Mormon Tabernacle Choir

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is not only one of the oldest and largest choirs in the world, it is also one of the most famous, having performed in more than 28 different countries as well as across the United States. In fact, after they sang at his 1981 inauguration, President Ronald Reagan dubbed the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as "America's Choir." The 360-voice choir is made up of faithful Latter-day Saints between the ages of 25 and 60. Members of the choir are not only exceptionally talented, they are also all volunteers, often still working in their various occupations and join the choir out of a love of music and the choir’s message.

History of the Choir

The Mormon Church has considered music a vital part of worship from the very beginning. Early headquarters of the Church in Kirtland and in Nauvoo both had standing choirs. It was no suprise then that a choir was formed and ready for the first conference held in the Salt Lake Valley less than a month after the pioneers' arrival.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is named after the Salt Lake Tabernacle where it has performed for over a hundred years. The Tabernacle itself was finished in 1867 and the choir held its first concert there on July 4, 1873. The Tabernacle also houses a very impressive organ consisting of 11,623 pipes, making it one of the largest and most elaborate organs in the world. The organ has long been associated with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's "signature sound," though the choir does sing to orchestral accompaniment as well.

The choir started out fairly small and (considering its current condition) rather undisciplined. But in 1869, George Careless was appointed as the choir's conductor and the Tabernacle Choir began to flourish. Under the direction of Careless, the first large choir was assembled by adding smaller choral groups to the main Salt Lake Choir. This larger choir, just over 300, sang at the October 1873 General Conference. It was at this point that the choir caught the vision of matching the size of the spacious Tabernacle it called home.

Later directors brought more solid vocal training and worked to raise the standards of the choir. The choir also began improving as an ensemble and increased its repertoire from around one hundred songs to nearly a thousand. In July of 1929, the Choir performed its first radio broadcast, known as Music and the Spoken Word. By 1950 the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed numerous concerts each year and had released its first long-playing recording. During the 1950s, the choir made its first tour of Europe and earned a Grammy for their recording of "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Later directors of the choir continued to hone and refine the choir's sound.

Choir Milestones

Since it was established more than 150 years ago, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has performed and recorded extensively in the United States and around the world. In that time, the Choir has had many noteworthy performances and achievements. Some of those milestones include the following:

   * The Choir has released more than 130 musical compilations and several films and videotapes.
   * Two of the Choir's recordings have achieved "platinum record" status (in 1991 and 1992).
   * Five of the Choir's recordings have achieved "gold record" status (two in 1963, one in 1980, and two in 1985). The most popular has been a 1959 release of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" recorded with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra.
   * The Choir also received a Grammy Award for "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" in 1959.
   * The Choir won an Emmy Award in 1987 for "Christmas Sampler," a musical special with Shirley Verrett.
   * The Choir has appeared at 13 World's Fairs and Expositions.
   * The Choir has sung for 10 presidents of the United States beginning with President William Howard Taft.
   * The Choir revised on a few hours' notice a planned September 11, 2001 concert for a business convention to commemorate the victims of the terrorist tragedies.
   * The Choir performed over 20 times at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, including the Opening Ceremonies, four concerts of the Cultural Olympiad featuring guest artists of international acclaim and at Light of the World, the multimedia musical production sponsored by the Church as one of its gifts to the Olympic community.

1. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has sung for every president of the United States beginning with President William Howard Taft. The choir has also performed at the inaugurations of United States Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson (1965), Richard M. Nixon (1969), Ronald Reagan (1981), George Bush (1989) and George W. Bush (2001).

1. The Tabernacle Choir has received many notable awards, including five Gold Records, two Platinum Records, a Grammy and an Emmy. It is a two-time recipient of the Freedom Foundation Award.

On average, the Choir performs 75 times per year.

• The Choir has visited 28 countries outside the United States.
• 27 husband-wife combinations sing in the Choir.
• Choir members serve for a maximum of 20 years (or until age 60).
• The Choir has performed at 13 World’s Fairs and Expositions.
• The Choir practices a minimum of 5 hours each week.

Joining the Choir

The choir is made up of some of the best singers in the Church and the arduous audition process makes sure of that. The process begins with the applicant submitting a recording of them singing without accompaniment. The second part of the audition is a written musical skills test and those who wish to be in the choir must score at least an 80 percent. Finally there is an in person audition where the singer demonstrates their ability to read music, their vocal range, and their ability to blend with the choir. This entire process takes six months.

Choir Concerts and Broadcasts

They practice and perform weekly and are accompanied frequently by the Orchestra at Temple Square.

During the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City—February 8-24, 2002—the Choir performed at the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, in four concerts featuring guest artists of international acclaim and in Light of the World, the Church's multimedia musical presentation. In addition, the Choir performed in concerts free to the public following its traditional weekly broadcasts of Music and the Spoken Word from the Tabernacle.

The Choir has performed in concerts around the world and throughout the United States. They have traveled to places such as Russia, many nations in Europe, Brazil, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. In 2001 the Choir toured eight cities in the southern United States. During that tour, the Choir performed a broad spectrum of classical favorites—from patriotic hymns to spirituals to Broadway show tunes—including the Choir's signature pieces such as "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the poignant "God Be with You 'Til We Meet Again." They dazzled audiences in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

Since 1929, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has broadcast the radio and television program Music and the Spoken Word. The program features the Choir with the spoken word provided by Lloyd Newell. More than 50 crew members are needed to ensure that the quality of the production is maintained. The program can be seen live from Temple Square every Sunday at 9:30 am.

Current Choir Leadership

Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square. © 2006 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

• Mac Christensen: Choir President
• Craig Jessop: Music Director
• Mack Wilberg: Associate Director
• Igor Gruppman: Conductor, Orchestra at Temple Square
• Lloyd D. Newell: Announcer for Music and the Spoken Word
• John Longhurst: Organist
• Clay Christiansen: Organist
• Richard Elliott: Organist
• Bonnie Goodliffe: Organist
• Linda Margetts: Organist

Recent Releases

For a more complete list visit the Discography section of the Choir's Website. All albums are available through Deseret Book

• Then Sings My Soul
• Love is Spoken Here
• Choose Something Like a Star
• Peace Like a River
• Sing, Choir of Angels!
• America's Choir: Favorite Songs, Hymns, & Anthems
• Consider the Lilies
• Spirit of America

Recent Guests and Guest Artists

• Angela Lansbury
• Audra McDonald
• Bryn Terfel
• Charles Osgood
• Frederica von Stade
• Peter Graves
• Walter Cronkite
• John Williams
• The Canadian Brass
• The Singing Sergeants
• The U.S. Air Force Band
• Vocal Majority

For More Information Visit:

• The Official Mormon Tabernacle Choir website
• The Official Music and the Spoken Word website
• [1] Lightplanet: Mormon Tabernacle Choir]

Sources:

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Choir Facts

Recordings