Person 2 Person: Ron Jarrett
(KUTV) Ron Jarrett is the president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
He has been president since 2012.
"It's the most fun job I've ever had," he said. "I think I loved being an educator, but this is just filled with fun people, great music, and fulfilling experiences all the time."
Jarrett is also the first president to have also been a member of the choir.
He sang in the choir for eight-and-a-half years.
"I really identify with the choir members because I've been in their seats," he said.
He knows what they go through when they have long rehearsals or a busy schedule.
"I try and empathize with them a little bit more," Jarrett said.
Jarrett says the members Mormon Tabernacle Choir function as ambassadors for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"We want to bring people through our music to understand that we're real, we're genuine people, we love one another, we follow the teachings of Jesus Christ," he said.
The choir recently returned from a tour on the west coast.
During the weekend of San Francisco Pride, the choir got together with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.
"They talked with our members, they visited, they laughed, and it was just like, 'These guys are our brothers and we can enjoy singing with them,'" Jarrett recalled.
The conductor for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus also got to conduct the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during one of their concerts.
"We were musicians together. And so the differences didn't make any difference to anybody. It was the music that brought us together," Jarrett said.
Jarrett has a moving experience every time he is with the choir.
"I get really emotional with them, because of what we represent and the music that we sing," he said. "The music gets me every time."
One of the goals Jarrett has for the choir is to appeal to younger audiences "by inviting them to listen to our music, because sometimes that will hook them."
He also encourages the director, Mack Wilberg, to select more familiar or popular songs that may attract the interest of younger listeners.
When Jarrett became president, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir also got a YouTube channel.
"We have 150-million views on YouTube, so we're getting it out there," he said.
Jarrett would like to be remembered as the choir's "people person."
"The person who really thought about them and what they were contributing and wanted them to find as much happiness as they were giving to others," he said.
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