Ascension
Conductor, organist, pianist, and vocalist. Adam’s deep passion for music began at a young age. His studies include the University of Utah where he studied organ under Dr. Kenneth Udy, sang as a member of the University of Utah Choirs under renowned Dr. Barlow Bradford; Utah Tech University studying organ under Jane Dye, and Dr. Geoffrey Myers; conducting mentorship under Dr. Paul Wein’s; and mentorship under Robert Reimer. In 2014, Adam had the distinct opportunity to travel to Europe to study under master organists, Margaret Phillips in London and Ullrich Bohme in Leipzig, Germany – in the historic St. Thomas Church (Thomaskirche).
During his nearly 20-year music career, he has taught piano and organ, conducted choirs and orchestras across Utah, played the organ numerous times both as recitalist and accompanist, and sang in several ensembles. In 2015, he was honored to be selected as a recitalist and organist in the Eucharistic services for the 2015 National Episcopal General Convention in Salt Lake City. Also in 2015, he was appointed as principal organist and assistant Artistic Director of Sterling Singers in Salt Lake City, Utah. While with Sterling Singers, he performed across northern Utah, including the historic Salt Lake Tabernacle. Appointed in 2014, Adam is currently an organist at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2018, Adam co-founded Amavi Chorale with a group of close friends. Since its founding, he has both conducted and accompanied the choir. In 2023, he was appointed as Artistic Director. In June 2023, Adam led Amavi in its 5th anniversary celebratory concert performing Gabriel Faure’s “Requiem” with orchestra and Organ in St. Mark’s Cathedral. He is excited for a bright future with Amavi Chorale!
Kerstin Tenney Bio–Light Album July 2023
Kerstin Tenney is a professional violinist based in Salt Lake City, Utah. As an active freelance musician, Kerstin works frequently on Recording projects, does solo work, and performs regularly with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. She has toured with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra on stages across the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Berlin Philharmonie, and the Vienna Musikverein. Kerstin was the featured violin soloist on the soundtrack for the award-winning documentary, Bears of Durango, currently playing on PBS.
Kerstin has a private violin studio in which she incorporates physical, neurological, and psychological elements that facilitate greater ease in violin practice and performance with her students.
LIGHT is Kerstin’s debut album for which she commissioned four new works
and eight new arrangements. The album was produced by award-winning classical producer and sound engineer, SImon Kiln, and British Award winning composer, Donald Fraser.
A native of Arizona, Kerstin enjoys spending time with loved ones, gardening,
traveling, and of course playing her violin! She loves to shine light, helping others connect to who they really are.
She performs on a Guy Cole violin from the Avalon Studio 2005, patterned
after the “Kochanski Guarneri del Gesu,” and a bow made by John Norwood
Lee.
For more information visit kerstintenney.com.
(Scan or Click QR to purchase album)
Kenneth Udy, a native of Salt Lake City, earned his DMA in organ performance from Claremont Graduate University and also studied at the University of Southern California and Utah State University. His organ teachers include Clay Christiansen, James Drake, Cherry Rhodes, and Robert Noehren. A practicing church musician since age 15, he has served since 1991 as Director of Music and Organist at Wasatch Presbyterian Church. He was also organist at Congregation Kol Ami for 25 years and frequently appears as a guest organist at the Salt Lake Tabernacle. He previously held posts at multiple churches in southern California.
In 2000 Dr. Udy joined the faculty of the University of Utah where he designed curriculum and helped implement the undergraduate and graduate degrees in organ performance. As University Organist he teaches organ majors and all organ coursework. Recently he assisted with the University’s acquisition of a new Flentrop practice organ. In addition, he maintains a studio of private organ students.
He is active in the Salt Lake City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists as their current Treasurer. He has previously served as Chapter Dean, District Convener, Co-Chairman of the Bi-Regional AGO Convention in June 2003, and an ex-officio board member.
Dr. Udy is the author of Alexander Schreiner: The California Years, a biography on the early career of Mormon Tabernacle organist Alexander Schreiner, published by Harmonie Park Press of Detroit. Last month his edition of six previously unpublished organ pieces by Alexander Schreiner was released by Wayne Leupold Editions. He is currently developing an online reference database for organists, choir directors, and church musicians.
Music by Ola Gjeilo
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exsultemus et in ipso jucundemur.
Timeamus et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
Amen
Where charity and love are, God is there.
The love of Christ has gathered us together.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Let us revere and love the living God.
And from a sincere heart let us love one another.
Amen
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exsultemus et in ipso jucundemur.
Timeamus et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
Amen
The love of Christ has gathered us together.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Let us revere and love the living God.
And from a sincere heart let us love one another.
Amen
Composed by B. E. Boykin
cito veniet salus tua:
quare marore consumeris,
quia innovavit te dolor?
Salvabo te, noli timere,
ego enim sum Dominus Deus tuus,
Santus Israel, Redemptor tuus.
my salvation shall not tarry:
why wilt thou waste away in sadness?
Why hath sorrow seized thee?
Fear not, for I will save thee:
for I am the Lord thy God,
the Holy One of Israel, thy Redeemer.
Composed by Ola Gjeilo
Performed by Kerstin Tenney, Violin
Commissioned by and dedicated to Kerstin Tenney
Composed by Edward C. Bairstow (1874-1946)
Psalms 90, vv. 1, 2 and 15
144, vv. 3, 4;
102, vv. 12, 13
Lord, Thou has been our refuge from one generation to another.
Before the mountains were brough or ever the earth and world were made,
Thou are God from everlasting, and world without end.
Lord, Thou has been our refuge from one generation to another.
Lord, what is man, that Thou hast such respect unto him;
or the Son of man, that Thou so regardest him?
Man is like a thing of nought;
his time passeth away like a shadow.
But Thou, O Lord, shalt endure forever,
and Thy remembrance throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were brough or ever the earth and world were made,
Thou are God from everlasting, and world without end.
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Sion,
yea, the time is come, for it is time that Thou have mercy upon her.
Comfort us again, now after the time that Thou hast plagued us;
and for the years, wherein we have suffer’d adversity.
Amen.
Composed by Amanda Maier
Kerstin Tenney, Violin
Adam Hansen, Piano
Composed by George Towers
Dr. Kenneth Udy, Organ
Antiphon from Five Mystical Songs
Music by Ralph Vaughn Williams
Poem written by George Herbert
Let all the world in every corner sing!
Let all the world in every corner sing!
My God and King!
The heavens are not too high, His praise may thither fly
The earth is not too low, His praises there may flow.
Let all the world in every corner sing!
Let all the world in every corner sing!
My God and King!
The Church with Psalms must shout, No door can keep them out:
But above all, the heart must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in every corner sing!
Let all the world in every corner sing!
My God and King!
10-Minute Intermission
Composed by Philip P. Bliss (1838-76)
Arr. Mack Wilberg
Lyrics: Horatio G. Spafford (1828-88)
When peace like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll.
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
It is well, With my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet,
though trials should come.
Let this blest assurance control.
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul!
It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Composed by Gregorio Allegri
Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meum.
Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me.
Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco: et peccatum meum contra me est semper.
Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci:
ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris.
Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum: et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.
Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.
Asperges me hysopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
Audi tui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.
Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis: et omnes iniquitates meas dele.
Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.
Ne proiicias me a facie tua: et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.
Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui: et spiritu principali confirma me.
Docebo iniquos vias tuas: et impii ad te convertentur.
Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae: et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam.
Domine, labia mea aperies: et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique: holocaustis non delectaberis.
Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.
Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion: ut aedificentur muri Ierusalem.
Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae, oblationes, et holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.
According unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies remove my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquities, and cleanse me from my sin.
I knowingly confess my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against Thee only have I sinned, and done evil before Thee:
that they may be justified in Thy sayings, and might they overcome when I am judged.
But behold, I was formed in iniquity: and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, Thou desirest truth in my innermost being: and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.
Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, make me whiter than snow.
Open my ears and make me hear of joy and gladness: and my bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.
Turn away Thy face from my sins: and remember not all my misdeeds.
Create in me a clean heart, O God: and make anew a righteous spirit within my body.
Do not cast me away from Thy presence: and take not Thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
I will teach those that are unjust Thy ways: and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.
Deliver me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing of Thy righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips: and my mouth shall spring forth Thy praise.
For Thou desirest no sacrifice, where others would: with burnt offerings Thou wilt not be delighted.
Sacrifices of God are broken spirits: dejected and contrite hearts, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
Deal favorably, O Lord, in Thy good pleasure unto Zion: build Thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with small and large burnt offerings:
then shall they lay calves upon your altar.
Composed by Felix Borowski
Kerstin Tenney, Violin
Music written by: Kim Andre Arnesen
Lyrics: Anonymous 20th c.
The text was found on a wall in an underground shelter in Cologne, Germany after World War II.
It reminds us to keep faith in God, love, and hope in the dark and difficult times.
I believe in the sun, even when it’s not shining.
I believe in love, even when I feel it not.
I believe in God, even when He is silent.
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*Amavi Chorale is a Tax Exempt Non-Profit Organization (NPO) under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All donations made to Amavi Chorale are Tax Deductible.
