Brigham Cecil Gates

'Brigham Cecil Gates was a composer and conductor.

He was born on August 17, 1887, in Laie, Oahu, Hawaii, while his parents Susa Young Gates and Jacob F. Gates served as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

After he trained in music at Brigham Young Academy, he studied at the New England Conservatory of Music. Following his mission to the Eastern States Mission, he studied at the Scharwenka Conservatory of Music in Berlin and graduated with high honors.

In addition to teaching piano in St. George, Utah, Gates was head of the music department at the predecessor of the LDS Business College. He also began a school of music that came to be called the McCune School of Music. He became one of the original members of the General Church Music Committee. From 1916 to 1935 he was the assistant director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

He organized the Lucy Gates Grand Opera Company of Salt Lake City in 1915 with his sister Emma Lucy Gates Bowen and conducted many of the world's great operas. In 1926 he was appointed chairman of the Utah State University music department. He also served as director of the Salt Lake Oratorio Society. Among his many works, he created arrangements of “The Lord’s Prayer” and “My Redeemer Lives.” He composed the music for “How Long, O Lord Most Holy and True” (#126), a hymn included in the 1985 Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Gates also served as director of the Salt Lake Oratorio Society. Brigham Young University created the B. Cecil Gates Opera Workshop as part of the Franklin S. Harris Fine Arts Center.

Gates and his wife, Gweneth were the parents of five children. He died on August 31, 1941.