Clay Christiansen (Organist)
Encyclopedia
Clay Christiansen krIsˈtiːænsɛn is an organist for the Salt Lake Tabernacle organ
and for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
. He accompanies the Choir in Salt Lake City and when it is on tour. Christiansen gives organ recitals in the Tabernacle and the Conference Center
.
Christiansen had a fascination with music from an early age. He was born in the small city of Emery
Utah
in 1949. He would play on the piano for hours on end. When neighbor children would come to play he would rather stay in and practice the piano. He played his first piano solo We Thank Thee oh God for a Prophet in church at the age of six. He played by ear until the age of eight when he took his first piano lessons. He was the accompanist for his church Sunday School and Priesthood services and the substitute ward organist at the age of eleven.
Christiansen has a bachelors degree from Brigham Young University
and masters and Ph.D. in Music Composition from the University of Utah
.
From 1972-1982 Christiansen was the organist for St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral
in Salt Lake City. Christiansen was also organist at Congregation Kol Ami, a Jewish synagogue in Salt Lake City. From 1982 he has been one of the Tabernacle Organists.
Christiansen and his wife Diane, are the parents of 13 children. Christiansen has 47 grandchildren.
Christiansen is also a composer. He wrote the music to the hymn "In Fasting We Approach Thee". He has written a broad variety of choral, piano and organ compositions.
Salt Lake Tabernacle organ
The Salt Lake Tabernacle organ is a pipe organ located in the Salt Lake Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah. Along with the nearby Conference Center organ, it is typically used to accompany the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and is also featured in daily noon recitals...
and for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
. He accompanies the Choir in Salt Lake City and when it is on tour. Christiansen gives organ recitals in the Tabernacle and the Conference Center
LDS Conference Center
The Conference Center, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the premier meeting hall for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Completed in spring 2000 in time for the church's April 2000 general conference, the 21,000-seat Conference Center replaced the traditional use of the nearby Salt...
.
Christiansen had a fascination with music from an early age. He was born in the small city of Emery
Emery, Utah
Emery is a town in Emery County, Utah, United States. The population was 308 at the 2000 census.-Prehistoric:Emery sits at the base of the mountains that contain the North Horn Formation. Named after North Horn Mountain, near Castle Dale, Utah this formation in Emery County contain numerous...
Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in 1949. He would play on the piano for hours on end. When neighbor children would come to play he would rather stay in and practice the piano. He played his first piano solo We Thank Thee oh God for a Prophet in church at the age of six. He played by ear until the age of eight when he took his first piano lessons. He was the accompanist for his church Sunday School and Priesthood services and the substitute ward organist at the age of eleven.
Christiansen has a bachelors degree from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and masters and Ph.D. in Music Composition from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
.
From 1972-1982 Christiansen was the organist for St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral
St. Mark's Cathedral, Salt Lake City
St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral located at 231 E. 100 South in Salt Lake City, Utah is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Utah in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Built in 1871, it is the third oldest Episcopal Cathedral in the United States and the oldest continuously used...
in Salt Lake City. Christiansen was also organist at Congregation Kol Ami, a Jewish synagogue in Salt Lake City. From 1982 he has been one of the Tabernacle Organists.
Christiansen and his wife Diane, are the parents of 13 children. Christiansen has 47 grandchildren.
Christiansen is also a composer. He wrote the music to the hymn "In Fasting We Approach Thee". He has written a broad variety of choral, piano and organ compositions.