A hush fell over the dome at America’s Center on July 12, 2025, the final Sabbath of the 62nd General Conference (GC) Session in St. Louis, Missouri, as the mass choir and orchestra began a majestic performance of the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah.

As voices and instruments joined in harmony, more than 40,000 Seventh-day Adventists from all corners of the globe stood — united in praise.

The session’s impact lingers, from changes in governance and leadership to a disciple-making vision. But for many, corporate worship, including music, will be the most enduring memory.

Barbara Dyett-Gordon, a flautist from Ottawa, Ontario, who attended most of this year’s concerts, reflected: “The various programs at the GC Session are always inspiring, but I found the musical presentations most uplifting.”

Music was woven throughout the session, from devotionals and concerts to business meetings, Sabbath worship, and a grand finale with renowned Adventist pastor and singer Wintley Phipps. Contributing to this soundtrack of praise were volunteer musicians from across North America.

Coordinating NAD musicians for her second session was Anika Sampson-Anderson, assistant director for events management and a trained soprano. She was intentional about including artists from underrepresented regions, so people could “walk away with the knowledge of how large and vast and varied our denomination is.”

This dream was realized on the final Sabbath with the mass choir and orchestra. “It all came together. There were people represented from every division,” she said.

That same day, in his first sermon as GC president, Erton C. Köhler underscored the value of unity in diversity: “Our differences are like musical notes. In God’s hands, they can form the most harmonious and beautiful symphony.”  

Within that symphony were NAD musicians whose journeys offer insight into what it means to serve faithfully, whatever the stage.

Les Chanticleers, a 12-part acapella choir from Seattle, Washington, filled the dome with a touching performance of Negro spiritual “I’ll Never Turn Back No More.” One attendee said she could hear the cries of slaves in each note, and director Pattric Parris later learned several in the audience were moved to tears.

“We pray before we sing, asking the Holy Spirit to sing through us,” Parris shared.

Behind this anthem of resilience was the group’s own story. Founded in 1971 by the late Mildred Tuggle, Les Chanticleers has evolved from a group of teenagers to mostly seniors. Their journey to St. Louis was bumpy, as many struggled with health challenges, but they persisted.

“All of us struggled,” said Parris. “Music held us together. We’ve had people who have had serious brain injuries. Two people fell and broke their hips. One lady was determined to get better and came to perform with us even though she needed a chair for the performance.”

In the end, their determination and prayers shone through as they touched hearts.

For Kelly Wiedemann Jaén, associate director of music and orchestra conductor at Shenandoah Valley Academy (SVA), directing her students at the GC Session was a full-circle moment.

Coming from a musical family, she began violin at age four, then attended SVA, where participating in choir and orchestra sparked her sense of calling. “[Teaching music in academy] seemed like the most fun way to make an impact,” she said.

Wiedemann Jaén, who first performed on the GC stage with the New England Youth Ensemble in university, was excited to share a similar experience with her students. She and her music department colleagues came to St. Louis with a selection of orchestra and choir students and alumni. She and several students also joined the mass choir.

For SVA students and alumni, the experience was unforgettable. Recent graduate Faith Richardi, who played French horn and sang in the mass choir, noted: “We all have the same mission: to follow Jesus and share His love. That’s enough to unite us together.”

Senior Andres Muñoz, a violinist, who also joined the choir, added, “Singing with the world as our audience was awe-inspiring and powerful. I heard joy radiating from the voices of everyone around me.”

Alum Joseph Pelote, a violinist who joined the mass orchestra, shared a behind-the-scenes moment, “Before we went on stage, many musicians started jamming. It was so amazing that even though some had language barriers we could still praise God with music together.”

For Wiedemann Jaén, moments like the GC Session, where worship and a family atmosphere permeated every rehearsal, remind her why she chose this path. “I tell them, you don’t have to be a music major, but you’re all going to be involved in your church. You can do music in any way,” she said, adding, “Some kids are on a difficult part of their spiritual walk, but they still feel like they can come back and play with us. That makes it worth it for me.”

Three years ago, Josiah Hughes, a member of Capitol City Seventh-day Adventist Church — Fiji Campus, in Sacramento, California, had a bold vision: to gather Fijian Adventists from around the world to sing at the GC Session.

“Most applied for the visa but were rejected,” said Epeli Saukuru, general secretary of the Fiji Mission, who joined the choir; notably, he wrote more than 400 visa letters. Others cancelled for financial reasons, leaving the U.S.-based churches bracing to sing alone.

Amazingly, 85 voices came together from the U.S., Australia, England, New Zealand, American Samoa, and the Philippines. “When we all met here, Joe was overjoyed,” said Saukuru. “It wasn’t easy to put everything together. We can only praise God.”

The group included six pastors, as well as Marc Woodson, the Northern California Conference president, who learned the lyrics phonetically. Although they learned the songs via Messenger and rehearsed just twice, their rich harmonies and smiles gave no hint of obstacles. “Singing is natural for us,” said Saukuru. “We love singing.”

“We felt like we were singing with the angels. Even Joe said he felt the angels were singing with us while conducting,” he reflected. Their message shone through, even in a different language: “Despite the many challenges we go through, God’s great love can still protect us. And we can still proclaim hope for the second coming.”

Saukuru added that in the South Pacific, they can feel isolated, but at the session, they realized “We’re not small. We’re part of a bigger global church family. And that has been a blessing.”

For first-time attendee and performer Evans Mosomi Jr., from Bowmanville, Ontario, the GC session “felt like connecting with family from abroad that I’d never met. A glimpse of heaven where there’ll be no borders and we can all worship at Jesus’ feet.”

Though Mosomi has been singing with friends since age six, he stepped into his own music ministry during the past year. He and the friends who accompanied him shared a meaningful message: “The song we performed reminds us to forgive each other and truly love our neighbour, in a world where we often choose the easy path rather than loving despite our faults, as Christ did,” he explained.

For Mosomi, both the experience and the music shared reminded him of our call to connect. “It’s such a privilege sharing and at the same time appreciating other artists across the Adventist globe,” he concluded.

For Claudia Ramirez-Treiyer, whose music journey began at age three, singing is as natural as breathing. While she works part-time as a nurse, she engages primarily in music ministry with her husband, Roy, a pianist, teacher, and director. Each fall, they travel with It Is Written partnerships; she is their music director, sharing the gospel through music across the U.S.

At the session, she and Roy, who also performed at the session, had their three young children in tow. The juggling act was not easy, but they created positive memories and affirmed their belief that “family is your first mission field.”

While it was her first time on the GC stage, Ramirez-Treiyer’s ministry experiences helped her maintain perspective. “The tiny little churches we’re doing a concert in where there’s 10 or 15 people are still really special and important for our ministry.”

She asks the Holy Spirit to convey a message wherever she sings, stating, “I don’t necessarily think of it as a bigger stage or a smaller stage, but rather, what does God have to say to each of us in this time and space that we have lent our skills to?”

As they shared their gifts, NAD musicians reminded attendees like Dyett-Gordon of the essence of the church — one body with different parts, working together to form a harmonious whole. “Beautiful music was presented in many languages,” said Dyett-Gordon. “One can only imagine what it will be like in heaven when all these talents get together. What a blessing!”

Click here to read more of the NAD’s GC Session coverage.

Click here to learn more about Evans Mosomi’s journey in music ministry.

Click here for Roy and Claudia’s YouTube channel, and here for the Shenandoah Valley Academy music channel.

Special thanks to Heidi Baumgartner, North Pacific Union communication director and Gleaner editor, for information included in the Les Chanticleers section. Click here for the full article on Les Chanticleers, originally published on the Northwest Adventists website.