosgrove Stephanie Shoemaker (Pretty sure she sang the obligato on Beautiful Savior) Susan Fazio (ditto with the obligato) Susan Kay Tim Adair Tenor.

 Although the rehearsals encroached on Sunday family dinner time for the six weeks preceding and we were required to memorize the music starting with easiest number only two weeks in, It was obvious early on that we had a special group. Sister Svedin rewarded our dilligence in learning the music by usually only keeping us for about an hour.

The sound right from the start was very good. And as our confidence and familiarity grew with the music and with each other it fell even better into place and sounded good and we could produce a lot of volume. Sounding more like a choir of 60 than one of 20. No doubt we had angelic assistance both in rehearsing and in the performance.

President Burton did an amazing and thorough job with the open house and re-dedication activities. Really Herculean.

Lenore and I went to the open house on three different occasions; with Heather Bullock and her kids, also with the Callie and Jeff Schipper, and the Nimmagaddas. It was all very spiritual and nice and fun. With the Nimmagaddas, the elders came with us, includind a new to our area guy from Guyana who is of Indian descent (Elder Narine) and was previously Hindu.

With both the Schippers and the Nimmagaddas we also went to dinner afterward, very enjoyable. And the Nimmagaddas took us to see their Hindu Temple also afterward. It's only about 3/4 mile due east of the Jordan River Temple.

Back to the choir. President Burton told us he could get us each an extra ticket to be in the temple for the re-dedication. As it turned out Ailsa and Jensen came into town to participate and I was able to get tickets for all of the family plus Ailsa's friend Stephanie. Ameer also had a ticket and came with them. 

Lenore was able to come to the dress rehearsal. And I was surprised to see someone in the Celestial room dressed very nicely. But, in a pantsuit. Then it dawned on me that even a non-member could go to the dress rehearsal since the Temple wasn't dedicated.

The re-dedication was presided over by President Eyring and Elder Christopherson.

During the meeting we were seated in the veil area and only went into the Celestial room for our numbers and stayed for the closing prayer after the Hosanna Anthem.

When we sang, it was glorious. I had really fretted about getting into vocal shape and fending off colds. I even had Ameer give me a blessing the week before with Clip Palmer and their Stake Patriarch who lives next door. But, when it came down to it, I'm not sure I could have asked to do better. I REALLY loved the arrangment of Now Let Us Rejoice that we sang. And what an appropriate Hymn for this dedication. The other number that I haven't mentioned was Jesus Once of Humble Birth, Hymnplicity style.

During all of our practices I was on the back row a couple of places off of center. Once we got into the Celestial Room for the dress rehearsal, we realized that wasn't going to work well for the aesthetic. I was quickly switched to dead center. There was some other shifting as well. Interestingly, it affected our sound for the first couple of minutes until we got used to the new formation. Perhaps only singers will understand.

They wanted us off and on (out of the Celestial Room, back to our places in the veil area) as quickly as possible. The exit door was right behind me. So I made it a point to turn and step out right after the end of each hymn (ala the Wonders, unplug and walk off the stage.) During the dress rehearsal Sister Burton was "manning" the door and I nearly trampled her.

Having ended up middle back row, as should be expected, right behind the rostrum, the main camera was pointed at me (from the other end of the room.) Later that evening at Gram's Angie Keifer texted that she had seen me and then Peggy Davis posted about it on Facebook. Others have mentioned it now too. It's interesting to wonder who of my friends and acquaintances saw me and noticed or not.

It really was a super experience and super spiritual. All of the choir members were great and similar feelings about our participation. Maybe not quite Kirtland Temple dedication level, but close.