![\"capitol\"](\"http:\/\/www.abc4.com\/media\/news\/4\/8\/4\/484eb44d-deff-41bb-95b6-c983e3ea1912\/Story.jpg\")
<\/p>\nYesterday I had the great opportunity to be a part of the re-dedication of the Utah State Capital Building.<\/p>\n
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(And yes, I am actually in that picture. I’m the first tiny black dot just to the right of the men’s section of choir. On the balcony. Behind that pillar. Yes, that’s it! You found me!)<\/p>\n
The 92 year old building has undergone a 4 year remodel, and was dedicated yesterday, on Utah’s Statehood day. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square, and Bells on Temple Square were there to help celebrate, along with the International Children’s Choir, the 23rd Army Band, the Cathedral of the Madeleine Choir School. It was quite an event! You can read about it here<\/a>, or if you want to watch the whole program, you can view it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n I must admit that I had a little bit less than a good attitude about the whole thing when we first rehearsed on Sunday. The bell part for the one song that we were asked to play was not extensive, and I rang less than 10 times. “And we are going to spend how many hours this week to do this one little song?” I grumbled. But after rehearsing with the choir in the beautiful capitol building on Thursday night, I was more excited about it. The whole effect was going to be amazing. They also added a few bell parts to other songs, and we got caught up in the realization that this is really a once in a lifetime opportunity to be there at this historic occasion.<\/p>\n “My friends and fellow Utahns, today we celebrate Utah’s 112th birthday. How appropriate, therefore, that we have gathered to rededicate this great symbol of statehood: our Capitol,” Gov. Jon Huntsman said.<\/p>\n So, even though it was a long day away from my family, and I felt like a bad daycare mommy in the morning when I dropped John off at his friend’s house and he cried, “I don’t want to play with Hunter! Mommy, don’t go!”, it still turned out to be a marvelous experience. Each person in attendance got to ring a little bell, and it was indeed a grand affair.<\/p>\n I really felt bad for the Choir. As you can see in the picture above, they were just crammed onto the stairs like sardines, with hardly room to read their music, and definitely no room to sit down. And they had to stand there for the entire program! I talked to one choir member who did sit down, as she would rather sit down than pass out. She was light hearted about it, though, and she said, “If someone had to go down, it might as well have been me, since I was in the back and could actually sit.” She made it back up for the Battle Hymn of the Republic, and was fine. We at least got to leave after our part was over, then come back for the very end.<\/p>\n It was quite a spectacular experience. I feel very lucky to have attended. Now that it’s done, I want to take my kids up there to see the capitol building. I’ve only actually been there a few times myself, and my kids have never been there, so I think it would be a good field trip for us.<\/p>\n