TheTabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir that is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for over 100 years. The Tabernacle houses an organ, consisting of 11,623 pipes, which usually accompanies the choir.
Sissel Kyrkjebø, also simply known as Sissel, is a Norwegian soprano.
Temple Square is a 10-acre (4.0 ha) complex, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the center of Salt Lake City, Utah. The usage of the name has gradually changed to include several other church facilities that are immediately adjacent to Temple Square. Contained within Temple Square are the Salt Lake Temple, Salt Lake Tabernacle, Salt Lake Assembly Hall, the Seagull Monument, and two visitors' centers. The square was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1964, recognizing the Mormon achievement in the settlement of Utah.
The King's Singers are a British a cappella vocal ensemble founded in 1968. They are named after King's College in Cambridge, England, where the group was formed by six choral scholars. In the United Kingdom, their popularity peaked in the 1970s and early 1980s. Thereafter they began to reach a wider American audience, appearing frequently on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in the United States. In 1987, they were prominently featured as guests on the Emmy Award-winning ABC television special Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas.
The Orchestra at Temple Square (Orchestra) is a 110-member orchestra located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Orchestra was created in 1999 under the direction of Gordon B. Hinckley, then the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as part of an initiative to continually strengthen and expand the capabilities of the church's music organizations.
Music & the Spoken Word is a religious radio and television series. Broadcast weekly from the Salt Lake Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, the program primarily features performances of music by The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square—often accompanied by the Salt Lake Tabernacle organ and the Orchestra at Temple Square, accompanied by spiritual messages and passages related to a specific episode's theme.
Merrill Boyd Jenson is an American composer and arranger who has composed film scores for over thirty films including Emma Smith: My Story, Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration, The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd, Legacy, Harry's War, and Windwalker. Many of the films Jenson composed music for were directed by Academy Award-winning director Kieth Merrill. Jenson has also composed several concert productions including a symphony that premiered at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, he has composed music for many television commercials including the acclaimed Homefront ads, music for three outdoor pageants, and several albums. Jenson lives in Provo, Utah with his wife Betsy Lee Jenson.
Alfred Giovanni Roncalli Boe is an English tenor and actor, notably performing in musical theatre.
The Salt Lake Tabernacle organ is a pipe organ located in the Salt Lake Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah. Along with the nearby Conference Center organ, it is typically used to accompany the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and is also featured in daily noon recitals. It is one of the largest organs in the world. President and tonal director Jack Bethards describes it as an "American classic organ" and "probably one of the most perfect organs ever built."
The choirs at Brigham Young University (BYU) consist of four auditioned groups: BYU Singers, BYU Concert Choir, BYU Men's Chorus, and BYU Women's Chorus. Each choir is highly accomplished and performs from an extensive repertoire. Together, the choirs have recorded and released over 30 albums. The choirs perform frequently throughout the academic year, both as individual ensembles as well as a combined group.
The Mormon Youth Symphony and Chorus (MYSC) was an official musical organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1969 to 1999, composed of young musicians aged 18 to 33. In its 30-year history, MYSC was credited with many television specials, numerous recordings, concerts, and several major tours throughout the United States. The group was disbanded during the 1999 reorganization of the Tabernacle Choir and resulting creation of the Orchestra at Temple Square. The choral arm of the group provided music for the church's annual and semi-annual general conferences, usually during the Saturday morning sessions.
The Wonder of Christmas was recorded during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2001-2005 Christmas shows in the LDS Conference Center with special guests Angela Lansbury, Bryn Terfel, Audra McDonald, Frederica von Stade, Renée Fleming, and Walter Cronkite. The album was released in 2006.
Consider the Lilies is a religious album released by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The album was originally released in 2003. The music in this first album on the choir's new label represents a broad range of musical feeling—from the joyful "Rejoice, the Lord is King!" and "Morning Has Broken" to the contemplative "O Holy Jesus" and "Pilgrims' Hymn" to the fervent affirmations in "I Believe in Christ" and "This Is the Christ."
Robert Breault is an American operatic tenor. Born in Michigan, he holds a B.M. degree from St. Norbert College (1985) from which he received a distinguished alumni award in 1997. In addition, he holds a M.M. (1987), and a D.M.A. (1991) from the University of Michigan where he studied voice with soprano Lorna Haywood. His early training also included two years of study at the San Francisco Merola Opera Program, and an internship with Michigan Opera Theatre. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah where he teaches voice and serves as Director of Opera at the University of Utah School of Music.
Millennial Choirs & Orchestras (MCO) is a musical organization of choirs for youth and adults, as well as a symphony orchestra. MCO was founded in 2007 for the purpose of teaching and encouraging excellence in sacred and classical music, especially to its youth. The organization prioritizes in offering music performance education, with a focus on the works and styles of classical composers. MCO has locations in five states: California, Arizona, Utah, Texas, and Idaho.
Spirit of the Season was recorded during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2006 Christmas concert "The Spirit of the Season," with special guest Sissel, joined by the Mormon Tabernacle orchestra and bells, conducted by Music Director Craig Jessop. The album was released in 2007 along with a concert DVD and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Classical chart within five weeks of its release and remained there for nine weeks. The album was also nominated for two Grammy Awards, Best Classical Crossover Album and Best Engineered Album - Classical. The recorded concert was also broadcast on PBS stations in December 2007 to more than 4 million Americans.
Home for the Holidays was recorded during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2012 Christmas shows in the LDS Conference Center, with special guests English tenor Alfie Boe, former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw, and Retired Col. Gail Halvorsen aka "Candy Bomber". An album and concert DVD were released on October 15, 2013 along with a companion book titled Christmas from Heaven: The Story of the Berlin Candy Bomber. The recorded concert will be broadcast on PBS premiering December 10, 2013. The Salt Lake Tribune said concerning this performance that "this year's edition may have topped them all."
I Wish You a Merry Christmas was a long-playing vinyl album of Christmas themed songs recorded by Bing Crosby for his own company, Project Records, and issued by Warner Bros. (W-1484) in 1962.
Hallelujah! was recorded during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2015 Christmas shows in the LDS Conference Center, with special guests Broadway star Laura Osnes, actor Martin Jarvis, and guest soloists from the Metropolitan Opera. An album and concert DVD was released on October 7, 2016. The album will be broadcast on WMHT-FM on December 11, 2016. The recorded concert premiered on PBS on December 19, 2016.
A Merry Little Christmas was recorded during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2017 Christmas shows in the LDS Conference Center, featuring vocalist Sutton Foster and actor Hugh Bonneville. An album and concert DVD was released on October 12, 2018. The recorded concert premiered on PBS on December 17, 2018 and BYUtv on December 20, 2018.
