The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square | |
---|---|
Choir | |
Origin | Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
Founded | August 22, 1847 |
Genre | Worship, classical, religious, gospel |
Members | 360 |
Music director | Mack Wilberg [1] [2] |
Affiliation | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
Associated groups | Orchestra at Temple Square, Temple Square Chorale, Bells at Temple Square |
Awards | National Medal of Arts American Classical Music Hall of Fame NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame 1x Grammy Award 2x Peabody Awards 3x Emmy Awards |
Website | www |
TheTabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for over 100 years. [3] Its weekly devotional program, Music & the Spoken Word , is one of the longest-running radio programs in the world, having aired every week since July 15, 1929. [4]
The choir was founded on August 22, 1847, shortly after the Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. Prospective singers must be LDS Church members who are eligible for a temple recommend, be between 25 and 55 years of age at the start of choir service, and live within 100 miles (160 km) of Temple Square.
The Tabernacle Choir is one of the most famous choirs in the world. [5] [6] It first performed for a U.S. president in 1911, and has performed at the inaugurations of presidents Lyndon B. Johnson (1965), Richard Nixon (1969), Ronald Reagan (1981), George H. W. Bush (1989), George W. Bush (2001), and Donald Trump (2017). [7]
The Tabernacle was completed in October 1867 and the choir held its first concert there on July 4, 1873. [8]
The choir started out fairly small and rather undisciplined. On April 6, 1869, George Careless was appointed as the choir's conductor and the Tabernacle Choir began to improve musically. 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 6–8, 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" [9] as their first ever recording. Three hundred of the 600 members showed up for the recording. [10]
Since July 15, 1929, the choir has performed a weekly radio broadcast, Music & the Spoken Word, which is one of the longer-running continuous radio network broadcasts in the world. [11]
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. On July 15, 1929, the choir performed its first radio broadcast of Music & the Spoken Word. By 1950, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square 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 Award for its recording of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
At the end of the choir's 4,165th 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.
On October 5, 2018, the choir retired the name "The Mormon Tabernacle Choir" and adopted the name "The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square" in order to align with the direction of LDS Church leadership regarding the use of terms "Mormon" and "LDS" in referencing church members. The new name retains the reference to the historic Salt Lake Tabernacle, which has been the choir's home for over 150 years, and its location on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. [12]
Several award-winning popular artists have reflected on the beauty of the choir's music publicly, including Bryn Terfel, [13] Gladys Knight (of Gladys Knight & the Pips), [14] Sting (of The Police), [15] [16] James Taylor, [17] Ric Ocasek (of The Cars), [18] and The Osmonds. [19]
Since its establishment, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square has performed and recorded extensively, both in the United States (where U.S. President Ronald Reagan called it "America's Choir" [20] ) and around the world. The following are some of its key points:
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square has performed for ten presidents of the United States beginning with William Howard Taft. [8] The choir has also performed at the inaugurations of United States presidents Lyndon B. Johnson (1965), Richard M. Nixon (1969), Ronald Reagan (1981), George H. W. Bush (1989), George W. Bush (2001), [23] and Donald Trump (2017). [24]
Other notable events the choir has performed at include the following:
It has also participated in several significant events, including:
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:
A "heritage tour," which would have taken the Choir to various European venues, had been planned for 2021, but was postponed to 2022, [41] before subsequently being canceled. [42] In 2023, the choir announced it would embark on a multi-year, multi-stop global ministry tour. The first stop took the choir to Mexico City, Mexico for six days, where they performed multiple concerts, engaged in service projects, and recorded a music video. [43] In late 2023, the choir announced that the next stop in their tour would be the Philippines in 2024. [44]
The choir performs an annual Christmas concert in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City during the month of December. Typically, the concert consists of three performances: a Thursday dress rehearsal, followed by Friday and Saturday concerts. The combined audience for each concert series is approximately 63,000. Tickets to the concert are free, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. [45] A live album (CD/DVD) is typically released, along with the concert being aired on PBS and BYUtv, during December of the following year. The concert traditionally concludes with a performance of "Angels, from the Realms of Glory".
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 have included:
The choir holds a yearly summer concert in mid-late July as part of Utah's Pioneer Day celebrations. Unlike the Christmas concerts, there are only two shows: one on Friday and the other on the following Saturday. The tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A guest artist is typically invited every year. Past guest artists have included:
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square has about fifteen staff members including a president, directors, organists, a Music and the Spoken Word announcer, and two business-related staff members.
Mack Wilberg is the current director, with associate director Ryan Murphy.
Richard Elliott, Andrew Unsworth, Linda Margetts, Brian Mathias, and Joseph Peeples are the current organists.
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 served as the announcer until mid-June 2024, and he was succeeded by Derrick Porter.
The choir has a number of awards, including the National Medal of Arts (2003), [74] a Grammy Award for Best Performance by a Vocal Group or Chorus (1960), and four Emmy Awards (1987, 2013, 2014). [8] [75] [76] 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). [77] The 320-person choir is the largest act to chart on the Billboard Hot 100—their version of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" reached No. 13 in 1959. [78]
1944
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2003
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2010
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 in 1992, Hallmark Christmas: Celebrate Christmas!). The choir has made over 200 recordings and continues to produce albums. [84] 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 Orchestra at Temple Square. The choir's own record label was formed in 2003.
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US Classical [85] | US Classical Crossover [86] | US Traditional Classical [87] | US Christian [88] | ||
America's Choir: Favorite Songs, Hymns, & Anthems [89] |
| 5 | — | 1 [91] | 42 |
Choose Something Like a Star [92] |
| 7 | — | 1 [94] | — |
Spirit of the Season [95] |
| 5 | — | 1 [97] | 11 |
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing: American Folk Hymns & Spirituals [98] |
| 1 [100] | 1 [101] | — | 8 |
Heavensong: Music of Contemplation and Light [102] |
| 2 | 1 [104] | — | 15 |
Men of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir [105] |
| 1 [107] | — | 1 [108] | 9 |
100 Years: Celebrating a Century of Recording Excellence [109] |
| 1 [111] | — | — | 6 |
This Is the Christ [112] |
| 2 | — | 1 [114] | 1 [115] |
GLORY! Music of Rejoicing [116] |
| 5 | — | 1 [118] | 11 |
He Is Risen (EP) [119] |
| 1 [121] | — | 1 [122] | 19 |
George Frideric Handel: Messiah |
| 3 | — | 1 [123] | 34 |
Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Friends |
| 2 | 1 [125] | — | 21 |
Let Us All Press On: Hymns of Praise and Inspiration |
| 3 | — | 1 [126] | 40 |
When You Believe: A Night at the Movies (EP) |
| 11 | 1 [127] | — | — |
The Orchestra at Temple Square (Orchestra) is a 110-member orchestra based 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 Tabernacle Choir (Choir)—often accompanied by the Salt Lake Tabernacle organ and the Orchestra at Temple Square. The program also includes spiritual messages and passages related to a specific episode's theme, presented by Derrick Porter.
Mack J. Wilberg is an American composer, arranger, conductor, and choral clinician who has been the music director of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (Choir) since 2008.
Jenny Oaks Baker is an American violinist. She has been nominated for a Grammy Award, and is a former member of the National Symphony Orchestra. Baker has released eighteen studio albums, several of which have ranked high on the Billboard charts.
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.
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.
Nathan Armand Pacheco is an American tenor singer and songwriter of Brazilian origin. He was a featured vocalist during the 2009 tour for Yanni Voices, produced by Walt Disney Records, and is currently signed to the Disney Pearl Series sub-label.
Alex Boyé is a British-American singer, dancer, and actor. He was named the "2017 Rising Artist of the Year" in a contest sponsored by Pepsi and Hard Rock Cafe.
Glad Christmas Tidings was recorded during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2010 Christmas shows in the LDS Conference Center with special guests David Archuleta and Michael York. The album was released on September 6, 2011 along with a concert DVD. The recorded concert was broadcast on PBS during December 2011 to more than 4 million Americans and is the No. 1-rated entertainment program on PBS during the holidays each year, according to PBS CEO Paula Kerger. As of November 2011, the album had sold in excess of 28,000 copies.
Rejoice and Be Merry!: Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square featuring The King's Singers was recorded during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2007 Christmas shows in the LDS Conference Center with special guests The King's Singers. The album was released on September 30, 2008 and a concert DVD was released on October 21, 2008.
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.
This Is the Christ is a studio album by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with the Orchestra at Temple Square. The album reached #1 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart on July 2, 2011.
Heavensong: Music of Contemplation and Light is a compilation album released by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.
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."
The O.C. Tanner Gift of Music is a series of free concerts presented in Salt Lake City by the Utah Symphony and the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, with soloists, conductors and other choirs as guests. The concerts have been hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Temple Square since 1983. The thirtieth anniversary gala concerts were held September 6 and 7, 2013.
Keep Christmas with You is an album recorded during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2014 Christmas shows in the LDS Conference Center, with special guests actor Santino Fontana and The Muppets from Sesame Street. The album and concert DVD were released on October 16, 2015. The recorded concert premiered on PBS on December 21, 2015.
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.
O Come Little Children was recorded during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 2016 Christmas shows in the LDS Conference Center, featuring Rolando Villazón. An album and concert DVD was released on October 7, 2017. The recorded concert premiered on PBS on December 15, 2017.
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