Interfaith concert designed to bring Ogden faith communities together
SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 17, 2016 – 9:00 AM
The public is invited to “A Celebration of Faith Through Music,” at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at the LDS Tabernacle located at 350 East 22nd St. in Ogden.
The event will be sponsored by the Ogden Interfaith Council and the Utah Weber Public Affairs Council of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Featured performers include internationally acclaimed composer and pianist Marvin Goldstein and vocalist Vanessa Joy.
Other performers will be Dr. Clay Christiansen, organist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, gospel singer Anthony Carpenter with accompanist Brian Hesleph and the Calvary Baptist Church Choir from Salt Lake City. There also will be performances by the Ogden Buddhist Church Taiko Drummers and the First United Methodist Church “Bell Tones” bell choir.
“The purpose of the Interfaith concert is to bring together people of faith from various denominations and to share inspirational music and culture,” according to a news release from LDS public affairs.
Prayers will be offered by Rev. Monica Hall of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Ogden and Rev. Carey McCall from New Zion Baptist Church in Ogden.
“The First United Methodist Church Bell Choir is pleased to participate in this interfaith concert, which will bring together people from a variety of faith communities,” said Rev. Kim James of First United Methodist Church of Marriott-Slaterville. She will be playing some of the bells that are part of the two Christian arrangements offered by the “Belltones” choir.
Goldstein has traveled and performed throughout the world. He has recorded nearly 50 CD’s and composed 15 piano solo music books.
His academic training included the famed Mozarteum of Salzburg, Austria and Florida State University where he earned bachelor and master of music degrees.
He began musical training at age 9, and by 18 was awarded a music scholarship to Tel Aviv University School of Music, according to his biography.
Joy, an international singer, has had the honor of singing for the USO at the Wounded Warrior Center in Frankfurt, Germany and the US Ambassador in Cairo, Egypt, according to her biography.
She was the guest artist with the “Ensemble Vocale and Orchestra” in Nesselwang, Germany in St. Andreas Catholic Cathedral and was the featured soloist with the “Concierto de Navidad” in Santiago and Concepcion, Chile.
Her music vocal degree is from Brigham Young University.
Christiansen has been the Tabernacle organist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 35 years, according to his biography.
He was previously organist and choirmaster at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral and Congregation Kol Ami.
Christiansen holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in organ performance from Brigham Young University and a Doctorate of Composition from the University of Utah.
He has performed internationally and several volumes of his organ compositions are published.
Carpenter is a tenor vocalist at Calvary Baptist Church and has also sung for New Zion Baptist Church in Ogden.
In 1995, Carpenter performed a solo in the Utah State High School Choir Concert at the Salt Lake Tabernacle, according to his biography.
He was also a member of the Weber State University Chamber Choir.
The Ogden Buddhist Church Taiko Drummers are representatives of the Ogden Buddhist Church.
According to the group’s biography, Taiko drum rhythms are a form of a suite or medley with each section having its own name, musical phrases and dance movements.
The clacking sound of the rods players use is part of the overall percussive music of Taiko. “The joy of performance comes from the way the drummers and dancers meet at each cadence point in the recycling musical theme,” according to the biography.
The Calvary Baptist Church Choir will bring a long tradition of local worship to the stage.
The Calvary Baptist Church has been a part of Utah’s religious community, beginning in 1892, according to the church’s biography.
“Calvary addresses the spiritual needs of its members and the everyday needs of those living in a community where they have historically comprised a small percentage of the total population,” according to the choir’s biography.
The First United Methodist “Bell Tones” will represent a church that has been a part of Ogden’s landscape since 1870.
“First UMC, now located in Marriott-Slaterville, is a mission-minded congregation that has blessed our community,” according to the choir’s biography. “The bell choir performs periodically throughout the year.”
Those in attendance will be welcomed by Elder Steven K. Randall of Layton, a member of the LDS Church’s third Quorum of Seventy.
There is no admission charge but tickets for early seating are available through area pastors and LDS stake presidents. Early seating is from 6:15 -6:45 p.m. with limited general seating beginning at 6:45 p.m.
Those who attend are asked to bring cans of food for donation to SHARE, Inc. and Catholic Community Services.
