Forty two young, music students from the Brigham Young University in America, the BYU Singers, arrived in the new city of Milton Keynes for the first concert in their tour of the South of England and Wales.
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Having arrived from Utah the day before, the students viewed some of the tourist sites of London before heading 50 miles north to the new city for a rehearsal at The Church of Christ the Cornerstone in the centre of Milton Keynes. This prestigious venue, opened by Her Majesty the Queen 20 years ago, is a multi-faith Church in the heart of the city, which hosts many events for the community. The BYU Singers' concert was a charity concert with all profits going to Willen Hospice, which provides care for those with long term illnesses.
The concert, in the presence of the Mayor of Milton Keynes, Councillor Alan Richards and the Chief Executive of Willen Hospice, Paul Hinson had an enthusiastic audience of 300, eager to hear the young Singers. Elder Craig T Wright, Area Seventy and Bro and Sister Rowland Elvidge, National UK Director of Public Affairs were also in attendance to see the choir perform on the first date of the eleven venues around the South of England and Wales.
The programme, An American Songbook, started with songs from american composers Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Foster with contributions from Stephen Sondheim's, 'Children will Listen'. One of the most moving performances was the haunting, 'Hold On' by Lucy Simon, which brought tears to the eyes of some of the audience, as well as the choir. A surprise rendition of the popular English composition, 'Jerusalem' was a favourite choice in the programme, which produced a standing ovation, as well as the rousing and familiar Mormon hymn, 'Come, Come Ye Saints'. Two standing ovations demanded an encore from the Singers with comments heard from the audience of, 'Excellent evening... and from Heather Slattery, a Church member from Kettering, "I attended the MK venue last night and it was amazing".
The singers continue their tour and finish in London with a concert at St Paul's Cathedral. For the full tour schedule see singers.byu.edu/