From Deseret News archives:

Soprano praises 'best choir'

Norway native says the beautiful voices bring her to tears

Published: Friday, Dec. 15, 2006 11:41 p.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
There were times during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas concert dress rehearsal when guest soprano Sissel got a little misty.

"There are a few moments when I'm not singing, and I stand and listen to all these beautiful voices and cry," Sissel said during a Friday news conference in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint's Conference Center. "I am amazed at how the directors — Mack Wilberg and Craig Jessop — can control and guide all these voices."

Sissel, born Sissel Kyrkjebo in Norway, is no stranger to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. She first appeared with the choir in May 2005 for a broadcast of "Music and the Spoken Word," which honored the 100th anniversary of Norway's independence.

"I had heard of the choir before then," said Sissel. "And I knew many people who have performed with the choir. They always told me, 'If you get a chance to sing with the choir, do it. It is the best choir in the world.' So when I was contacted to sing with the choir for the broadcast, I jumped at the chance because I thought it was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Then I was asked to come back and sing the Christmas concert."

Story continues below
Music director Craig Jessop fell in love with Sissel's voice and demeanor when she appeared with the choir last year. So, he took her aside after the broadcast and asked if she would be interested in coming back this year.

"When I first heard her sing live, I was taken by the sincerity and purity of her voice," said Jessop, who, along with Wilberg, was also at the news conference. "Her voice, like her personality, is disarming and genuine. And we felt she would be the perfect fit in the Christmas concert."

Sissel said she was surprised that the organization is such a tight ship. "They say that this choir is an amateur choir," she said with a little giggle. "But they are not. They are the best-sounding choir I have ever heard."

Throughout her career, Sissel has performed with choirs, orchestras, bands and a variety of artists whose styles range from folk to jazz to rock to punk to hip-hop.

Among those with whom she has appeared onstage are opera icon Placido Domingo, rap star Warren G., Irish troubadours The Chieftains, punk band Sort Sol, Neil Sedaka and Diana Krall.

However, she said Thursday night's dress rehearsal, which was open to the public, was a first — a rehearsal in front of 21,000 people.

"The conference center was filled," she said with another laugh. "I asked how many people were attending, and when they told me, I thought, 'Oh, yes. This is just a dress rehearsal."'

Recent comments

Sissel stirs my emotions like no other singer. I love her voice.

Ken | May 7, 2009 at 5:19 p.m.

i am smitten

pete usa | Oct. 18, 2008 at 8:15 a.m.

Sissel is awesome!

Stenar | Sept. 27, 2007 at 7:58 p.m.

Image

Norway's Sissel performs Friday evening at the LDS Conference Center during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas Concert.

previousnext

Latest comments

5A: Bingham rolls to title game

If anyone would care to take the time (as I have) you would see that region 4...

Literary footnotes

Julie Wright and I are actually hitting Cedar City as the last stop on a 2...

TCU plows past Utes, 55-28

We told you it was hard. Love, Cougars

All I can say, that even as a die-hard Ute Fan, TCU is FOR REAL! There is NO...

BYU happy to escape with victory

Hummm...that so called "real" football team you just talked about got spanked...

James leads Cavaliers past Jazz

There shouldn't have been a broken play, other than to get the ball in. AK...

TCU plows past Utes, 55-28

to: Re:Awesome | 9:37 p.m. Nov. 14, 2009 That's right- 9-3 for the utes...

BYU happy to escape with victory

Ha Ha, seriously. We both got destroyed by a team that is far superior to...

BYU happy to escape with victory

Cool. So you're going to attend the NC game to cheer for Nick Saban? And...

Wow Utah what a great game you had. You sure showed them frogs how the big...

Advertisements
Advertisement