My mother was a piano teacher and singer who instilled in me a deep love of music and singing. Blessed with a creative mind, I began composing and arranging music at a young age.
Growing up, singing was a central part of my family life. We sang in the car, caroled to widows at Christmas, and performed for church functions and community clubs. I was even known as a notably loud singer back in Primary!
My first formal choral training began in my high school a cappella choir. This launched a lifetime of choral opportunities, leading to experiences at BYU, the Mormon Youth Chorus, and eventually, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
Officially, I have served in every musical calling in the church, from stake music chairman to Primary chorister—which remains my absolute favorite. Unofficially, I am the conductor of the "Brethren," a group of 40 to 50 priesthood holders in my ward who perform two to three times a year in sacrament meeting. This self-appointed role has given me the perfect excuse to compose and write TTBB arrangements, as I have always loved the powerful sound of a men's chorus.
With the release of the new hymnbook, I have found myself writing many SATB arrangements for my own ward choir. I like to approach each hymn in a way that brings a fresh, new experience to the listener. While I occasionally take harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic liberties with my arrangements, the singers enjoy the simplicity of the music, and the congregation has been incredibly complimentary.
Ready2SingHymns represents a specific subset of my SATB catalog. It is custom-tailored for the typical ward choir that may have limited resources or rehearsal time, and it serves as my newest excuse to keep writing.
