I Went from Sunbeams to Choir Director!! OH NO!!!

When I was a little girl, my grandmother was in our ward.  I remember sitting by her in church.  As she sung the hymns she would point to the alto line and have me sing along with her.  It is my first memory of singing.

I've always loved to sing.  I sang while my dad played the piano.  I loved to belt out "Won't you come Home Bill Bailey," or "Show Me the Way to Go Home."  I sang in the church choir from the time I was twelve and always in school choirs.  When I was fifteen I was the youngest member of the Mormon Youth Choir.  

.  As I've said,  I've always loved singing.  

When we moved to this ward 36 years ago I immediately joined the choir. 

 It has been a blessing in my life.  This ward has the best ward choir around!  So many talented musicians living so close to one another.  

What a blessing.

I love to sing, but am not a great musician.  I never was good at timing.  I've always had to sit next to my neighbor, Betty, so I could follow her and get my notes right.  

And I hate to be in front of people.  I like to be in the back. 

 (I'm short, so it's easy to get lost among the taller choir members.)

Singing in the choir is my joy.

Not standing in FRONT!!!!

After teaching five little boys in my Sunbeam class I didn't think I would find 

a calling more challenging ..

But my new calling is much more challenging, terrifying, headache giving than any five boys in any Sunbeam class could ever be!!!  

I am now the Choir Director in our Ward. 

Nothing prepared me for this!  

I felt that I could do most callings in the church with my eyes closed.  

Well, I certainly can't close my eyes in this calling..except when I'm praying, which will be all the time now.  

The one thing I am sure of.  Heavenly Father is there for us when we are serving Him.  

(I'm counting on it!)

DeSpain Family 2013 What a Wonderful World

To my family. Thanks for a wonderful year.  You have Blessed my life.
Love, your mom and grama

Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

One of my all time favorites!  So happy when I heard the choir sing this again this morning on the broadcast.  Beautiful when the bagpipes begin the song.  

Peter Paul & Mary - If I Had Wings

Just happened to be listening to this song.  One of my favorite Peter, Paul and Mary songs.

My Goals - Learn a new Talent every 30 years

When I was in my teens I took singing lessons. 

 I worked hard, had an extremely good teacher and enjoyed singing. 

 At the age of thirty I decided I needed to learn something new.

  I am extremely untalented when it comes to the arts, so I decided to stretch myself and took up painting. 

 This was very difficult for me, but I practiced and practiced and proved to myself that with enough practice you could get fairly good at anything. 

Well, another thirty years have passed and I've decided it's time to learn something else..

I've taken up the harmonica!

My first lesson was today. 

 It was actually quite fun, so I think I'll go back and hopefully with a little bit of practice I might be able to play a song or two.

 ( I wonder what I'll come up with when I turn 90 !  It seems I'm on a thirty year learning curve.)

An Evening with James Taylor

I've been looking forward to this concert all summer.

  I've seen my friend, James sing every time he's made his way to SLC. 

 I listen to him in my car, when I'm cleaning or relaxing. 

You could say, I'm a fan since way back. 

 As crazy as it sounds,

I'm even a member of his Fan Club!!! 

 

I'm a groupie!

 

Being a member paid off last night.  

 When Jim and I got to the door our tickets showed at the conference center,

 the host exclaimed, "who do you know.. you have great seats!" 

We were kind of stunned wondering what she was talking about,

 but just kept following along as we were guided closer and closer to our

reserved seats..right down in front and in the center! 

We were shocked! 

We were told it was because we got our tickets through the James Taylor Fan Club which I had gone through!   

 The evening only got better as the Utah Symphony and the Tabernacle Choir opened the evening with several fabulous musical selections.

 

I always love hearing the choir sing "When the Saints go Marchin In." 

 I love John Rutter's arrangement. 

 It could only be made better if Dad was sitting next to me to enjoy it as well. 

(Maybe he was). 

 

James Taylor's selections were perfect. 

Loved every song he sang, but when he sang "Shed a Little Light"  with the choir as his back up,

 I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.

  Of course his last song with the choir and symphony "Shower the People" was  unreal, 

 but then, as he sang "Sweet Baby James" for his encore, the evening was made perfect.

 

The sound in the Concert Center is so beautiful.

  Everything about the evening was just what I'd hoped for. 

 A lovely way to end the summer. 

 Thanks James!

Christmas Bells are Ringing!

Early Saturday morning before Christmas the Choir always practices. 

Just to make sure we remember our songs for Church the next day.

It is so nice just to go and see my friends, who love music, love one another and love singing praises to our Savior. 

There's always something to laugh at, or some song that makes everybody cry...

 (either from the message or how badly we sing it!)

We have so many talented people. Several who play the flute, soloists.

 A bell choir, and Pat, who has kept the music in our ward alive for over thirty five years.

 She's amazing.

We hope the angels will sing with us tomorrow. 

 (They have on many occasions, you know.) 

Merry Christmas

Marie Bagley

My Aunt Marie passed away yesterday leaving a legacy of music, love, laughter and joy.  She was my dad's sister, growing up during the depression and World War II.  Never having children of her own, my sisters, brother and all our cousins became her children.  She knew us all well, because she was interested in all our lives and loved us all so much.  I became close to Marie through our shared love of music.  Marie had a beautiful contralto voice.  She sang in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for over twenty years.  When I was twelve, she became my singing teacher.  Each week I would go to her home, where she shared her knowledge and love of music with me.  This went on until I turned sixteen, when she passed me on to another teacher.  The knowledge of music given to me has served me well throughout my life, but the love and passion she felt for music was her most precious gift to me.  That is something I will always be grateful to her for.  The other night, when she could not speak, I sang a few of our old songs.  She actually joined in and harmonized as well.  I was swept away to my grandparents backyard.  It was a summer evening, years ago..the family was gathered,  we were all singing under the stars, Marie's lovely voice, laughter, love....  

because God made you, that's why I love you. 

Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends

I went with my friends to see the Sally Bytheway chorale Saturday night.  Again this fabulous choir did not disappoint.  The choice of music was perfect.  I have always loved "Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends" arranged by Mack Wilberg.  Their performance of this particular song was stunning.  I can't think of a better way to spend a summer evening.

 
Thou gracious God, whose mercy lends
the light of home, the smile of friends
our gathered flock thine arms enfold
as in the peaceful days of old.
Wilt thou not hear us while we raise
in sweet accord of solemn praise
the voices that have mingled long
in joyous flow of mirth and song?

For all the blessings life has brought,
for all its sorrowing hours have taught,
for all we mourn, for all we keep,
the hands we clasp, the loved that sleep.
The noontide sunshine of the past,
these brief, bright moments fading fast,
the stars that gild our darkening years,
the twilight ray from holier spheres.

We thank thee, Father; let thy grace
our loving circle still embrace,
thy mercy shed its heavenly store,
thy peace be with us evermore.

Hymn of Hope

On Easter Sunday our choir sang some beautiful songs.  Our choir loves to sing together.  We might not be as young as we once were, but we still enjoy the messages and melodies we learn as a choir.  One particular song really touched me this year.  The title was "Hymn of Hope."  The words decribe just how I feel about the Savior and the Easter message.

"Jesus who was scorned, forsaken, smitten, wounded, crucified,
We, with love and trust unshaken, Take Thee as our Hope and Guide.

Watchful Shepherd, mighty Savior; Tender Healer, ever near.
King of kings, by whose free favor we o'er-come each foe and fear.

We are pilgrims, lone and stranger, And we need Thy constant care,
Till we pass earth's toils and dangers, And Thy final triumph share."

As I see the world come alive this spring I am again reminded of all that I have been blessed with.  Because of what the Savior did personally for me I have a feeling of peace and hope.

SALLY BYTHEWAY CHORALE - DON'T MISS IT!

Just got back from a great concert!

I've got a group of friends in this chorale, led by my friend Sally. 

They are unreal.  If you want to have a great evening go to one of their concerts.

Saturday May 21 - 7:30 at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, or The Waterford Concert Hall, Tuesday May 24 - 7:30. 

All the music is wonderful, but it would be worth going just to hear them sing "When the Saints go Marching In".  Dad would have loved it, so I hope he was listening tonight. 

Just a Little Choir

Our ward choir has something of a reputation. We have been together over 30 years. I would say mostly because of the love and dedication of our pianist, Pat. She can play anything you put in front of her and she has such a feeling for picking out beautiful music for us to sing. But it is more than that. It is her heart. Her love of music and the people she serves. That comes through as she plays, as we practice, as we sing. Because of her we want to sing. We want to bring people joy through music. Our little choir has seen better days. We don't have as many tenors as we used to. But the few that are remaining sing with great heart. Some of our voices aren't as strong as they once were, and we might not be able to hold out our notes like we once did. But we continue to serve through our love of music and touch lives as our little choir has always been able to do.

Betty is our choir leader. She continues to encourage us to look up from our music, so that we will all end at the same time. We can't see as well as we once did and sometimes it is difficult to see words, music and conductor while trying to get used to tri or bifocals. Even as hearing goes, we don't hit those notes quite on pitch, which is why I stand next to another Betty who has perfect pitch. I will follow her forever. I've been singing next to her since we began, 34 years ago, and I'll sing next to her until she sings no longer and then I too will no longer sing.

It is interesting to me, that with the many negative things happening in this world today. Just taking the time this weekend to sing a few Christmas songs with these lovely people, who are simple, sweet, kind and good, warms my heart.

Makes me realize that Christmas is about the Savior who was and is simple, sweet, kind and good.

Merry Christmas my wonderful ward choir.