Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has been called many things:
an American icon, a symbol of freedom, a holiday
tradition, the greatest choir in the world. Why is the
Choir universally recognized and lauded? Of course, it
makes great music, but perhaps more central to its success
is the ability of the 360 members of the Choir to lift the
spirits of people of diverse cultures, ages and religions
all over the world.
One of the oldest and largest
choirs in the world, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has
performed before presidents, sold millions of records, won
scores of awards and enthralled audiences in more than 28
different countries.
The Choir is composed of 360
volunteer singers ages 25-60—all exceptionally
talented musicians. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah at the
headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, the Choir is composed of faithful members of the
Church. They practice and perform weekly and are
accompanied frequently by the Orchestra at Temple Square.
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When was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir formed?
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir originated in the mid-19th
century in Salt Lake City. As the Latter-day Saints moved
west, Church President Brigham Young included musicians
among members of the advance parties. Consequently, a
small choir first sang for a conference of the Church in
the Salt Lake Valley on August 22, 1847, just 29 days
after the first group arrived. The origins of the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir may be found in the desire and commitment
of early converts to include appropriate music in both
sacred and secular events. In fact, there always has been
a standing choir at the Church headquarters—from
early Church locations in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo,
Illinois, to current headquarters in Salt Lake City.
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Have I heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir before?
Odds are that you have. The Choir is best known for its
weekly radio and TV program, Music and the Spoken
Word. First aired in 1929, Music and the Spoken
Word is a weekly 30-minute broadcast of choral music
and inspirational words. The program has since become the
world's longest-running continuous network broadcast. It
is broadcast over 2,000 radio and TV stations and cable
systems. Lloyd Newell has served as the voice of Music
and the Spoken Word since 1990. You also may have
heard the Choir's music in patriotic selections and
holiday songs for which they are also well known.
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What are The Orchestra at Temple Square and The Temple
Square Chorale?
These organizations are two distinct groups that
complement the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and also perform on
their own. The Orchestra at Temple Square is made up of
110 outstanding volunteer musicians, many of whom also
have professional music careers. Although only founded in
1999, it has already become one of the best volunteer
orchestras in the nation. The Orchestra has its own
concert schedule and performs frequently with the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir on Sundays for Music and the Spoken
Word. Barlow Bradford, Associate Director of the
Choir, is the Music Director of the Orchestra at Temple
Square.
The Temple Square Chorale, which was
organized in 1999 and replaced the Mormon Youth Chorus,
has become the training choir for the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir. New members of the Choir initially become members
of the Temple Square Chorale as part of their training for
choir membership. Additionally, many long-time Choir
members rotate in and out of the Temple Square Chorale to
hone their musical skills. The Chorale is directed by
Mack Wilberg and vocal coaching is provided by former
Choir director Jerold Ottley and his wife, JoAnn, a
renowned singer and vocal coach.
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What is the Tabernacle?
Just west of the temple in Salt Lake City stands the
historic Mormon Tabernacle, completed in 1867 after 4
years of construction. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir got
its name from the structure, which has been home to the
Choir since its earliest years. It is said that Brigham
Young suggested the Tabernacle's unusual design after
contemplating a hollowed-out eggshell cracked length-
wise. Brigham Young wanted the Tabernacle roof to be self-
supporting, without pillars or posts to obstruct audience
views. (The balcony with its supporting pillars was added
later.) Because of its extraordinary acoustics and
historical significance, the Tabernacle has been
designated both a national historic landmark and a
national civil engineering landmark. The Tabernacle's
design also accounts for its extraordinary
acoustics—another reason the Grammy Award-winning
Mormon
Tabernacle Choir calls the Tabernacle home.
The Tabernacle is so acoustically sensitive that a pin
dropped at the pulpit can be clearly heard at the back of
the hall—170 feet away. Accompanying the Choir in
the great auditorium is the 11,623-pipe Tabernacle organ
featuring prominent golden pipes made of round wood
staves, hand-carved from Utah timber. Ten pipes from the
original organ, built in 1867, are still functioning today.
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How important is the organ for the choir performances?
The organ's unique sound has become synonymous with the
Choir's music. Located in the Tabernacle building in Salt
Lake City, the organ is a massive, yet intricate
instrument with more than 11,000 pipes. Together with the
Tabernacle itself, the organ is in no small way
responsible for the "signature sound" of this world-
renowned choral ensemble. The Choir often tours with a
special electronic organ to replicate the sound of its
famous organ in Salt Lake City.
The first organ was
shipped by boat from Australia to California by its
builder, Joseph Ridges, in the 1800s. Twelve mules then
pulled the organ across the brutal terrain from San
Bernardino to Salt Lake City. Since 1867, the Tabernacle
organ has been enlarged or renovated five times and has
grown from its original 2,000-pipe frame to its present
size of 11,623 pipes. Today it is one of the largest and
most elaborate organs in the world.
Currently the
Choir has five organists: John Longhurst, Clay
Christiansen, Richard Elliott, Bonnie Goodliffe and Linda
Margetts. The organists perform weekly with the Choir and
play daily organ recitals in the Tabernacle—a year-
round tradition since 1915.
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When are the Choir's public rehearsals?
Many of the Choir's rehearsals are free and open to the
public. Weekly public rehearsals are held on Thursday
evenings (8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.) and Sunday mornings
(8:15 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.) The Sunday rehearsals culminate
with the broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word.
The rehearsals are regularly held in the Tabernacle except
for several occasions during the year when the Choir is
either on tour or performing in the new Conference Center
of the Church. (Please check at either of the visitors'
centers on Temple Square for information on the Choir's
weekly performances.)
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Why is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sometimes
called
"America's Choir"?
Ronald Reagan dubbed the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
"America's Choir" in 1981 when the Choir sang at his
inauguration. The name has remained because it truly
embodies the purpose of the Choir. The Choir began
in the mid-1800s on the American plains as the
Mormon Pioneers trekked across the country to reach
Salt Lake City and has been part of American tradition
ever since. One hundred and fifty years later, the songs
and sounds of the Choir continue to delight people in
the United States and all over the world. It is interesting
to note that this American choir's focus—ever
since its early days in the dusty desert of
Utah—has been to reach out to the entire world.
The music of the Choir is universal to people of every
faith and culture. Indeed, the music of "America's
Choir" resonates throughout the world.
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What was the Choir's role in the 2002 Winter Olympics?
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.
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What is the significance of the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir in church history?
Dancing, singing and celebrating have always been a
part of sacred life. After the Book of Mormon, the next
official publication of the Church was the Church
hymnbook.
From the early pioneers of the
mid-1800s to the present day, music has been an
important part of religious life for members of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In every
wagon company that crossed the United States to Utah,
there was a cooper to fix wagon wheels and a musician
to lift the spirits of each pioneer. The Choir has
profoundly affected music throughout the Church. Its
consistently high artistic standard, frequent use of
hymns and hymn arrangements and exemplary service
through music continue to inspire, instruct and
encourage Church musicians and the members they
serve.
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What are some notable achievements of the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir?
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.
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Who are the leaders of the choir?
In December 1999, Craig Jessop became the Music
Director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, after serving
as an Associate Director since 1995. Assisting him are
Mack Wilberg, Associate Director of the Choir and
Director of the Temple Square Chorale, and Barlow
Bradford, also Associate Director of the Choir and
Director of the Orchestra at Temple Square. Mac
Christensen, founder and retired owner of a successful
retail clothing chain, has served as President of the
Choir since November 2000.
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Do choir and orchestra members get paid for their
service?
No. All 360 members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
and all 110 members of the Orchestra at Temple
Square are unpaid volunteers who practice and
perform weekly. Choir members rehearse and perform
about five hours in an average week—Thursday
nights for two hours and Sunday mornings for more
than three hours. This does not include touring, for
which members often take time off from work,
sometimes foregoing personal vacations. All
members must attend a minimum of 75 percent of
rehearsals and performances.
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How does one join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?
The Choir accepts applications for new singers during
the first week of January and July every year. Before
members join the Choir, they undergo a rigorous
audition process consisting of three phases, which
take place over approximately six months. Prospective
Choir members also must be active members of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, be
recommended by their bishops and live within 100
miles of Temple Square. Applicants must be between
25 and 55 years of age. Tenure in the Choir is 20 years
or until age 60.
In the first step of the audition
process, applicants submit an unaccompanied
recording of a song selected by Craig Jessop,
the Music Director. The second stage of the audition, a
musical skills test, measures musical ability and
aptitude. Applicants with an acceptable test score are
then scheduled for an audition before Craig Jessop
and Associate Director, Mack Wilberg. In the third
stage, individuals perform a hymn of their choice,
sight-read a piece of music and test their vocal
range.
Even after selections of new singers
are made, the evaluation process is not quite complete.
The selected singers are brought into the Temple
Square Chorale for a three-month period during which
they attend musical training classes and sing with the
Chorale. If they successfully complete the training
program, they become members of the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir.
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Where has the Mormon Tabernacle Choir toured?
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.
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Where can I find the Choir on the radio?
Many local radio stations carry the broadcasts of
Music and the Spoken Word. For information
about stations in your area, call Bonneville
Communications at 800-247-6655 (or 801-237-2449 in
Utah)or go to
www.musicandthespokenword.com.
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Where can I purchase recordings of the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir?
The Choir has formed its own recording label, Mormon
Tabernacle Choir™. For details about this new label and
its first release, Consider the Lilies, click here. Prior
to this new label, the Choir recorded for Telarc, Sony
Classical, CBS Masterworks, and many other labels. One of
the best places to buy the Choir's recordings is
deseretbook.com.
However, you should be able to find
Mormon Tabernacle Choir recordings wherever fine music is
sold.
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How can I reach the choir staff?
Please call the Choir office at 801-240-4150 or Public
Affairs at 801-240-6360.
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