A wonderful opportunity to prepare for Easter was provided on Friday, March 29th. Hosted by the Tokyo South Mission, the Easter Concert program included musical numbers presented by SteinMorre Strings, The First Session Choir, as well as the shared talents of the missionaries.
To begin the event, the 2024 Easter video, “Because of Him, You Can” was shown, which shares the message that Christ’s atonement for us remade reality. Because of Him, we can remake our own reality; we can change our lives and begin again.
Beginning the concert with “I Am a Child of God,” SteinMorre Strings went on to perform four more favorite hymns about Christ. Based in Utah (USA), the group is directed by Gina Steinagel. The traveling youth string ensemble is “... dedicated to spreading the joy of music across diverse communities. With a passion for performance and cultural exchange, SteinMorre Strings entertains audiences with their dynamic repertoire and talent.” Their beautiful harmony, and matching spring floral dresses created a festive atmosphere. The group was joined by Elder Riley Fackrell.
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| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
The First Session Choir was formed following the rededication of the Tokyo, Japan Temple, by several members who participated in that event. This talented group of singers is directed by Brother Nobuyuki Nakamura and accompanied by Sister Natsuko Sekiguchi and Sister Natsumi Miyazaki. The women, dressed in pastels, with lavender corsages, along with the men, sang with great passion and joy. John Stainer’s “God So Loved the World” made a great prelude to excerpts from Handel’s “Messiah.” Brother Nakamura has been directing presentations of “The Messiah” for decades. The Choir was joined with solos from Tabernacle Choir global participant Hikari Harvey and Elder Gabe Shallenberger; with additional accompaniment from missionaries on strings and the trumpet. The choir began regular weekend practices for the event in January.
The Christ-centered theme continued with a piano solo, an Easter message, and the missionary choir, singing, “He is Risen.” The spirit-filled event culminated with all three groups and the congregation participating in the final musical number, “Love One Another,” one of the last counsels Jesus gave His disciples.