Acclaim for choir in Pacific Northwest
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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — On day 12 of its 16-day concert tour of the northwestern states, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir encountered its first major glitch — San Francisco fog.
Having started its tour with rousing success in Pocatello and Boise, Idaho, June 17-18, the choir moved on to Spokane and Seattle, Wash., and Portland, Ore., winning over audiences at each stop. The choir, it seemed, was in total control of everything.
Then it came to San Francisco.
Here the choir was prepared to participate in a filming session on June 29 to be part of a video produced for the National Parks Services. The choir's backdrop would be as impressive as its music: the Golden Gate Bridge.
Choir members traveled to Crissy Field in Golden Gate National Park, where they stood on risers that a crew put in place in the early morning hours; the women wore fuchsia dresses, the men dark suits and bow ties. They looked good enough to be captured on video that would be distributed to all national parks, and to various theaters to be played as trailers.
The video's producer was no stranger: Don Mischer produced the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Crediting the choir for much of the success of the opening ceremony, he knew it would add just the right touch to conclude the four-and-a-half minute video he is producing. The choir's participation in the video was presented as a gift to the national parks.
Mr. Mischer had his crew ready to roll at Golden Gate National Park; and Ed Payne had a crew from the Church's Bonneville Communication to capture additional video for later broadcast. The Church News anticipated a dramatic cover photo.
All was set, but the fog wouldn't let go of its hold on the famed Golden Gate Bridge. For five hours, choir members sang and sang and sang for the video cameras. From time to time, they were able to sit down for a few minutes. No one imagined the video session would take all day; the only food ordered was a snack of an apple, a cookie, potato chips and bottled water for each of the choir, staff and others. Time for lunch came and went, and the choir sang on. The sun bore down on the singers, but the fog kept the bridge under wraps. Park visitors paused to listen; many took pictures. A few who showed evidence of being long-time fans stuck around for a while. Some met and shook hands with Craig Jessop, the choir's musical director, or others associated with the choir.
Finally, Mr. Mischer called it a day. He had footage he said he can use for his video, even without the bridge. After all, it was the choir he wanted. He can film the bridge later and do some cuts to it.
"Had they not been in San Francisco for concerts in the area, we definitely would have filmed the choir in Utah," he said. "It would have been wonderful shooting in Utah with the choir, but this choir is a national choir. It's the country's choir, not just Utah's choir. So having these singers here at the Golden Gate, and looking out west to the Pacific Ocean made a lot of sense. I think it's going to be an emotional highlight of this video."
Mr. Mischer said, "It will be seen on the Discovery Channel, and also will be seen in all programs the National Parks Service produces over the course of the year. We're trying to raise awareness of the national parks and help people understand that we have to protect and take care of them," he said.
He explained that two songs are being combined into one song: "This Land Is Your Land" and "America the Beautiful." Various artists will perform segments of the song, he said. "We're starting with Yo-Yo Ma. We filmed him playing his cello on an island in the Boston Harbor 12 miles out in the Atlantic, on Little Brewster Island. We will end with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the Golden Gate Bridge, so we're going, in a sense, from coast to coast. The last lyrics you'll hear on the video are the choir singing 'from sea to shining sea.' "
Various musical artists will perform at seven or eight national parks, he said.
"We started with one performer on the East Coast and will move west. The payoff will be the Mormon Tabernacle Choir."
E-mail to: gerry@desnews.com
