Whether you know it or not, musical arrangements are a very important part of the music we consume every day. An arrangement is a new approach to an existing musical piece. When an artist records a cover song, it is almost always a new arrangement, which sometimes outperforms the original. “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston became one of the best-selling singles of all time. Most people thought the 1992 hit was her own song, but Dolly Parton composed it as a country song in 1973. Aretha Franklin’s version of Otis Redding’s “Respect” is the go-to version for any American Idol singer looking to wow the audience.

Sam Cardon is a composer and arranger credited with music in many feature films, including Meet the Mormons, The Work and the Glory series, and Lewis and Clark: Great Journey West, to name a few. In total he has composed the music for more than 60 films. In addition to film, he has composed music for television and recording artists.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has performed many of Cardon’s arrangements throughout the years. Recently, guest artist Santino Fontana performed a “Happy” medley during the 2014 Pioneer Day concert. The piece was co-arranged by Cardon and Bob Stillman. The medley included Broadway and popular music and featured Pharrell Williams “Happy” from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. Check out these nine Choir videos featuring music arranged by Sam Cardon.