By Jenni Carlquist
BYU students don''t have to participate in a school-sponsored choir to get a quality musical experience.
Some students are members of the Wasatch Chorale -- a community choir directed by J. Arden Hopkin, the director of vocal studies in the school of music.
'The choir members come from the point of the mountain clear down to Nephi, and are ages 18 to 90,' said Lora Thompson, the production manager for the choir.
After 25 years, the choir is the oldest community choir in the valley, she said.
Terry Heyer, a 20-year veteran of the Wasatch Chorale, said he loves singing in the choir.
'My favorite part is singing and hearing the sound,' he said. 'You open your mouth to sing and out comes 100 voices. It''s quite an experience to just feel in harmony with the other voices.'
A few months ago the choir traveled to New York City to sing at Carnegie Hall. Hopkin said they were invited to sing there by Jerold Ottley, emeritus conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
'We went to New York and we got to sightsee and bond with New Yorkers,' Thompson said. 'It brought the tragedy close to home because we felt a real connection to the people.'
She said there were other community choirs from across the nation invited to participate in the performance.
Thompson said Hopkin became the director of the choir three years ago. At that time, there were 60 members. Hopkins set a goal to enlarge the choir to 150 voices within five years.
Today, the auditioned chamber choir is close to that goal with 140 members, Thompson said.
'The people we are adding to the choir are good,' Hopkins said. 'They''re raising the level of the choir.'
Tonight, the fruits of this objective will be heard at the annual Americana concert. The program, 'God Bless America,' will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Provo Tabernacle, Hopkin said.
The BYU Brass Ensemble will also be a featured part of the concert, Thompson said.