Gianfranco Vizzini loves to sing, and this weekend, he has the special opportunity to represent South Africa during General Conference as he sings with the award-winning Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
The Choir, which is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has won several Emmy and Grammy awards, has sung at numerous United States presidential inaugurations, and uplifts and inspires millions each Sunday during its weekly Music and the Spoken Word programme.
Vizzini is a trained musician, and in addition to his love of singing, he has played flute, piano, and piccolo in the Pretoria Symphony.
“I am so excited to be a global representative, representing South Africa, in the Tabernacle Choir,” he said. “Knowing that Heavenly Father has called someone to represent our country is such a privilege.”
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Talented singers from around the world were selected locally to go through a rigorous audition process for an opportunity to sing with the Tabernacle Choir. Ten people representing seven different countries were selected to participate in the October 2023 General Conference. Following that, the global participants will return home, where they will be called and set apart as music missionaries, with the purpose of raising the standard in the countries they live.
South Africa Has Many Ethnic Groups
“Who would have thought that a boy from South Africa would one day be singing in the Tabernacle Choir, inviting the world, but specifically people from the Southern African region, to come unto Christ, and that they have a voice through me. They are being represented,” Vizzini said.
Vizzini’s father is Italian and his mother is South African. He is married with two small children and works for an insurance company in South Africa.
“It is so special to represent South Africa in this way,” Vizzini said. “It was probably one of the hardest auditions of my career, but to feel good enough and to perform at this level is just so special.”
Vizzini will perform with the Choir during the October 2023 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which airs on Saturday, September 30, and Sunday, October 1, 2023.
“I invite everyone everywhere to watch General Conference, live or steamed later, and feel the importance of the sacred music. This music is to invite others to come unto Christ,” he said.
Watch Vizzini and the other global participants at General Conference and Music and the Spoken Word.