Singer Brian Stokes Mitchell and actor Edward Herrmann will be the featured guest artists for Ring, Christmas Bells, this year's Christmas concerts by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. Mack Wilberg will conduct the concerts, which will also feature 120 bell-ringers from the community, including members of Bells on Temple Square. Richard Elliott, Clay Christiansen and Andrew Unsworth will accompany at the organ.

The concerts will be presented in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, 11 December, at 8 p.m. (preview performance); and Friday, 12 December, and Saturday, 13 December, both at 7:30 p.m. The weekly half-hour CBS radio broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word on Sunday, 14 December, at 9:30 a.m. in the Conference Center will also feature both guest performers, followed by a mini-concert with additional music from the concert.

Dubbed "the Last Leading Man" by the New York Times, Brian Stokes Mitchell lived up to his reputation as one of the foremost Tony Award-winning Broadway stars as he performed with the Choir in the recent Tanner Gift of Music concert to standing ovations. Stokes' performances as a solo vocalist have been praised by critics nationwide, with sold-out evenings at the Hollywood Bowl, Disney Hall, Tanglewood, Ravinia and Symphony Hall. His musical versatility and thrilling voice have kept him in demand by some of the country's finest conductors and orchestras.

Edward Herrmann has enjoyed a versatile and prolific acting career, winning both Tony and Emmy awards for his stage and TV work as well as appearing in countless movies on the big screen. He is also known for his voice as narrator for The History Channel, for his portrayals of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and for roles in various PBS specials. To viewers worldwide, he has become the embodiment of intelligence and integrity.

"We are absolutely delighted to have these two great talents with us this Christmas," said Mack Wilberg, music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. "Our audiences fell in love with Stokes' rich baritone and marvelous stage presence when he was here in September. Combining his talents with an actor of the caliber of Edward Herrmann, for whom we have some special narrations planned, will make this year's program one audiences will thoroughly enjoy."

Like most projects with the Choir and Orchestra, several things were actually done at once to get the footage needed for the video. One Sunday in January following Music and the Spoken Word, the men of the Choir and all of the Orchestra spent 45 minutes doing a number of takes of the song. The men were spread out evenly through the Tabernacle for the best visual effect. A number of separate cameras were filming at the same time. The footage was used not only for the BYU music video but also for a video appearance of the Choir at the May 2008 Women’s Confer-ence at BYU as well as a promotional piece used at Deseret Book’s Time Out for Women series throughout the spring and fall.

Matt Eastin, a film maker who works on projects with BYU Broadcasting, took the Tabernacle footage and added other footage of real missionaries around the world. He spent a day shooting the activities of a companionship of elders and another one of sisters in the Utah Provo mission as they worked with contacts and investigators. The result is a highly moving, slightly different slice on missionary work and this fervent song which has inspired missionaries of all types. The video can be viewed online by clicking on the image below. You can also access a high definition version on the BYU broadcasting website by clicking here. If you like the video, you’ll be sure to want to get the CD. It’s music for every kind of missionary. Click here for more information.