Written by: Alison Barton, Mormon Tabernacle Choir Member

I know other Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square musicians will resoundingly echo me when I say that one of the special blessings of participating with this great organization is sharing our music in person across the country and the world. Whether it’s in another country or just an hour away from our home base in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, for me, there’s something quite humbling and special about physically being right there with our audiences in their hometowns, experiencing beautiful musical moments together.

We’ve been eagerly anticipating this 2018 Classic Coast Tour since its initial announcement nearly a year ago. As the departure date drew closer and closer, the Choir and Orchestra members grew more and more excited. That excitement increased once we started really focusing on the music memorization and polishing of the entire concert repertoire.

The 18th of June, 2018, came at long last, and the Choir and Orchestra members began traveling to Southern California. We were all happily abuzz as we boarded the aircraft, flew through the sky, and eventually landed in Los Angeles, where we made our way to our hotel by bus. For those in the Choir on the earlier flights, it was a day of exploring local surroundings. Additional groups of Choir and Orchestra members arrived throughout the day on subsequent flights. Though let’s be honest, more than a few of us seemed to “hit a wall” a number of different times throughout the afternoon and evening due to being simply too excited to sleep in our beds at home the night before. I will admit I was one of them!

This will be my third tour with the Choir and Orchestra. Time and time again I have observed firsthand just how much wholehearted effort it takes to make each tour an amazing success. Tours don’t happen without days and months—even years—of planning. Everyone has to work diligently to do their part—the musicians who must spend their time at home to learn and perfect the music, the directors who must select and guide the performance, the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes, the organization’s leaders who have worked for literally years to coordinate the tour’s ins and outs that flow like clockwork.

Day one on the 2018 Classic Coast Tour is officially done, and there’s seven concerts ahead. I can’t wait to see how the rest of this adventure will unfold!