Inclement weather thwarted the efforts of Joseph Choi, music director of Sunnydale Adventist Academy, canceling all Saturday events at the International Pathfinder Camporee in Gillette, Wyoming, including a highly anticipated musical performance. The announcement came Friday morning, just a day before Choi’s 100-member orchestra was set to showcase their hard work.
Choi, serving as director of music for the camporee, had meticulously planned a program that reflected the values of the Pathfinder organization while maintaining a respectful atmosphere suitable for an outdoor worship service. “We chose music that sort of reflects that,” Choi explained, detailing his selection of pieces, including Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5 (“Reformation”), “How Great Thou Art,” and the final movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
The journey to this point began long before the camporee. Choi’s involvement dates back to 2014, when he served as the choir director. His experience and dedication led to his current role, where he was responsible for organizing the orchestra and choir for the 2024 event.
Assembling the orchestra was no small feat. From scratch, Choi reached out to music teachers from various academies, and college orchestra and choir professors across institutions such as Walla Walla, PUC, La Sierra, Oakwood, Southwestern, Southern and WAU. “It was like God knew what my needs were,” Choi reflected, recounting how last-minute additions to the orchestra seemed almost miraculous.
The orchestra’s international composition, representing approximately 10 different countries, added to the undertaking’s complexity. Despite these challenges, Choi successfully brought together 100 musicians from diverse backgrounds.
At the camporee, the orchestra maintained a rigorous schedule. Choi’s days began at 6 am for setup, with rehearsals starting at 7:15 am and lasting until about 8:45 am. Between rehearsals, he balanced music preparation, emails, and even participation in master guide classes at Gillette College.
The planned Saturday morning performance included an 8:30 am soundcheck on the main stage, followed by a single service starting at 9:30 am and ending around 11:30 am. However, the cancellation of all the Sabbath activities serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of outdoor events and the resilience required in organizing large-scale musical productions.
Despite the setback, Choi’s efforts in bringing together musicians and his careful curation of a program that balances reverence with youth appeal highlight music’s significant role in Pathfinder events. “I wanted to make sure that our young people had a chance to perform together, and that we approach everything with a little bit of conservativeness because this is for worship service and we want it to be reverent, even though it’s outdoors,” Choi explained.
While expressing his disappointment, Choi remained optimistic about future opportunities. He mentioned the possibility of the orchestra playing together at the General Conference Session in St. Louis next summer, for which he has been a member of the music planning committee since 2017.
