Former Tabernacle Choir members touched by prerecorded music used at general conference

Members of the Tabernacle Choir sing in the Conference Center during LDS General Conference April 6, 2008. | Scott Winterton, Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY — Robb Cundick didn’t know that he and many of his friends would be making cameo appearances in the 190th Annual General Conference on Saturday morning.

But sure enough, as he watched from his Colorado home, there he was on the screen, singing with the second tenors as the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square performed “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer.”

It was a recording of the choir at general conference in October 2008. Because of the need for social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day used prerecorded music for the conference.

For some former choir members, it was a touching scene that brought back good memories and stirred special feelings.

Cundick performed with the choir from 1990 to 2011. Seeing the 2008 footage Saturday was a pleasant surprise and an emotional experience, he said.

“Just seeing all of the dear, dear friends that I remember from that time ... and the wonderful spirit that we felt singing conference, seeing that again reminded me so much of the feelings that we felt,” said Cundick, whose father Robert Cundick was a Tabernacle organist for 28 years. “It was a tender mercy.”

The 68-year-old says he still pinches himself for having the privilege of singing with the choir. He paused the TV, got a screen shot and shared it on Facebook.

“The funniest thing is that knowing I retired from the Choir nine years ago, Judy’s daughters promised their kids 20 bucks for the first one to see me,” Cundick wrote in his post. “Turned out to be an expensive game!”

Wow. Among surprises this conference, I had no clue I'd be making a cameo appearance. The funniest thing is that,...

Posted by Robb Cundick on Saturday, April 4, 2020

The October 2008 conference was Matthew Toone’s first as a member of the choir, and it brought back a flood of good memories. It was the same conference when President Thomas S. Monson was sustained as prophet and president of the church. Toone was 26 years old at the time, recently married, nearly done with a master’s degree and in search of a new home.

“It was such a happy time in my life,” he said. “Seeing that recording today brought all those memories back with full force, and also helped me to remember all the wonderful people who were in the choir with me during that time. It was like a ray of sunshine to my soul during these challenging times.”

Carolyn Howard was also a member of the choir that day. She retired in 2014 after 11 years as a second alto. Tears flowed as she watched the recording.

“Today was an amazing experience,” Howard said. “Of course it was personally beneficial while I was doing it (performing with the choir), but to receive that now years later was really quite a wonderful experience.”

Others took to social media to post video or images of family members or friends they saw in the recorded songs.

SEEN 2008 AND KNEW TO LOOK FOR MY MOMS OLDER BROTHER SIONE TALIAULI IKA..MISS WHEN HE SANG WITH THE TABERNACLE CHOIR.❤️ #MotherMan #GeneralConference #LDSConf pic.twitter.com/aXeaQZQ4bc

— 'OTUKOLO-VAILOLO (@PRINCESS_CEEYAH) April 4, 2020

Editor’s note: Matthew Toone is the author’s cousin.

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