An interview with a Latter-day Saint violinist
Sacred music occupies a distinctive place in Latter-day Saint worship. A familiar hymn can carry the memory of a sacrament meeting, a youth conference, a family prayer, or a quiet moment of personal reflection. When that hymn is performed on violin, its melody gains a vocal quality: the bow can sustain a phrase, soften a cadence, or give a simple tune an almost whispered intimacy.
To explore that musical language, we spoke with violinist Anna Whitmore, a fictional composite artist representing performers who arrange, record, and present faith-centered repertoire. Her approach combines classical technique with the expressive directness of congregational song.
Whitmore performs hymns, devotional arrangements, youth-album selections, and original sacred works. In this conversation, she discusses choosing repertoire, preparing spiritually and technically, and finding the balance between artistic interpretation and reverence.
Finding a personal voice in sacred music
Whitmore began violin lessons at age seven, studying standard classical works before discovering how naturally the instrument suited hymn melodies. “A hymn already has emotional architecture,” she explains. “The melody usually knows where it is going, so my responsibility is to reveal that shape rather than decorate every measure.”
Her repertoire includes traditional Latter-day Saint hymns, Christmas carols, arrangements of primary songs, and contemporary inspirational music. She also draws from the broader tradition of sacred violin music, including lyrical slow movements by composers such as Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi.
“For me, sacred repertoire is defined by intent as much as by origin,” she says. “A piece can be technically brilliant, but if the performance feels disconnected from worship, it loses something. I want listeners to sense peace, conviction, gratitude, or hope.”
That goal influences her choices of tempo and dynamics. She may use a broad vibrato during a devotional ballad, then adopt a lighter articulation for a joyful youth song. The interpretation changes, but the central melody remains recognizable.
Preparing a hymn for the violin
A hymn arrangement often looks simple on the page, yet transforming four-part harmony into an effective violin performance requires careful decisions. Whitmore begins by studying the text, even when she will perform without vocals. The words tell her which phrases need warmth, which lines should move forward, and where a musical pause can carry meaning.
She then identifies the melody and supporting voices. On a solo instrument, harmony must be suggested through double stops, broken chords, open-string resonance, or an accompaniment track. “I never want the arrangement to become a demonstration of violin technique,” she says. “The technique should make the message easier to hear.”
Bow distribution is especially important. A long phrase may require planning several measures in advance, while a short repeated line may benefit from a slight lift between statements. Whitmore also experiments with position changes and alternate fingerings to create different colors without changing the notes.
Players looking for related devotional recordings can browse the former store’s collection of EFY music, which documented the energetic, youth-oriented side of Latter-day Saint music. Those recordings offer useful examples of how familiar spiritual themes can be presented with contemporary rhythm, production, and vocal style.
Balancing precision and reverence
Sacred performance does not eliminate the need for rigorous practice. Whitmore warms up with scales, slow shifting exercises, and sustained notes before working on the selected piece. She records difficult passages and listens for uneven intonation, rushed transitions, or vibrato that continues after the musical idea has ended.
Still, she believes technical polish should support communication rather than compete with it. “There is a temptation to make every phrase dramatic,” she says. “But sacred music often becomes powerful when you leave room for stillness. A quiet cadence can say more than an exaggerated swell.”
Her practice routine includes several complete run-throughs at performance tempo, followed by a slower session focused on tone and pitch. She also practices without accompaniment to ensure that her rhythm and phrasing remain stable. When an arrangement includes piano, strings, or recorded vocals, she rehearses with the exact backing track because its timing can alter her breathing and bow choices.
Performance anxiety is handled through ritual. Before walking onstage, she silently reads the text associated with the hymn, takes measured breaths, and focuses on the first phrase rather than the entire program. This process shifts attention away from self-consciousness and toward the purpose of the music.
Repertoire choices for different settings
The same violinist may need entirely different musical strategies for a sacrament meeting, a youth devotional, a concert, or a private recording. A church service generally calls for clarity, restraint, and a length that respects the surrounding program. A concert permits greater contrast, extended introductions, and more elaborate accompaniment.
The following comparison shows how Whitmore adapts sacred repertoire to its setting:
| Performance setting | Suitable repertoire | Interpretive focus | Common arrangement choices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacrament meeting | Familiar hymns and reflective arrangements | Clarity and worshipful restraint | Piano accompaniment, moderate tempo, limited ornamentation |
| Youth devotional | Contemporary faith-based songs and uplifting hymns | Energy, accessibility, and hope | Rhythmic backing, brighter articulation, memorable introductions |
| Concert program | Medleys, original works, and advanced hymn settings | Contrast and artistic development | Modulation, counter-melody, extended dynamics |
| Christmas service | Carols and sacred seasonal pieces | Warmth, wonder, and lyrical tone | Piano, cello, or vocal ensemble support |
| Personal recording | Hymns, prayerful solos, and instrumental originals | Intimacy and emotional detail | Close microphone placement and carefully shaped phrasing |
Whitmore particularly enjoys arranging music for young listeners. “A youth song can be musically sophisticated without becoming inaccessible,” she says. “The best arrangements honor the original message while giving the violin a clear role.”
A useful reference for this approach is the discussion of the 2022 LDS youth album, which examined its lyrics and themes. Studying the message behind a contemporary album can help instrumentalists choose tempos, tonal colors, and textures that reinforce rather than obscure the words.
Teaching expression beyond the printed page
Whitmore teaches intermediate violinists who can read notes accurately but struggle to make a melody sound intentional. Her first lesson is to sing the phrase before playing it. Even a soft humming line reveals where the breath would fall and which note should receive emphasis.
She also asks students to describe the emotional direction of a passage in ordinary language. “If they say a phrase feels like a question, then the bow should not finish it like a conclusion,” she says. “That kind of vocabulary helps students make musical decisions instead of waiting for instructions.”
For sacred repertoire, she encourages students to learn the hymn text and understand the setting in which the piece will be performed. This does not require a particular emotional display. Rather, it gives the player a foundation for authentic phrasing and helps prevent the arrangement from sounding generic.
Her students also learn practical musicianship: how to mark breaths, plan bow changes, adjust volume for a chapel, and communicate with a pianist. These skills matter because a beautiful interpretation can be weakened by poor balance or an unsuitable tempo.
Building a meaningful performance program
A complete recital benefits from contrast. Whitmore might begin with a recognizable hymn, follow it with a technically demanding classical movement, and then return to a contemporary sacred arrangement. The changes in style keep the listener engaged while showing different dimensions of the violin’s sound.
She avoids placing several slow pieces together unless their emotional characters are clearly distinct. A meditative hymn may be followed by a bright primary-song medley, creating a sense of movement through the program. Transitions are planned carefully, especially when spoken comments connect one work to the next.
- Choose melodies with clear spiritual or emotional significance.
- Match technical difficulty to the acoustics and purpose of the venue.
- Vary tempo, key, texture, and accompaniment across the program.
- Study the lyric themes before shaping an instrumental arrangement.
- Leave enough rehearsal time for entrances, transitions, and microphone balance.
Whitmore also recommends preserving the original melody whenever possible. Listeners often connect with sacred music because they recognize it. Creative harmony and expressive phrasing can deepen that connection, but excessive ornamentation may make the source difficult to identify.
Her final advice is simple: “Play the piece until the notes feel familiar, then ask what the listener needs to receive from it. That question changes the performance.”
A violin can present sacred repertoire with elegance, energy, or profound quiet. Its greatest strength is the ability to make a single melodic line feel personal while still belonging to a larger worship tradition. Through thoughtful arranging and disciplined preparation, performers can honor both the music and the people who hear it.
Explore recordings, sheet music, and documented Latter-day Saint music resources to discover repertoire that fits your own setting. Then choose one hymn or devotional song, study its message, and give its melody the patient, expressive attention it deserves.