MEET THE PERFORMERS
Performers in this concert came from all around the valley and out of state to participate in this event. A remote-based recording session with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra provided the strings for four of the concert selections. We are honored to present the collective talent of these musicians.
Renee Talbot &
Richelle Talbot Maughan
Richelle and Renee grew up with music playing a big role in their lives and began performing together around 10 years ago. Although they live in different states, they take every opportunity to sing together when they can. Both enjoy performing on their own but believe their voices are truly elevated when they sing together. There's nothing like the perfect blend that only sisters can achieve!
They love sharing Christ-centered messages through song and have always had a particular soft spot in their hearts for Christmas music.
Debbie West Coon
Debbie Coon resides in the Gilbert Arizona Stake. She has performed in many concerts, firesides and has released two CDs. Debbie came to Richard to record her new song ‘The Prince of Peace.’ Richard knew we needed this song at the concert. Debbie recounts where this song began. It began with an earnest desire to testify of Him through music. Words can’t describe what it’s like to wake up and realize I’ve been singing a song that I’ve never heard of before! Angels were also singing along with a beautiful musical arrangement. I immediately recorded as much as I could remember as my dreams fade very quickly when I’m wide awake. I know God gifted me this song. I was guided throughout its creation. Heavenly Father has blessed all those who have helped me in its design. The Savior lives! His hand is in all things meaningful and good. I’m so very grateful for this opportunity to share my heart and testimony through music.
The Goodman Family
Stephanie Shaw
Christy Sorbe
Annette Bigelow
Karen Halterman
Rachel Shaw
Rebecca Shaw
Hailey Halterman
Sophie Halterman
The Goodmans are a musical family who have been performing in front of others their whole lives. The sisters, especially, have been singing together as a small group since they were teenagers. Their parents live in the Gilbert Stake, and during the Christmas holidays, 4 sisters and 4 grand-daughters performed in the Val Vista Ward. Tava heard them sing and approached them afterward, asking if they would like to sing for the Virtual Easter Concert. They weren't sure what it all entailed, but it sounded intriguing. A few phone calls later, it was decided the group from Utah would book plane tickets to fly to Arizona with the other 3 sisters and cousins to join the fun.
Recording and filming the video was an experience we will never forget! We loved, especially being able to film this song out in nature and sing together. We also loved the experience of learning what it's like to record in a professional recording studio. The spirit was felt very strongly more than once by many of us as we were singing these beautiful words about God's everlasting mercy.
Eric Sackett
Eric is grateful for music and feels blessed to have been surrounded by it his entire life. Some highlights of Eric’s performing career include singing in BYU’s Vocal Point and Young Ambassadors along with different groups across Utah Valley. He currently teaches and directs at INSPIRE Entertainment and serves as the Marketing and Communications director. Eric loves to write, arrange, and produce a variety of music and loves every chance he gets to teach the power of the arts. Eric and his wife have three children and in his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, going on adventures, and serving different people and cultures around the world.
Cassie Capps
Cassie has her Master’s degree in Piano Performance and enjoys playing whenever she gets the chance. She currently works as an RN and lives with her daughter in Gilbert.
Sara Pastrana
Sara is a passionate pianist, vocalist, and music teacher. Her love for music began at the young age of 6, when she began to take private piano and voice lessons. This love increased through high school and eventually inspired her to pursue music as a career at Southern Utah University. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music with an emphasis in voice. Currently, Sara teaches piano and voice lessons at The KeyBox Studio in Gilbert. She also accompanies the choir at Benjamin Franklin Charter School.
Sara loves music because she feels that it is the language of heaven. In her own words, “I have never felt so close to God as when I’m singing.”
Relativity
Christeena Riggs Driggs
LaDawn Riggs Pettitt
Kyleen Riggs Prichett
Shannon Riggs Rudd
Ralynne Riggs
The Riggs sisters are the members that make up the renowned quintet, Relativity. Music played an important role in the home where Relativy grew up. Christeena, LaDawn, Kyleen, Shannon, and Ralynne, all began singing at an early age. The sister’s childhood dreams of recording an album together became a reality in recent years. Their debut album “Never Alone”, was released in December 2015. Relativity has a common love for sharing the gospel through their music. With their five-part harmonies and inspiring lyrics, they share their testimonies of the Savior and how they have felt His love in their lives.
Over the past two decades, Relativity has performed for several charities, concerts, and special events. Each member of the group brings several years of experience in performing and singing for thousands of people worldwide. However, nothing can compare to the joy and purpose they feel when they sing together, and as one, use their voices to lift others. Relativity is incredibly grateful to be a part of “Here is Hope”, and they have felt the spirit as they have worked on the video recording together. Tender tears were shed as they sang the message of their song “You Will Never Walk Alone.” Every one of us experience those deep valleys in our lives, where there are twists and turns, and the cold winds blow. Throughout this past year, feeling alone has been experienced by nations, and in a way we never could have imagined. As you listen to the message of this song, we want you to know personally, that you are never alone. There are family, friends, co-workers, church members, and many others standing by you, seen and unseen, that you are not even aware of. If you feel even they have gone, Jesus Christ is there to go the distance with you faithfully… “and He’ll be there down every road. You will never walk alone.”
Kennedy Udall
& Cari Anne Udall
Kennedy and Cari Anne Udall are sisters-in-law who joined the Udall family a few years ago. Tava was so excited to have these two join the family because they brought their beautiful voices, into a very strong sports minded family. Kennedy and Cari Anne quickly learned that being a part of the family meant you are asked to join all the craziness their Mother-in-law dreams up. No, but seriously Kennedy and Cari Anne blend so well together and have sung multiple times in our Stake when their father-in-law would ask them to sing at the various wards he spoke in. Tava accompanied them, and they sang. We had many laughs that we were our very own ‘Vontrap’ family. We are grateful they will share their voices and are a part of our virtual event.
William Joseph
William Joseph began writing music for solo piano at the age of five. William studied with Russian master pianist Stella Saperstein, a graduate from the famed Leningrad Conservatory in Russia. He served his mission in Perth Australia and loved it. He was heartbroken at the final three months of his mission when he became sick. He felt overwhelmed with how weak he felt and wondered what Heavenly Father’s plan was for him. With the instruction of his Mission President he pieced together a make shift recording studio and from his flat in Australia recorded a mission album. He learned even in the dark times God has a plan for us.
Shortly after his mission William's big break came with a chance encounter with icon producer David Foster. Foster produced William's first two albums as a newly signed artist with Warner Bros. records. Foster's interest in William has allowed him to share the stage with World class artists such as John Mayer, Alicia Keys, Michael Bublé, Carly Rae Jepsen, John legend and Josh Groban. Opening for Josh Groban gave him an opportunity to play for sold out arenas around the world. His music has been featured in commercials and film and showcased in major sporting events, along with The Miss America pageant. You may find a few figure skaters performing to his originals in the Olympics. William has hits on YouTube and has collaborated with many incredible artists including violin sensation Lindsey Stirling. As a composer he was honored to write music for the Phoenix Temple Cultural Celebration. He was incredibly humbled to perform for a worldwide broadcast from the conference center and present a special fireside at the MTC. A treasured time was getting to play at a Christmas party for the first presidency and the quorum of the twelve. He has loved music from a young age and is excited to share some with you this evening. Please welcome William Joseph...
Zack Clark
Zack Clark began playing the cello in fourth grade and has found a real passion for the instrument and music throughout his life. Zack’s accomplishments are vast, from Arizona All-State Orchestra when he was younger to attending the Cleveland Institute of Music beginning in 2005, where he studied with world-renowned cello performers and pedagogues Desmond Hoebig and Richard Aaron.
Zack served a full-time mission in Scotland for two years. Upon returning, he received a scholarship from Arizona State University, where he transferred and graduated with a cello performance degree. Zack is the co-founder of Simply Three with his high school friend and bassist Nick Villalobos. The trio has amassed over 250 million views and hundreds of millions of streams with their vast repertoire of string covers and original songs. Simply Three continues to push the boundaries of what the cello and string instruments can do in the ever-changing modern world of music. Check out www.simplythreemusic.com
Zack came to the Easter Concert after the director saw him a few times performing & thought he was Amazing. She didn’t realize that our Creative Director & Zack had done previous work together. So when they were thinking of an instrument duet, Zack was the first one they called.
Ralynne Riggs
Recording “I Look to You” was the result of what some may call little, but I will call a mighty miracle. As I discussed song options with one of the producers, we talked about using a song I had already recorded a few years back for many reasons. As we talked, I thought it would be really great to bring a new song into the program if I could find one that fit and felt right. I was given a day to listen to some other options and decide. I listened to all of my favorite Christian artists, some songs I had recently heard that I thought may fit, and started creating a little 5-6 song playlist on Spotify to hold these ideas. There were some good options, but nothing was really striking me in a way that I knew it was the song that was needed.
Around 10:30pm, after listening all day, I parked my car in the driveway and looked down at the playlist. I scrolled down and saw...
Kirsten Millsap
I first heard the song, “Slow Down” when a dear friend of mine shared it with me, on a day when I most needed to hear its message to be still, and trust in Heavenly Father’s plan for His children. I often return to this beautiful and comforting song when I feel overwhelmed or distressed. Yet, when I was approached to sing this song, I felt so humbled, and prayed to be able to convey this important message to anyone experiencing their own tribulations. I’ve written, recorded, and performed for many years, but never before has a song held so much meaning for me! I am grateful to the Gilbert Arizona stake for allowing me this wonderful opportunity to bear my testimony of Jesus Christ, and our Father in Heaven’s perfect love and consideration for each of us, through this inspiring piece.
Michael Sackett
Michael Sackett has been involved with music for as long as he can remember. He was a member of Brigham Young University's Young Ambassadors for two years and spent one year with Vocal Point. Michael has been a featured soloist on many albums with Rob Gardner’s Spire Music and Tantara Records and has his own solo album.
In 2014, Michael started INSPIRE Entertainment, a performing arts academy, and preschool in Gilbert, AZ. He also runs a nonprofit, INSPIRE music.service.hope, which runs international service tours and provides scholarship opportunities for kids in AZ to take classes in the arts. He loves educating youth about the benefits of music and the arts in their lives. He hopes his efforts will provide the opportunity for many people to be touched by the power of music and the performing arts, both as performers and supportive audience members. In his spare time, Michael likes to read, travel, play soccer, and spend time with his family.
Michael is the proud father of 2 amazing kids and lives in Mesa, AZ.
Gilbert Stake Choir
Directed by Sharon Gilliland
Sheri Barlow, Sean Benson, Dan Brimhall, Karin Brimhall, Stacey Brown, Steve Budge, Jon Buehner, Ben Dixon, Kim Dixon, Nathan Gurr, Sherri Gurr, Randy Harenberg, Sandy Harenberg, Janelle Hopkins, Jonathan Hopkins, Jordan Hopkins, Lisa Lambert, Chris Lewis, Benjamin Ostler, Sarah Ostler, AJ Packard, Ralynne Riggs, Haylee Reynolds, Jon Rogers, LeighAnn Roland, Sara Pastrana, Erik Sackett, Jothan Samuelson, Richard Talbot, Heather Wayment
Heritage Academy
Concert Choir
Directed by Robin Rost
Robin Rost (Director), Whitney Anderson, Bailey Blundell, Connor Brinson, Reagan Carpenter, Eden Davis, Jack DeWitt, Nathanael Fabiano, Caleb Fabiano, Hunter Fuller, Arden Good, Hannah Hill, Rachel Hooton, Warren Jennings, Zoey Jones, Kitty Kister, Christina Merrell, Michael Olsen, Calli Peterson, Matthew Rajewski, Claire Rogers, Alyssa Turley, Halle Wilden