About

A little about me: I've played the piano since I was 5, including for ward general priesthood meeting as a young man. I didn't work hard enough to become a great piano player, but I loved music and had fun with it. In Junior High, I picked up the clarinet in symphonic band, then moved to bass clarinet - where my love of the base part began. I played the snare drum during the summer for marching band. In high school I joined a small band and played electric guitar for a while. When the band broke up, I sold the electric guitar and bought an acoustic that has been a blessing to me and many others over the years. I've played other instruments over the years, but never planned on making music more than a hobby.

Ever since I was a youth, I participated in ward choirs and loved it. I was told that I had a great voice and talent, but never did any collegiate choirs - but I did help organize and lead Stadium Singing at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) back in 2000. I have always enjoyed making music and sharing my talent, but it's never been part of my career path.

In 2015, I was called to be ward choir director, and immediately was excited to jump in and do my best. I had no intention of writing my own arrangements at first, but there were hymns that I wanted the choir to sing that I couldn't find arrangements for. So I wrote a very simple arrangement for "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy" for SATB and piano. I thoroughly enjoyed the process, but never thought it would be more than a one-off thing.

One day, a variation kept coming back to me for "All Creatures of Our God and King". So, I sat down and wrote it out. It just felt right, and our choir loved it. Then Christmas was coming, and in the process of finding the right songs, I felt lead to write two more arrangements - one with flute and violin parts.

And from there, several times I have been sitting in meetings, singing hymns and feeling the spirit, when a variation on a hymn comes into my mind. To me, it's revelation and I feel if I don't write it down, I'm ignoring the Spirit.

So, in summary, I'm not a professional. I don't profess to be. I'm just a Latter-day Saint that felt impressed to write music and share my talents with my ward and the world. I would love to hear feedback in the comments on my pieces. My deepest desire is to bring the Spirit into the hearts of those that hear this music.

-Seth Cox