58 Alumni from BYU’s Auditioned Choirs Rehearsed, Toured and Performed at the Rome Temple Visitors’ Center Chapel and Other Historical Italian Venues
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BYU choirs alumni wanting to reconnect with BYU and share their vocal talents had the opportunity to tour Italy as a choir with professors Andrew Crane and Brent Wells. All alumni who had performed in BYU auditioned choirs — BYU Singers, Men’s Chorus, Women’s Chorus and Concert Choir — were allowed to apply. Hundreds of alumni submitted applications; Crane and Wells narrowed the group down to 58 members, trying to maintain a relatively even spread across the musical spectrum (soprano, alto, etc.). Choir members ranged from 2024 graduates to alumni who graduated in the 1970s and 80s and were from BYU choirs directed by Ralph Woodward, Ronald Staheli, Mack Wilberg, Rosalind Hall, Jean Applonie, Sonja Poulter, Wells, Crane and others.
The choir performed at Italian venues including the Rome Temple Visitors’ Center chapel. The audiences were made up of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, nonmembers, musical professionals, alumni, missionaries and local patrons. Elder LeGrand Curtis, director of the Rome Italy Visitors’ Center, spoke on the impact the concert had on members and nonmembers alike. “The impact [the] performance had on missionary work here was tremendous,” he said. “The missionaries brought many people who they were already teaching. They reported that those friends were struck by the spirit that they felt during the concert. In addition, many people who came to hear the choir were on our property for the first time.” He added, “Many long-time members who have admired the BYU performing groups from afar never thought they would have the chance to hear BYU performers in person. They were struck with spiritual awe when they actually got to hear [the] Alumni Choir.”
Rachel Cox, a vocal performance and BYU Singers alum echoed the sentiments of Elder Curtis that the BYU choral tours are impactful for both members and nonmembers. She said that the music and the spirit felt in the concerts transcends language barriers and cultural differences. “I would see on people’s faces the gratitude and connection that was felt,” she said. “There is a community for audience members and performers of united belief. We are a worldwide church — united and strong together even though there are differences.”
The group first rehearsed after they arrived in Italy, and Crane attributes the joyous spirit of the concerts to the unique atmosphere provided by the School of Music. He said, “There is something about the BYU choir experience, even on a small scale like this, that still transmits to audiences.”
Wells said that participating in a BYU Choir is a unique experience. “There is both a musical excellence component and a spiritual component [in BYU choirs],” he said. “There is a difference between singing a solo and singing with a choir. I think people appreciate the idea of the shared purpose, the shared vision and the opportunity to unify and create something as a collective.”
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Having toured with BYU Singers during her time at BYU, Cox knew she could expect this alumni tour to be spiritually uplifting and inspiring. “I am grateful that there are opportunities like this for students and alumni because these experiences continue to shape who I am and who I want to be.” She said that the spiritual and musical components of the tour “filled her cup” and left her “recharged to go back into [her] own sphere and be better.”
When choosing what music the choir would perform, Crane and Wells tried to keep both the singers and the audience members in mind. “We were quite purposeful in selecting literature,” Crane said. “We wanted to do some pieces that were specific to the BYU experience. We have also found that as an American choir going to a foreign country, the audiences like to hear American music styles so we sang some American folk pieces.”
Cox said that the most inspiring moment of the tour for her was singing as a choir in the atrium of the Rome Temple Visitors’ Center, where there are statues of Christ and the original 12 apostles. They sang “Pilgrims Song” which has the line “I’m going to live forever.” Cox said, “It was a special experience to stand surrounded by some of the best men to ever live with the view of the temple. The same spirit was there that I’d felt in other BYU Singers performances. There were a lot of tears, from myself and others.”
The Alumni Choir was first organized in 2019, with a trip to London. Crane hopes that they can continue to provide alumni touring opportunities every few years. Crane and Wells carefully choose locations that hold musical and historical significance. Many of the alumni did not have the chance to travel with their performing groups while they were students, so the Alumni Choir is an opportunity to tour and share their talents abroad.
For Cox, BYU tours are a way to “open our eyes and broaden our vision.” She said that traveling internationally has helped her understand humanity and her place in the world better. “On the Alumni Choir tour I felt a gratitude for creation, for the people of the world and for humanity at large,” she said. “I feel happier about being part of the human race when I see the beauty and differences of other people and realize that, even with those differences, we are all children of God.”