ATLANTA, Georgia — The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performed a trio of patriotic songs on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the Georgia State Capitol during the 9/11 remembrance ceremony.
Wednesday marked the 23rd anniversary of when hijacked planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, into the Pentagon and in a southwest Pennsylvania field. Nearly 3,000 people died.
The 310 choir members filled the grand staircase, wrapping around into the balcony while the nearly 70 orchestra members were set up next to the stairs.
After the Pledge of Allegiance, the choir sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful,” concluding the ceremony with “God Bless America,” which filled the hall and received a standing ovation.
Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp noted the choir’s “heavenly voices” on this solemn occasion of remembrance.
“Thank you to the choir for accepting our invitation to be here to help us mark this occasion in such a powerful way,” Kemp said. He added that while many choirs and orchestras have performed in the capitol building, the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra’s appearance likely set a record for the number of choir members and was “certainly one of the best sounding.”
In the aftermath of the 9/11attacks, “we all witnessed a new spirit of patriotism and courage that we must continue to drive us forward to this day,” he said.
Just the nation was shaken 23 years ago by the attacks, the state was shaken a week ago when four students died in a school shooting, the governor said.
“As we did in the days following Sept. 11, we’re all coming together to pray for the families and friends and those touched by this tragedy,” he said.
He also thanked any veterans, current military members and first responders.
Choir President Michael O. Leavitt and his wife, Sister Jacalyn Leavitt, met with Kemp and his wife, Marty Kemp, after the ceremony.
The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra are in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of the southeastern U.S. stop on their multiyear, multicity “Songs of Hope” tour.
President L. Whitney Clayton, first counselor in the choir presidency, said after ceremony, “We’re taking the message of hope in Jesus Christ across the world. This particular occasion, which we remember 9/11 and the tragic events here in Georgia just a few days ago, helps us remember the need for hope, and that hope can be found if we know where to look for it. And we believe the choir’s message of hope in Jesus Christ does that.”
Also in attendance were Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt, General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and first counselor in the Church’s North America Southeast Area, and his wife, Sister Jayne Corbitt; President Gary B. Porter, second counselor in the choir presidency, and his wife, Sister Debbie Porter; Sister Kathy Clayton; Elder M. Andrew Galt, Area Seventy, and his wife, Sister Karen Galt; and Elder Robert C. Gay, an emeritus General Authority Seventy. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the choir and orchestra’s sponsoring organization.
Earlier this year, the Georgia Senate recognized The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during a legislative session at the Georgia Capitol on Feb. 22 and announced the “Songs of Hope” concerts. Five senators co-sponsored the bipartisan resolution commending the Tabernacle Choir and the Church for 95 years of “Music & the Spoken Word” and their collaboration with the Morehouse College and Spelman College glee clubs.
This tour stop’s concluding concert is Wednesday, Sept. 11, at State Farm Arena. It will feature singers from the Morehouse College Glee Club and the Spelman College Glee Club.
The first concert of the southeastern U.S. tour stop was a bilingual Spanish/English concert in south Florida on Saturday, Sept. 7, with singers Adassa, known for her role as Dolores in “Encanto,” and Alex Melecio, one of the narrators for the Spanish “Music & the Spoken Word.”
The choir and orchestra joined with the Morehouse and Spelman glee clubs on Monday, Sept. 9, at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel.
The concerts during the tour are being livestreamed on the choir’s YouTube channel, on broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and on the Gospel Stream app, and the arena concerts will be available for on-demand viewing. (See www.choirworldtour.com for streaming information.) There are also watch parties across the southeastern U.S. to view the concerts live.
More photos of the choir, orchestra at the Georgia State Capitol
Church News’ coverage of ‘Songs of Hope’ southeastern U.S. tour stops in Florida and Georgia
- Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra in Florida for first concert of southeastern U.S. ‘Songs of Hope’ tour stop
- Singer Adassa returns to southern Florida roots for Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra ‘Songs of Hope’ bilingual concert
- ‘Spectacular’: Tabernacle Choir and the Morehouse and Spelman colleges’ glee clubs combine together as they sing, testify of Savior through music
- What the Morehouse and Spelman college glee clubs are saying about performing with the Tabernacle Choir in Georgia
- Kristin Chenoweth surprise guest artist at Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra’s final tour concert in Georgia
- How to watch the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra’s concerts in Florida and Georgia
- See photos of watch parties across southeastern U.S. for Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra’s ‘Songs of Hope’ concerts
