Imagine yourself walking down the street in New York City with the usual sights, smells, and sounds, when suddenly someone in a maroon dress walks by. No big deal because if you’ve spent any time in the City, you’ve seen pretty much everything. Suddenly another person and another and another walk by with the same dress. Now you’re also seeing men in black suits and bow ties, followed by men and women dressed in black carrying instruments. “What’s going on?” you ask.

It’s the entire Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square on their way to—where else?—Carnegie Hall. As the Choir and Orchestra walked up 7th Avenue, glances from curious onlookers were a given. A policewoman on horseback pulled alongside Choir members and asked, “Why are you all dressed the same?” When one of the group members said, “Mormon Tabernacle Choir—we’re going to sing at Carnegie Hall,” the officer replied, “Oh, OK, very nice. Enjoy guys!”

People gathered in groups to look, take pictures and video, and find out all they could about who was walking by them. A news crew from Salt Lake City interviewed some of the group members in Times Square while tourists and locals looked on.

The July 1 and 2 concerts were an amazing success, and the Choir sounded as tight as could be. The audience cheered at all the right moments and remained quiet during the moments that were meant for silence. The Choir and Orchestra received several standing ovations throughout the concert run. Alex Boyé’s signature dance moves and soulful singing earned him a standing ovation as well as he performed “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me” and “I’m Runnin’ On.” The concerts ended with New York’s Senator Chuck Schumer standing in as guest conductor the first night and Santino Fontana the second night, both leading the Choir and Orchestra in “This Land Is Your Land.”

Join us on the road! Here is a complete list of tour dates for the Choir’s 2015 Atlantic Coast Tour:

Bethesda, Maryland, on June 25»

Bethel Woods, New York, on June 27»

Saratoga Springs, New York, on June 29»

Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall on July 1»

Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall on July 2»

Yankee Stadium on July 3»

Boston, Massachusetts, on July 6»