At the young age of eleven Clay Christiansen was an organist for the congregation of the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. By age thirteen he was taking lessons from J. J. Keeler, the talented and passionate musician who helped establish the organ program at Brigham Young University. Years later, Christiansen would graduate with a bachelors degree from BYU and masters and Ph.D. in Music Composition from the University of Utah.

Christiansen became a Tabernacle organist in 1982. He has accompanied the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square on countless occasions, including on tour and during general conferences. 

“There is something about the sound that attracts,” Christiansen said in an interview with Church News. “I think it’s because it tugs at the heartstrings. There is a unity in beautiful harmony that I think reminds us of the harmony of heaven, from where we all came—our heavenly home. Music reminds us of home, I think.”

In the video above, Christiansen explains the design of the Tabernacle organ and the many sounds it produces.

Read more about Clay Christiansen.