While working as a counselor for Especially for Youth, the forerunner to today’s For the Strength of Youth conferences, composer Michael R. Hicks found himself at the heart of an inspiring musical collaboration.
In a Church News video titled: “Composing the ‘FSY Medley,’” Hicks explained how he saw God’s hand in composing a piece that is now sung worldwide.
First, Hicks was asked to create an arrangement of “As Sisters in Zion” by Emily H. Woodmansee. Reflecting on the challenge, he admitted, “I thought, ‘Well, what can we do to make this a little more meaningful for the young women of EFY to sing?’” Acting on inspiration, he wove a countermelody using the theme of the Young Women organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The composition resonated, and the young men’s coordinators requested a similar contribution. They suggested an arrangement of “We’ll Bring the World His Truth” by Janice Kapp Perry.
Hicks saw a potential to fuse the two songs.
“As soon as they suggested that Primary song, I began to think of the two melodies together,” he said.
This led to the creation of a medley that allowed simultaneous singing of both songs, generating a powerful, unified musical experience.
Though it was not originally planned as a combined piece, melding the melodies resulted in the beloved “EFY Medley: As Sisters In Zion / We’ll Bring the World His Truth,” which today is known as the “FSY Medley” and part of the Church’s youth music collection.
