SALT LAKE CITY — When asked how many times he’s performed at the Salt Lake Assembly Hall, Lawrence Gee couldn’t give you an exact number.
On and off for the past 25 years, Gee has played piano — both as a soloist and accompanist — in the elegant Gothic-revival building located on Temple Square’s southwest corner. Although he’s not completely certain, he puts the number at around 40.
By Sept. 22, he’ll add two more to that ever-growing count.
Even though Gee keeps a busy schedule teaching voice and piano lessons to nearly 50 students in the Salt Lake area, he always finds the time to perform at the Assembly Hall because it’s an experience he cherishes.
“The pianos are beautiful there, (and) it’s a great place to invite people to come hear you do a recital because it’s right on Temple Square," he said. "It’s just a very wonderful, spiritual kind of atmosphere to do a concert in.”
Year-round, weekends at the Assembly Hall are filled with classical music, hymns, show tunes and opera. The weekly concerts, most of which are free, are part of the Temple Square Performances series, which is in its 37th year. With the September concerts beginning Sept. 9, here's a look at the series' history and the process behind putting the performances together.
A 37-year history
The series, originally called the Temple Square Concert Series, formed in 1980 in celebration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ 150th anniversary. Launched under the direction of President Gordon B. Hinckley, who was then a member of The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the series began as a summer-long event with outdoor concerts held each Friday at the plaza between the North Visitors’ Center and the Tabernacle, according to a brief history provided by Temple Square Performances coordinator Stephen Breinholt.
The inaugural series was deemed such a success that the First Presidency of the LDS Church determined it should become an ongoing, year-round series. For the next couple of years, the series took place at the North Visitors' Center. During this time, the church also approved the installation of a new organ at the Assembly Hall, and President N. Eldon Tanner suggested that the building undergo renovation in order to house Temple Square Performances, according to the history. President Hinckley rededicated the building in 1983, and concerts have been held there ever since.
During its first two decades, the series had an international emphasis, bringing in world-renowned opera singers and pianists from New Zealand, Australia, England and Germany, according to former series coordinator Marilyn Lorensen.
Although the series today continues to feature both local and international talent, a shift in focus occurred after Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, according to Lorensen. The opening and closing ceremonies of the event showcased the high quality of talent that is available locally, leading the series to change its focus to Utah-based performers, featuring artists such as tenor George Dyer, Dallyn Vail Bayles, Lexi Walker, Gentri, the Nashville Tribute Band and One Voice Children's Choir.
In the early 2000s, the name of the series changed to Temple Square Performances, reflecting the expansion of events from solely music to include other types of performances such as dance and theater, Lorensen said. Over time, Temple Square Performances has grown to include subseries such as Christmas on Temple Square — which involves more than 400 performances in a single month — and the summer Concerts in the Park series.
Creating a schedule
Breinholt became involved with Temple Square Performances earlier this year when Lorensen, the previous program administrator, retired from the position after 15 years.
He explained that a wide range of church members that make up the series' selection committee, which often includes performers in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, tabernacle organists, as well as past and current employees associated with the Music and Cultural Arts Division of the church.
Concerts at the Assembly Hall are usually planned about a year in advance, according to Gee. Generally, those interested in performing are required to submit a recording that includes a substantial portion of their proposed program. The committee then reviews the program, ensuring that the music is reflective of the Temple Square atmosphere before inviting the musician to perform. Although the LDS Church puts on the concert series, people of other faiths are also invited to perform, Breinholt said.
During his time with the series, one thing Breinholt has observed time and time again is the graciousness of its participants.
“One of the majorly impressive things to me is just the generosity and willingness to share that people of all faiths really have," he said. “Since 1980 until today, not a soul’s been paid for a performance in (the) Temple Square Performances — and they're high-quality performances. … It’s just a consecrated effort."
Breinholt finds the overflow of musicians willing to perform free of charge remarkable — especially when it comes to frequent performers such as Gee.
“Most of the time when I do a recital, I get paid for it,” Gee said. “But when we do a recital at Temple Square, we understand that it’s also a part of the missionary effort of the church. We know that it’s a wonderful draw for the tourists on Temple Square, so we’re willing to lay aside the need to be paid in order to do it as a (form) of missionary service.”
Over the years, Gee has encouraged many of his students to perform at the Assembly Hall.
Paul Otterstrom, a baritone who sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 10 years, is one such student. Reflecting on his last concert at the Assembly Hall in March, Otterstrom expressed gratitude to Gee for encouraging him to seek out such opportunities.
“It is a beautiful, beautiful hall,” he said. “Just to be able to sing for a gracious audience in a beautiful, spiritual building is the most rewarding part of it.”