The London Adventist Chorale was part of a star line-up of performers invited to take part in Queen Elizabeth II’s June 1 jubilee concert. The nationally known choir sang two gospel songs—one especially composed for the event—before an audience of more than 12,000 invited guests at Buckingham Palace, London, and 40,000 more who gathered outside the gates to watch on giant video screens. The two-hour concert was part of a four-day celebration of the monarch’s 50-year reign, and was broadcast live to more than 50 countries.
Chorale conductor Ken Burton told the BBC after the performance that the choir felt “humbled, yet honored to be a part of this great occasion—we’re so happy to bring our brand of music to the world at large.”
As they came on stage the members of the choir “were full of enthusiasm and full of joy,” said Burton. He told the interviewer that they had tried not to think about the millions of viewers, but to concentrate instead on letting the message of the songs shine through. “We’re singing about messages we 100 percent believe in and live by every day,” said Burton.
When asked what that message was, Burton replied that the songs were about “better days to come.”
“We believe very much in the Bible,” he said. “We believe very much in the return of Christ, and the songs spoke about the resurrection and heaven.”
The London Adventist Chorale, formed in 1982, was one of 10 guests invited by the Queen to participate in the event, which was billed as a celebration of popular classical music. Others included the BBC Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and 13-year-old clarinetist Julian Bliss. Eighteen members of Britain’s royal family were in the audience at Buckingham Palace, including the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Prince Charles.