Christmas Assembly Song of the Week

"Here We Come a Caroling"

Monday

Listening Example:  "Let It Go"

One Voice Children’s Choir is a non-profit organization that provides children the opportunity to cultivate an appreciation for music and share their talents while delivering a positive message.
The One Voice Children’s Choir is comprised of 140 children from northern Utah along the Wasatch Front, Park City area, and Heber Valley. The age of the children who volunteer to be a part of the Choir ranges from four through eighteen

Since its inception over 500 Utah children have had the opportunity to participate in the choir. One Voice Children’s Choir has received numerous awards including the John Lennon International Music Award and the Best of State Award for Best Children’s Performing Group as well as the BOSS statue for the most outstanding in the Arts and Entertainment division.

In early 2014 One Voice Children’s Choir was featured with Alex Boyé in a music video cover of “Let It Go” from the Disney movie Frozen. The video went viral with over 60 million YouTube views and was named YouTube’s Top Cover of 2014.  Today’s Listening Example is that viral video.

Tuesday

Listening Example:  "Rise"

One Voice Children’s Choir Vision Statement reads: Through music, we inspire, enrich, uplift, and serve our global community, while building youth as One Voice.
The choir got its beginning as the 2002 Winter Olympics Children’s Choir and was organized to promote the XIX Olympic Winter Games held in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Their theme song “It Just Takes Love” is featured on Light Up the Land: A Commemorative CD of the 2002 Olympics

The group was founded by Masa Fukuda in 2001 after he composed the song "It Just Takes Love" for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. He asked students to help make a commemorative CD for the Olympics. Some of the students also were "children of light" performers for the Olympics, whom he volunteered to help train. After the Olympics, 25 students wanted to continue singing together, and Fukuda formed the choir as a nonprofit organization to continue working with them.
In celebration of the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games, One Voice Children’s Choir released a cover of Katy Perry’s battle cry, “Rise.” Perry’s version of the song was used by NBC Olympics’ production team during its programming of the games, including its coverage of the Aug. 5 Opening Ceremony.  Today’s Listening Example is “Rise” by One Voice Children’s Choir.

Wednesday

Listening Example:  "Only Hope"

.Under the direction of Masa Fukuda and Assistant Director, Anne Cecala, the choir meets year-round for once-a-week practices and performs 50 to 70 times. Their genre of music includes pop music, gospel music, classical music, Broadway musical songs, and patriotic songs

Masa Fukuda is an international award-winning composer, arranger, and producer.  Born and raised in Japan, his early education with Yamaha’s top music program “Junior Original Concert” (JOC) gave him college-level training in music theory, dictation, keyboard harmony, improvisation, and orchestration.  He achieved a Level-6 certification at age of 10 and ended in 3rd Place in the national songwriting competition sponsored by Asahi Newspaper.  He came to the United States at the age 16 to study abroad, to explore diverse music, and to pursue his musical career.

By giving over 1,600 elementary school chorus children an opportunity to record in professional studios and educating them about the recording industry, Fukuda won his reputation as a “champion of children.”  In 2003, he was awarded with the rare John Lennon “Dream Power” Music Award presented by Yoko Ono and George Martin for his original music “Innocence of Youth".

On 12 March 2017, the One Voice Children’s Choir under the direction of Masa Fukuda, released a stunning new music video for a cover of a song called “Only Hope.”  The music video by the One Voice Children’s Choir features Steven Sharp Nelson of the world-renowned musical group The Piano Guys playing the cello.  Enjoy today’s Listening Example, “Only Hope."

Thursday

Listening Example:  "Burn"

“One Voice Children’s Choir is a non-profit organization that provides children the opportunity to cultivate an appreciation for music and share their talents while delivering a positive message.” Each of their vibrant performances indeed offers a positive message that leaves their audiences feeling uplifted and inspired.

In 2014, the choir received national attention after releasing their performance of the Disney song "Let It Go" that we watched on Monday.  Their cover starred Lexi Walker, who at the time was 11 years old, and Alex Boyé.  It was filmed at Ice Castles in Midway, Utah.  The video received 1 million views in one day and 18 million in 10 days. The video was played on YouTube over 60 million times by July 2015 and received YouTube Spotlight's "Best Pop Cover" in 2014 award.  Time magazine’s, Joseph C. Lin, called One Voice's rendition the best cover of Let It Go.

One Voice was asked to audition for the ninth season of America's Got Talent in 2014. 100 members of the choir, including Lexi Walker, auditioned on June 22, 2014, singing Ellie Goulding's "Burn". Judges Howard Stern and Heidi Klum praised their performance, voting yes, while judges Mel B and Howie Mandel were less impressed. Mandel voted no, and Stern convinced Mel B to vote yes.  They performed on live television for the show's quarterfinals on August 19, 2014, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and were eliminated.

Today’s Listening Example is the One Voice Choir’s first performance on America’s Got Talent.  Lexi Walker is the soloist with the red hair that you will hear today.  She has gone on to become a solo musician and make music her life’s work.

Friday

Listening Example:  "You Will Be Found"

The really amazing thing about the One Voice Children’s Choir is that they are a big “musical family,” and children and parents treat each other as such.  Children build and support one another instead of being competitive.

They do not separate into different groups – They have a 5-year-old and an 18-year-old in the same room. That’s the beauty of this choir; children of all ages coming together as one and creating a unique sound.

They are closely connected to various local and national recording artists with whom they collaborate on stage.  Children are trained in recording studios. Many of these children are hired to do professional work in the music industry.  While learning to work as a team, children also have opportunities to shine as soloists. The majority of their current students can just step forward, grab the mic, and entertain their audience.

The One Voice Children’s Choir released a new music video in May, titled “You Will Be Found” that emphasizes the message that every individual can contribute to ending bullying.  Today’s Listening Example, “You Will Be Found”, is a cover of a song from the Broadway Musical “Dear Evan Hansen."

Research Credits

http://onevoicechildrenschoir.com/about-us/
https://mormonmusic.org/mormon-artists/one-voice-childrens-choir
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Voice_Children%27s_Choir#.22Let_It_Go.22_and_America.27s_Got_Talent