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Nathan Haines conducts orchestra students at BYU.

Elli Alder, BYU Photo

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Nathan Haines and Nathan Hofheins

Elli Alder, BYU Photo

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Brigham Young University has a long history of anthems, including the rousing “Cougar Song” (1947) played at sporting events and the older, beloved “College Song” (1899). Continuing the tradition of capturing the spirit and mission of BYU, a new song has arrived — just in time for BYU’s sesquicentennial.

The fun and inspiring anthem, “Enter To Learn, Go Forth To Serve,” is now available to BYU 150 participants who reach the 75-hour service benchmark. The piece was composed by BYU commercial music professor Nathan Hofheins and performed by the elite BYU Chamber Orchestra, directed by Nathan Haines, director of orchestras. The genesis of the anthem began with the two professors exploring how to share BYU’s mission with the world.

Haines brought the original creative vision to the project. As he was preparing to take the orchestra on its 2025 tour, he wanted to introduce BYU both visually and musically. He envisioned the musicians playing a live soundtrack beneath a video presentation. He saw campus and the mountains, as well as students learning, performing, and serving. He also had a sense of the accompanying musical tone.

“I wanted a song that would embody the spirit of BYU and be a way of introducing BYU to the world,” Haines said. “I wanted to reflect the happy and inspirational spirit in BYU’s motto, ‘Enter to learn, go forth to serve.'”

To bring this vision to life, Haines approached Hofheins — an accomplished media artist who has written and arranged music for numerous television networks, films and organizations. Could Hofheins write a 5- or 6-minute piece that represented the BYU ethos?

Hofheins went to work. From the outset, he wanted to gesture to familiar tunes that would carry a meaningful message. For inspiration, he drew from the sacred music library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, selecting “Teach Me To Walk in the Light” and “Because I Have Been Given Much.”

“While I was writing the music, I was picturing young adults in college working hard and having a great time,” Hofheins said. “I was thinking about their fun energy; at the same time, they’re making such important decisions in their lives.”

The bouncy beginning of the piece, Hofheins explained, was inspired by “Teach Me To Walk in the Light,” reflecting the light-hearted energy of young adults as they navigate serious life choices.

For the second section, Hofheins chose a sense of joy, gratitude and willingness to serve. For inspiration, he turned to “Because I Have Been Given Much,” reflecting how the music department serves through research, projects, performances and contributions to the music industry.

“There is a deep need for upstanding Christian values and beliefs in the commercial music world as film and television, and all those areas, are so fraught with negative influences,” Hofheins said.

“Enter To Learn, Go Forth To Serve” has now premiered throughout Australia and continues to evolve as the orchestra interprets, rehearses and performs it.

“One thing I tell my students is that no other orchestra in the world can play this piece as well as we can, because we know the restored gospel,” Haines said. “We have a testimony of Jesus Christ, and we know what it means to learn in the light and walk in the light. That’s what we’re doing here at BYU.”

“Enter To Learn, Go Forth To Serve” can be downloaded for those who give 75 hours of service during the sesquicentennial year.