BYU Singers Perform in London's historic St Paul's Cathedral

The Brigham Young University Singers performed in London's historic St. Paul's Cathedral at the end of a three-week tour throughout England and Wales.

Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, St Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most recognisable and iconic sites in London. The present building was constructed in the seventeenth century and has hosted several historic occasions, while its world-famous Dome and Whispering Gallery are widely considered to be must-see visitor attractions. Leaders in early Church history such as Brigham Young and Wilford Woodruff visited St Paul's Cathedral while serving in England.
 

Each year only a few visiting choirs are given the rare privilege to perform an unaccompanied recital at St Paul’s. Dr Ronald Staheli, conductor of the BYU Singers, led them in a programme that included music from the Renaissance by Guerrero and de Victoria as well as more recent compositions, such as an extract from The Restoration by Latter-day Saint composer Merrill Bradshaw. More than three hundred members of the public were seated for the performance and many more listened quietly while exploring the cathedral. In attendance were Alan Phillips, President of the London England Hyde Park Stake, and Rowland and Barbara Elvidge, Public Affairs Directors for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United Kingdom.

The choir was very well received with one senior St Paul’s staff member commenting that the recital was one of the best visiting choir performances the Cathedral had hosted this year. During their three-week tour, the BYU Singers performed sixteen recitals in southern England and Wales. Positive feedback was received from audiences in diverse locations including the University of Oxford, the University of Exeter, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and the cathedrals of Gloucester, Guildford and Bristol.