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BRUSSELS — The Mormon Tabernacle Choir swept across Europe in a historic tour. The singers and orchestra members called it a spectacular experience.
"It sends a message we are a worldwide church," said choir President Ronald B. Jarret. "We are here to serve in the world."
The tour took four years to plan and included concerts in: Berlin; Nuremberg, Germany; Vienna; Zurich; Brussels and Rotterdam, Netherlands. Most of the concerts were sold out.
In Berlin's historic Philharmonie concert hall the words to the "Battle of Jericho" held deep meaning for the audience and choir members.
"The walls of Jericho falling down in Berlin," explained choir member John Mueller, who was a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Berlin when the wall separating the east and west came down in November of 1989.
"We saw all of that unfold. We were right there," said Mueller, who never imagined he'd be able to one day return to Berlin with the choir.
The choir and orchestra all experienced a dream becoming reality, but it took a lot of work. "It has consumed me for four years, but it was worth it," said Barry Anderson who handled the tour logistics. "The final advance we visited consulates, embassies, police departments, security places, just to say 'OK, we are six weeks out. Are we safe?'"
The choir had not toured Europe since 1998, and Latter-day Saints were overjoyed to attend the concerts.
"It sounds like music straight from heaven," said Bastian Schafer of Zurich.
The choir also met 'super fans.' Trevor Clarke from Melbourne, Australia, is not a member of the LDS Church, but he traveled to be with the choir at four of its European concerts.
"The whole thing is just inspirational! I Love it!" said Clarke. "To be in those great venues with the German people and to hear them go absolutely wild with enthusiasm with what they're hearing, it's great!
Journalists, too, were struck by the choir's size and sound.
"We do not hear that kind of music very often here," explained Austrian journalist Markus Veinfurter. "It's very emotional. You really get emotional when you hear this choir."
European audiences have a great love for and an appreciation of classical music, and the choir's music director Mack Wilberg took that into consideration when he created the program. The first half included all classical pieces and in Vienna's famed Musikverein the music reverberated throughout the great hall known for its incredible acoustics.
"Who would have thought? In that hall where some of the master composers have not only heard their music premiered, but also have conducted in that very same venue, so it was a great thrill," said Wilberg.
The proceeds from the sold-out concert in Vienna were donated to Caritas Austria for refugee projects. The contribution also included money from the Humanitarian Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Many people traveled for hours to attend concerts in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Holland and Belgium.
"I never had the chance to visit the choir, so I'm totally thrilled to have the chance here," said Wiglef Puerschel.
At age 5, Puerschel began listening to the choir on American radio. On the tour, he was invited to rehearsal. "Somebody being born in Berlin, I would say, the particular Prussian precision combined with the smoothness of the high-quality orchestra is — something unique," said Puerschel.
First alto, Sonja Poulter, was born and raised near Frankfurt. She was thrilled to bring her Utah and German families together.
"It shows Heavenly Father's love for his members all over and right now especially, for the people in Europe here," explained Poulter.
With the challenges facing Europeans now, the choir tour delivered a particularly strong embrace.
"Three-hundred-twenty choir members, nearly 70 members of the orchestra — all touring Europe! Yes, it's a big message to the members and a big message to the rest of the world looking in, that we're a church that's here to stay, making a valuable contribution across society!" said Elder Patrick Kearon, Europe area president for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The choir and orchestra ended their European tour with a photo in Paris, taken the day after the terrorist attack in Nice. European church leaders told them that more than one nation was in need of the healing touch their music brings. Candice Madsen is a senior producer of Special Projects for KSL TV email: cmadsen@ksl.com
