The Cricket and Seagull Fireside Chat

 

The Buffalo News review says, "Anyone in need of a breather might like to give this a try. It's the real deal."

Heavensong features beloved classical selections that will lift and transport you through a journey of light and hope. From new Mack Wilberg compositions to familiar melodies to “The Prayer,” this music is perfect for quiet contemplation.

In this edition, choir director Mack Wilberg takes us on an audio tour of these peaceful classics, along with several new choir favorites, shares the story behind recording "The Prayer" with David Foster, and much more.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

 

 

 

You hear the song and want it, but not the whole CD; the answer? Downloadble .mp3 files of individual songs. You want your choir to sing the song but can't wait two weeks for shipping; the answer? Downloadable printable .pdf files of copyright-legal sheet music.

Composer/Arranger/Producer Greg Hansen and his tech-savvy son Jade have combined the .mp3s and the .pdfs into LDSmusicnow.com, a site which sends out a free download a week, has a 24/7 radio option, and more. Plus, you'll thrill to hear about the how-to elements of President Kimball's gospel vision of the arts beginning to come to pass through new technology.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Forget that most famous first-page diary entry on January 1st where you try to sum up the entire previous year. Instead, listen as noted EFY and Education Week speaker Randal Wright teaches you The 3 Word Journal technique, and get started accessing your own mind and your own experiences in a simple, yet profoundly meaningful way.

You'll be surprised what memories and events just a few words can trigger and how easy it is to "3 Word" them for later expansion. You'll soon have a catalogue of instantly accessible life experiences which point the way to what the Lord has prepared you for in this life and be able to leave a legacy of personal learning to bless your family for generations.

(I'm not kidding when I say this is one of the most fascinating and useful interviews I've conducted and I really wish I could make everyone sit down and listen for 20 minutes, then share it with a friend.)

:-)

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Now accessible in nearly every temple district, the LDS Church's New FamilySearch program puts research resources at your fingertips in ways only dreamed of even a few decades ago, and prevents the duplication of effort which has bogged down the work in the past.

Product Manager Ron Tanner talks about how to log on, new advances in the online program, the realization of an amazing visionary statement from 1947, why you're never too old to learn to use the New FamilySearch, and why it's changing the atmosphere in temples everywhere.

That's th

Most Latter-day Saints can answer the "Why are we here?" question from childhood, but it can be a bit trickier to find the answer to "Why am I here?" Institute instructor, author, and EFY and Education Week speaker Randal A. Wright worries about that, "Because," he says, the youth we are retaining in the church "are the ones who really know who they are," while we lose many of the others.

In this interview Dr. Wright talks about Patriarchal Blessings, how the Lord reveals things to us over time, using both our strengths and our weaknesses as clues, and why we are never to old to ask the Lord, "What's next for me?"

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Though most of his patients in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada call him Dr. Burton, fans of his music just call him Wayne.

On his first Christmas release, Wayne Burton shares originals like "This Night," and "One Life," (which you can also find on YouTube.com with videos) and classics like "Angels We Have Heard on High," and "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," supported by artists like Jenny Frogley, Cherie Call, Alex Boyé, and Justin Smith.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

In over 40 trips to The Sacred Grove both on his own and with tour groups, author and photographer Scot Proctor has seen the Smith Farm in every light and every season, but there was one day, early in the morning, which truly was a day like no other.  The images captured on that magical day have now found their way into a book for both children and adults which is as close to a journey to the grove with young Joseph Smith as you can have, short of going there yourself.

Scot Proctor talks about deciding what to do with the gift of that day's photographs, the unique opportunity to publish the book simultaneously in eleven different languages, and about the questions and content included in the text itself.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

It's been seven years since her last holiday album, and with Christmas Once Again Hilary Weeks blends the true meaning of the holiday with songs of family and fun. 

From a unique new counterpoint to Silent Night, to favorites like O Come All Ye Faithful and Do You Hear What I Hear, you'll find music just right for decorating the tree, wrapping presents, or simply sitting and contemplating the wonder of our Savior born as a child.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

When four unique and recognizable voices suddenly blend into something altogether new, One Clear Voice is at their musically satisfying best.  In sharing music from their sophomore release, the four women of One Clear Voice talk about that surprising blend, their own sense of mission, and what matters most in their lives.

On "Go Without Knowing," you'll hear tender moments like  "Gratitude," and "Children Will Listen," the joy of "Dance in the Rain,"  and "How You Live," and the fun of an a cappella "I Can See Clearly Now," showing the versatility of experienced performers who sound just as good live as they do in the studio, and who can bring it back to center and break your heart with the simplicity of "Jesus Wept."

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...