(upbeat music) - Salt Lake Children's Choir is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year.

It's long been regarded as one of the finest ensembles of its kind in the nation.

Founder and director, Ralph Woodward, is here to tell us about this special concert.

Hi Ralph.

- Hi.

- So nice to have you back.

So a 45th anniversary is a pretty big deal, so tell me what's kept you going all these years?

- Well, first of all, I just love the interaction with these young people and I love the way they sound.

I don't think there's a more beautiful sound on earth than children singing correctly, singing wonderful music.

So I love that.

I love hearing them sing.

I love working with them and sharing what I know about music and the world.

I've been a lot of different places myself, and we just like to...

There's just a lot to share and a lot to experience together, and it's fun to watch them develop as people and as singers.

- Yeah, definitely.

And I know this concert's especially important because you've got a lot of special things going on with it.

- Yeah, we do.

We're going to use a lot of standout repertoire that we've done over the years that kids like, that I love.

And running from Rachmaninoff to sunny side of the street with a great jazz pianist, our friend, Steve Keen, one of the best around.

So we're gonna run the gamut repertoire wise.

And then we have a large alumni choir coming, former choir members now grown up, most of them.

We've done this a few times in the past, and it just kind of takes my breath away when I hear them sing as grownups.

So it's fun to see the results of their time with our choir.

- And then one is a metropolitan opera singer coming back.

- Wendy Harm.

Wendy Bryn Harmer is a international star, wonderful soprano, former member of our choir.

And she's gonna be coming and singing some of her favorite songs, and including with us, "Climb Every Mountain."

And it'll just be a wonderful feast musically and historically all the way around.

- Oh, wonderful.

Well, thank you for being here and good luck with it.

Thanks.

And if you'd like to know more about that big 45th Anniversary celebration concert of the Salt Lake Children's Choir, June 7th, 7:30, Abravanel Hall, go to childrensing.org.

I'm Mary Dickson, thanks for watching "Contact."

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