Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Origin	Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Founding	1847 (168 years ago)
Genre	Worship, classical, gospel
Members	360
Music Director	Mack Wilberg
Affiliation	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Associated groups	Orchestra at Temple Square, Temple Square Chorale, Bells on Temple Square
Awards	National Medal of Arts American Classical Music Hall of Fame NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame Grammy Award Emmy Awards
Website	MormonTabernacleChoir.org

	"I am a Child of God" composed by Naomi Ward Randall in 1957. Sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in 2005.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab or Tab Choir, is a Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its funding is provided by the sale of albums, concert tickets, licensing of recorded performances, and donations.^[1][2] The choir's current music director is Mack Wilberg.^[3]

Description

Called "America's Choir" by U.S. President Ronald Reagan,^[4] the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is made up of 360 men and women; all are members of the LDS Church in good standing. Although many choir members live within close proximity of the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, some members commute long distances for practices and the choir's weekly television and radio broadcast. Choir members are not paid for their participation or performances. There are often husband–wife combinations and some families have participated in the choir for generations.

The choir was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. Since July 15, 1929, the choir has performed a weekly radio broadcast called Music and the Spoken Word, which is one of the longest-running continuous radio network broadcasts in the world.^[5] At the end of the choir's 4165th live broadcast on July 12, 2009, the show's host, Lloyd D. Newell, announced another milestone that the show had hit: the completion of its 80th year in existence. The show has been televised since the early 1960s and is now broadcast worldwide through approximately 1,500 radio and television stations.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's sound is often said to be world-famous, and instantly recognizable. When recording, the choir is usually accompanied by the Orchestra at Temple Square, the Salt Lake Tabernacle's pipe organ, or both. With the completion of the church's Conference Center, a larger auditorium directly adjacent to Temple Square, the choir now has two halls available for performance.

The minimum age for participation in the choir is 25. Choir members are currently limited to twenty years of participation, or until the member reaches the age of 60, allowing new members to join the choir on a regular basis. There is also a limitation of the distance a member may live from downtown Salt Lake City, in part to help ensure safety for the travel that would be required for weekly rehearsals and other performances. New choir members participate in the Temple Square Chorale training choir, a combination music theory/performance school.

History

The LDS Church has considered music a vital part of worship from the beginning of its history. Early headquarters of the church in Kirtland, Ohio, and in Nauvoo, Illinois, both had standing choirs. It was no surprise that a choir was formed and ready for the first general conference held in the Salt Lake Valley less than a month after the Mormon pioneers arrived.^[6]

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is named after the Salt Lake Tabernacle, where it has performed for over a hundred years.^[7] The Tabernacle was completed in 1867 and the choir held its first concert there on July 4, 1873.^[6] The Tabernacle also houses an organ consisting of 11,623 pipes, making it one of the largest and most elaborate organs in the world.^[6] The organ has long been associated with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's "signature sound," though the choir does sing a capella or to orchestral accompaniment as well.

The choir started out fairly small and rather undisciplined. In 1869, George Careless was appointed as the choir's conductor and the Tabernacle Choir began to musically improve. Under 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 church's October 1873 general conference. It was at this point that the choir began to match the size of the spacious Tabernacle. On September 1, 1910, the choir sang the song, "Let the Mountains shout for Joy",^[8] as their first ever recording. Three hundred of the 600 members showed up for the recording.^[9]

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 1929, the choir performed its first radio broadcast of 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 its recording of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic". Later directors of the choir continued to hone and refine the choir's sound.

Milestones

Since its establishment more than 150 years ago, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has performed and recorded extensively, not only in the United States but around the world. During that time, the choir has received much praise and recognition. The following are some of its milestones:

• Visited 28 countries outside the United States.
• Performed at 13 World’s Fairs and Expositions.
• Released more than 130 musical compilations and several films and videotapes.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has performed for ten presidents of the United States beginning with William Howard Taft.^[10] 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).^[11]

Other notable events the choir has performed at include the following:

• Performed over 20 times at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, including at the Opening Ceremonies, where they sang the national anthem and the Olympic Hymn under the direction of John Williams.
• The American Bicentennial in Washington, D.C. (July 4, 1976)
• The Constitution's bicentennial celebration at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1987)

It has also participated in several significant events, including:

• National broadcasts honoring the passing of U.S. Presidents:
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt (April 12, 1945)
  • John F. Kennedy (November 24, 1963)

Tours

From its first national tour in 1893, under the direction of Evan Stephens, to the Chicago World's Fair, the choir has performed in locations around the world, including:

• Western Europe (1955, 1973, 1998)
• Scandinavia (1982)
• Central Europe and the former Soviet Union (1991)
• Israel (1993)
• Japan/Korea (1979, 1982)
• Australia/New Zealand (1988)
• Central America (1968, 1972)
• Brazil (1981)^[12]
• Canada and Eastern United States (2011)^[13]
• Western United States (2012)^[14]
• Midwest United States (2013)^[15]
• Eastern United States (2015)^[16]

Christmas concerts

The choir holds a yearly Christmas concert in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City during the month of December. Typically, the concert consists of four shows: a Thursday dress rehearsal, Friday and Saturday shows and a Sunday abbreviated concert after the morning Music and the Spoken Word program. The combined audience for the four days of concerts is approximately 84,000. Tickets to the concert are free, but are distributed randomly through an internet drawing. A live album (CD/DVD) is typically released, along with the concert being aired on PBS, during the latter part of the following year.

Guest artists participate and sing with the choir most years. A guest narrator is also invited most years to read the Christmas story from the Book of Luke. Past guest artists include:

• 2000: R&B singer Gladys Knight and actress Roma Downey^[17]
• 2001: Actress Angela Lansbury
• 2002: Former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite
• 2003: Mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade and baritone Bryn Terfel
• 2004: Actress Audra McDonald and actor Peter Graves
• 2005: Soprano Renee Fleming and actress Claire Bloom
• 2006: Soprano Sissel
• 2007: London-based a cappella group the King's Singers
• 2008: Broadway singer Brian Stokes Mitchell and actor Edward Herrmann^[18]
• 2009: Jazz singer Natalie Cole and author and historian David McCullough^[19]
• 2010: Pop singer David Archuleta and actor Michael York^[20]
• 2011: Operatic baritone Nathan Gunn and actress Jane Seymour^[21]
• 2012: Tenor Alfie Boe and former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw^[22] The event also featured Col. Gail "Hal" Halvorsen.^[23]
• 2013: Soprano Deborah Voigt and actor John Rhys-Davies^[24]
• 2014: Actor Santino Fontana and The Sesame Street Muppets^[25][26]

Leadership

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has about 15 staff members including a president, directors, organists, a Music and the Spoken Word announcer, and two business-related staff members.

Music directors

Mack Wilberg is the current director, with associate director Ryan Murphy.

Organists

Richard Elliott, Clay Christiansen, Andrew Unsworth, Bonnie Goodliffe, and Linda Margetts are the current organists.

Music and the Spoken Word announcers

Since its inception in 1929, the "spoken word" segment of the program has been voiced by four separate individuals. The original writer, producer, and announcer of the spoken portion of the broadcast was Edward (Ted) Kimball, who would stand at the top of a tall ladder and announce the name of each performance piece into the microphone suspended from the Tabernacle ceiling. Kimball remained at the post for only 11 months, when he was replaced by Richard L. Evans, who continued in that capacity until his death in 1971. J. Spencer Kinard took over as announcer in 1972 until he stepped down in 1990. Lloyd D. Newell has been the announcer since then.

Awards and inductions

The choir has a list of prestigious awards, including the National Medal of Arts (2003),^[27] a Grammy Award for Best Performance by a Vocal Group or Chorus (1960), and three Emmy Awards (1987, 2013, 2014).^[28][29][30] The choir is also an inductee to the American Classical Music Hall of Fame (2015) and the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame (2004).^[31] The largest act to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 is the 320-person Mormon Tabernacle Choir, whose version of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" reached No. 13 according to the The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits in 1959.^[32]

Grammy Awards

Year	Recipient	Award	Result
1960	"Battle Hymn of the Republic" from the album Lord's Prayer	Best Pop Performance by a Vocal Group or Chorus	style="background: #99FF99; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="yes table-yes2"|Won
1967	"Bless This House" from the album Bless This House	Best Classical Choral Performance	style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated
2007	Spirit of the Season (feat. Sissel)	Best Classical Crossover Album	style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated
		Best Engineered Album, Classical	style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated
2009	Noël (with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, track 13)	Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album	style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated

Other awards

1944

• Peabody Award — Music and the Spoken Word for Outstanding Entertainment in Music

1961

• Peabody Award — Music and the Spoken Word — "Let Freedom Ring"^[33][34]

1981

• Freedoms Foundation's George Washington Award — Music and the Spoken Word — Fourth of July Broadcast

1987

• Emmy Award — Christmas Sampler, a musical special with Shirley Verrett^[28]

1988

• Freedoms Foundation's George Washington Award^[35]

2003

• National Medal of Arts^[36]
• International Radio and Television Society Foundation's Special Recognition Award
• Chorus America's Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence

2004

• Library of Congress' National Recording Registry — Handel's Messiah (1959)
• National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame — Choir and Music and the Spoken Word

2006

• Mother Teresa Award^[37]

2010

• National Radio Hall of Fame — Music and the Spoken Word^[28]

2013

• Emmy Award — The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Presents the Joy of Song, a musical special featuring Katherine Jenkins^[29]

2014

• Emmy Award — The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Presents an Evening with James Taylor^[30]

2015

• American Classical Music Hall of Fame — Choir^[38]

Recordings

Since its first recording in 1910, the choir has earned five gold albums (two in 1963-The Lord's Prayer and Handel's Messiah, one in 1979- The Joy of Christmas, and two in 1985- The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Sings Christmas Carols and Joy to the World) and two platinum albums (in 1991- Hallmark Christmas: Carols of Christmas and 1992- Hallmark Christmas: Celebrate Christmas!). The choir has made over 300 recordings and continues to produce albums. For some live performances and albums, the choir has collaborated with large orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and the newly formed Orchestra at Temple Square. The choir's own record label was formed in 2003.

Several award winning popular artists have reflected on the beauty of the choir's music publicly including: Gladys Knight (of Gladys Knight and the Pips),^[39] Ric Ocasek (of The Cars),^[40] The Osmonds,^[41] Sting (of The Police),^[42][43] and James Taylor.^[44]

Number one albums (2003-present)

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		US Classical	US Classical Crossover	US Christian
America's Choir: Favorite Songs, Hymns, & Anthems[45]	Released: 2004[46] Label: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Format: Digital download, CD	1	—	42
Choose Something Like a Star[47]	Released: 2005[48] Label: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Format: Digital download, CD	1	—	—
Spirit of the Season[49]	Released: 2007[50] Label: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Format: Digital download, CD	1	—	11
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing: American Folk Hymns & Spirituals[51]	Released: 2009[52] Label: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Format: Digital download, CD	—	1	8
Heavensong: Music of Contemplation and Light[53]	Released: 2010[54] Label: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Format: Digital download, CD	—	1	15
100 Years: Celebrating a Century of Recording Excellence[55]	Released: 2010[56] Label: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Format: Digital download, CD	1	—	6
Men of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir[57]	Released: 2010[58] Label: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Format: Digital download, CD	1	—	9
This Is the Christ[59]	Released: 2010[60] Label: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Format: Digital download, CD	1	—	1
GLORY! Music of Rejoicing[61]	Released: 2013[62] Label: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Format: Digital download, CD	1	—	11
He Is Risen (EP)[63]	Released: 2014[64] Label: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Format: Digital download, CD	1	—	19

Filmography

• This Is Cinerama (1952)^[65]
• Mr. Krueger's Christmas (1980), starring James Stewart^[66]
• Singing with Angels (forthcoming 2016)

See also

• List of Mormon Tabernacle Choir Music Directors
• Salt Lake Tabernacle organ

References

Further reading

• Berteaux, Kelsey (October 4, 2014), "Mormon Tabernacle Choir Fashion: 1888-Now", LDS Living (Deseret Books) 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

• Official website
• "Mormons on a Mission" article by Kirk Johnson, New York Times

Music organizations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mormon Tabernacle Choir (Discography • Directors • Organists • Tabernacle • Organ) Orchestra at Temple Square • Bells on Temple Square • Temple Square Chorale Mormon Youth Symphony and Chorus (disbanded) • Nauvoo Brass Band (disbanded) Unofficial: Millennial Choirs and Orchestras • Mormon Orchestra of Washington DC • Saints Unified Voices • Southern California Mormon Choir

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints History Joseph Smith death succession crisis Anthon Transcript Incorporation First Vision Brigham Young Handcart companies Mormon Battalion Name of the church Pioneers 1890 Manifesto Good neighbor policy In popular media Statistical membership Mormonism and violence Historic sites Sacred texts Bible: King James Version, Joseph Smith Translation Book of Mormon Doctrine and Covenants Pearl of Great Price Book of Moses Book of Abraham Joseph Smith–Matthew Joseph Smith–History Articles of Faith Beliefs and Practices Apostasy and restoration Calling Celestial marriage Family Home Evening Fast Sunday For the Strength of Youth God in Mormonism Ordinances Plan of Salvation Priesthood Revelation Sexuality "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" Culture and worship Brigham Young University LDS cinema (Films) Deseret Book Deseret Industries Especially for Youth General Conference Humanitarian Services Hymns Missionary service Mormon Mormon Channel Mormon music Mormon Tabernacle Choir Pageants Sunday School Temples Worship services Organization Church Educational System FamilySearch Finances Primary Relief Society Young Men Young Women Leadership President Thomas S. Monson First Presidency Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Presiding Bishop Quorums of the Seventy Criticism Anti-Mormonism Blacks and the church Book of Mormon Genetics Historical authenticity Linguistics Origin Homosexuals and the church Mountain Meadows massacre Polygamy Salamander letter September Six Other related articles Bloggernacle FairMormon Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies Mormon fundamentalism Mormon studies Mormonism and Christianity Mormonism and women Books LDS Church small LDS Church big Book of Mormon Books of the Book of Mormon Joseph Smith Book of Abraham Mormon Texts Latter-day Saints Portal