The Choir Has a Closet of 2,000 Dresses!
This spring 17 women will join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the transition will look seamless –
at least as far as the wardrobe is concerned. But it is a monumental task to keep all the women in
matching outfits Sunday after Sunday, not to mention on tour. The Choir provides nine dresses for
the women in colors to suit the camera and in styles to suit every figure. They come in fuchsia,
blue, cream, raspberry, black, lilac, turquoise, rose and aqua. Each design in expected to last 20
years – more than a lifetime in anyone’s closet!
A staff of five volunteers with Valorie Jensen at the helm designs, stitches, alters, sews, presses,
hems and cleans the 200 dresses. At her side are Peggy Becker—who has served as a member of the
wardrobe committee for 35 years—Joyce Kennard, Susan Newland, and Connie Warner.
When new Choir members are added, this committee tries first to fit them from existing inventory,
making adjustments as needed. In some cases, they have to pull out the rolls of fabric in reserve
to cut and sew new dresses.
When a new dress is introduced, the Choir orders 2,000 yards of fabric direct from the factory. The
most recent addition to the wardrobe was what they call the “rose” dress. The committee used 1,100
yards of fabric for the dresses and put the rest on the shelf for future needs. Every woman is
measured for her dress and each pattern is adjusted for fit—neckline, sleeve, front, back, length.
Each dress is then made to fit. The process takes about five months. The committee members sew
each one of the dresses.
Time was when the Choir ordered dresses from manufacturers. The Choir broke with that tradition when
the fuchsia dress was introduced more than a decade ago and the committee has been “dressing” the
women with their own creations ever since. In recent years, to assure they would get just the right
color of fabric, the committee has sent sequins or spools of thread for an exact match. The dresses
are always long—to the floor—so that the Choir does not have to provide matching shoes!
Facebook Fans Introduced to the Choir Raising the Tabernacle Roof!
If you are a fan of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Facebook, you get ongoing glimpses of the Choir’s
latest recordings, announcements, program notes and applause from friends. There’s chat and more
chat, too.
Take the new Glory! album just released. The new and very clever announcement of its
availability (shown above) is also posted on Facebook. “Raise the Roof” says the TV commercial for
the new 14-song recording and then that’s exactly what happens. The Tabernacle’s famous silver dome
lifts up and out pours the music of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Not just lilting notes but
high-spirited and dramatic ones that are the signature of the Choir in its message of singing
praises and glory to God.
If you are not yet a fan of the Choir – become one right now. It is easy! There are two ways to do this:
Click “Like.” (Thumbs up!) at the top of the Facebook window (just under "Find us on Facebook" at
the top right hand side of this page.
Or click here to go
directly to the Choir’s Facebook page -- www.facebook.com/MormonTabernacleChoir -- and click “Like” right in the center
of the first entry. You will be one of thousands of fans who are in the Choir’s circle of friends.
And then tell your friends to do the same and the Choir will be well on its way to becoming not
just America’s Choir but the World’s Choir.
Choir Releases Exuberant New Album—Glory!
Click
here to hear Music Director Mack Wilberg introduce the new album on the Mormon Channel program
"Mormon Tabernacle Choir Premiers."
Glory! Music of Rejoicing is more than the title of the new CD just released from the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. It is the essence of the Choir and Orchestra.
As Music Director Mack Wilberg explains, no other recording displays the virtuosity of the combined
ensembles as does Glory!
The music draws from a variety of different sources. Every piece of the recording embodies some form of
rejoicing—from the masters to hymns, Psalms, movies and even the Broadway stage.
What was the genesis for this new fourteen-song recording? Like so many who love the music of the
Choir, Wilberg grew up listening to the old LP recordings which were often performed with the
Philadelphia Orchestra. Two pieces stood out for him: Rimsky Korsakov’s “Glory” and “Psalm 48” by
Gustav Holstz. Although they are quite different from one other, he loved the drama of each. Since
becoming Music Director he has loved performing them with the Choir and Orchestra. When planning the
latest recording these two pieces came to mind. He then thought of other pieces of music that imply
rejoicing and shaped an album with that focus. Jubilant renditions of “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s
Ninth Symphony, Ennio Morricone’s “Nella Fantasia” from the movie The Mission, and the
frequently requested anthem, “The Holy City” are included as well as the music of many well-known
artists, including John Williams, John Rutter and Gioachino Rossini.
Wilberg notes that sometimes the hardest part of putting together a new album is finding the first
and last piece: “I always have to know what that first and last piece is going to be and then build
around it.” The recording opens with “Hymn of Praise” which was written by Wilberg in 2007 as a
tribute to the opening of the then-newly renovated Tabernacle on Temple Square. He incorporated the
hymn that many know as “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” which dates back to 1551. The CD
concludes with “Ode to Joy,” excerpts from Beethoven’s well-known Symphony No. 9. As the
advertising campaign for the new CD aptly states, it is music that “raises the roof!” Click here to go to the product page.
Looking Back at 2011
A new year calls for a quick look back to reflect upon great accomplishments, according to Choir
President Mac Christensen. The world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir and its related Orchestra at
Temple Square, Temple Square Chorale, Bells on Temple registered an impressive list of events and
activities in 2011.
Some of the highlights included more than fifty concerts and mini-concerts both on Temple Square and
in other venues. It took over 300 rehearsals to put all the programs in place. The Choir sang in
St. George, Utah at Dixie State College for its Centennial Celebration and at the Joseph Smith
Memorial Building for its 100th Anniversary Event. The Choir and Orchestra presented an annual
Pioneer Day Commemoration Concert, a mini concert for United States Governors, a concert for LDS
Temple Presidents and a televised concert “Rising Above” with news anchor Tom Brokaw in honor of
9/11. The Choir joined with the Utah Symphony for the Tanner Gift of Music and concluded the year
with the Christmas Concerts featuring acclaimed baritone Nathan Gunn and Emmy-award winning actress
Jane Seymour. The special Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir aired on PBS across the
nation. In addition there were fifty live broadcasts and two recorded broadcasts of Music and the
Spoken Word. The Orchestra presented two concerts of major works and the Bells on Temple Square
followed suit with two programs as well.
The Choir went on tour to five cities -- Norfolk, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; Chautauqua, New York and Toronto, Ontario, Canada—with 600 people in tow. In those
five venues the Choir presented 7 concerts. It took 3 airplanes to move them from Salt Lake to the
Eastern Seaboard and 11 busses to cart them from one location to another. There were 4 trucks just
for luggage and 4 large semi-trucks for all the equipment.
Organists Richard Elliott, Clay Christiansen, Andrew Unsworth, Bonnie Goodliffe and Linda Margetts
plus special guest organists gave 470 organ recitals in the Tabernacle and Conference Center.
The Choir released three CDs under its own Mormon Tabernacle Choir® label, including Men of the
Mormon Tabernacle Choir, This is the Christ and Glad Christmas Tidings with David
Archuleta and Michael York and two DVDs—One Voice: On the Road with the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir and Glad Christmas Tidings.
Tom Waldron retired as director of the Bells on Temple Square; 18 Choir members retired; and 2
Orchestra members. New members in the Choir totaled 29; new orchestra members, 12; and new bell
ringers, 4. Perhaps the most stirring event was the Choir’s singing at the funeral services of
former and beloved Choir President Wendell Smoot who served seventeen years from 1984 to 2000.
Choir Opens “Boot Camp” for Singers
The Temple Square Chorale, the training ensemble for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, begins rehearsals
January 10 pointing to an Easter weekend concert. The Chorale is in session every winter as the
final step to admittance to the Choir.
The intent of the Chorale, conductor Ryan Murphy explains, is to “accomplish preparation and
assimilation” into the whole Choir. As a result, the Chorale members are trained in “laser-like
intonation,” the standard for the Choir, says Murphy. What they learn is that “every chord has to
lock in like a barbershop quartet.”
This year, 39 singers—22 men and 17 women--will make up the nucleus of the “new” Chorale membership.
Singers who were new last year will also sing again this year as well as other current Choir
members who volunteer to round out the ensemble at about 120 singers.
In addition to the Chorale, those admitted to this final stage of the auditioning process also
attend Choir Training School. Cherilyn Worthen, director the Choir Training School, describes it as
a “boot camp” for singers focused on vocal technique, sight reading skills, and music theory.
Worthen is assisted by Choir vocal coach Rebecca Wilberg and Temple Square Organists Bonnie
Goodliffe and Linda Margetts.
The Training School meets every Thursday evening; the Chorale every Tuesday. In addition to those
new to the Choir program, an abbreviated version of the Training School is now held in October each
year for existing Choir members. The combined impact of this focused training is an increase in the
level of musicianship of Choir members which enables them to meet the demands of their calling to
serve in the Choir.
Choir auditions will begin again in July. Click here for details.
Bells on Temple Square to Conduct Workshops, Auditions
January is a good time to begin something new. Like auditioning for a place in the Bells on Temple
Square! Prior experience with bell ringing is helpful–but don’t count yourself out if you haven’t
picked up a handbell in years or have never rung one.
The Bells on Temple Square, part of the family of Mormon Tabernacle Choir musical ensembles, is
hosting a month of workshops for interested applicants beginning Saturday, January 7. The workshops
will be held in the Tabernacle from 8:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. through the month. New members of the Bells
on Temple Square will be chosen from those participating in the workshops. Those making the
selections will be looking for experience, talent, stage presence–and desire to be in the troupe.
The bell choir has positions for both men and women.
The 28-member Bells on Temple Square is an official part of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir music
family. Being in the bell choir is both “fun” and “addicting,” says LeAnna Willmore, who directs the
ensemble. The Bells often accompany the Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square for concerts and
broadcasts, including the Choir’s annual Christmas concert. Twice a year, Bells on Temple Square
performs its own concerts.
Bell ringers need to be between the ages of 20 and 45 years old, be active members of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and live within 100 miles of Salt Lake City. Click here for more information.
Choir Institutes a Refresher Course For Long-Time Members
Every instrument needs tuning – even the voices of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
This fall the Choir leadership instituted a “refresher course” for members conducted by Ryan Murphy,
Associate Music Director of the Choir, and Cherilyn Worthen, director of the Choir School.
Seventy-nine singers who have been in the Choir—some for more than 10 years—took part in a four-week
blitz through what is normally a sixteen-week curriculum specially designed as part of the
auditioning process. Worthen, who recently was named to a choral music position at Utah Valley
University, helped shape the curriculum now being used for both new and seasoned members.
“We carved out a little more than an hour before Thursday evening rehearsals in this new in-service
program,” Worthen explains. “The Choir members focused on basic choral habits and techniques with
the intent to make each individual a little more accountable.” Each fall another 80 members of the
Choir will be asked to participate.
With such discipline and dedication, it is no wonder that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is
world-renowned for its musicality and professionalism. The in-service program is indicative of the
constant desire for excellence and peak performance.
Music from "9/11: Rising Above" now available as digital album
On Sunday, September 11, millions of households around the country saw an amazing 9/11 tribute by
the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square on their Music and the Spoken Word
broadcast. Narrated by veteran newsman, Tom Brokaw, the special entitled "9/11: Rising Above" was a
salute to the indomitable American spirit in rising above the tragedy of September 11, 2001.
Music from that special Music and the Spoken Word broadcast is now available as a digital
download from iTunes and deseretbook.com. "We know
that many people will be moved by the Choir’s 9/11 tribute," said Choir President Mac Christensen
prior to the broadcast. Although full video of the special will not be available, Christensen said,
"We know from experience that many people will want to hear the music over and over. This
digital-only album—a first for the Choir—will enable our listeners to have this music so they can
experience the feelings of the broadcast again."
Music from 9/11: Rising Above features the six musical selections performed by the
world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square on the broadcast. (Brokaw’s
narration is not included.) The six-track digital album (EP) includes:
- Shenandoah
- For the Beauty of the Earth
- Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
- Homeward Bound
- Amazing Grace
- God Bless America
Click here to purchase
at deseretbook.com. Click
here for the iTunes preview page.
Choir broadcast always begins with familiar hymn
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir begins each broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word with a few
stanzas of the hymn, "Gently Raise the Sacred Strain." It has become a theme song for the program
which is the longest running continuous network broadcast in history.
The song is a tribute to the Sabbath and brings with it a sense of honor and praise to the Lord and
His day of rest and peace. No wonder the Choir uses it every week to set the tone for the program.
Unlike the techno-wizardry of our time, "Gently Raise the Sacred Strain" is sung live each week and
the half-hour program follows.
Many have requested that the hymn be sung in its entirety so stirring are both the music and the
words. William W. Phelps, one of the editors of the first Latter-day Saint hymnal, wrote the words.
It is fitting that he crossed the plains with so many Mormon pioneers and put his feelings for his
religion into words of 15 hymns. Thomas C. Griggs, a former member of the Choir’s conducting staff
back in 1880, crafted the music.
It appears in the 1835 hymnal of the Latter-day Saints and has been retained in every version since.
But it is most well-known for its introduction to what has become one of the most stirring and
popular broadcasts in the world.
A thank you to our Facebook fans
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has surpassed 200,000 fans on Facebook! Although the Choir Facebook
page has fans from literally all over the world, this 200,000th fan is from our own backyard.
Sharon Ricks from Orem, Utah put the Choir over the top when she registered as an official thumbs-up
fan. She even lists in her profile her favorite and only music—you guessed it—the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir! She won a prize package from the Choir’s distributor, Deseret Book.
How about your friends? Are they registered yet as a fan on Facebook? Tell everyone you know and
the numbers will swell quickly. The Choir hopes to double the number of fans in the coming months
and reach 1 million. And that’s just the beginning.
While you are thinking about supporting the Choir, remember that this organization of volunteer
musicians give their time and talents because of their love of music and their love of the Lord.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Choir and Orchestra perform concerts
and their weekly radio and television broadcast, Music and the Spoken Word, at no charge to
those attending or to those stations who carry their programs.
Many fans have indicated an interest in helping with the costs of this incredible community service.
You can donate on line. Just click the "Donate to the Choir" button on the lower left hand side of
this page.
The Choir and Orchestra appreciate ALL the support from their friends wherever they maybe.
President Mac Christensen honored for his pioneering
Beginning in 1847 the pioneering spirit brought tens of thousands across the plains to settle the
desert basins of the Great Salt Lake. It wasn’t easy. Every year in July, the Days of ‘47
Committee honors a few of the community whose contributions and achievements fit that rich heritage.
In 2011, Mac Christensen, President of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, was duly honored for his
industry, vision, integrity, sacrifice, spirit and courage. He was one of six.
For those who have known him as Mr. Mac, clothier extraordinaire for 43 years, the award is a
perfect fit. For those who know him as the president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, it is again no
surprise that he was recognized for his "Business and Enterprise."
Raised in Ephraim, Utah, Mr. Mac, as he is known throughout the Intermountain community, grew a
men’s clothing business from a modest shop in Bountiful into a chain of stores that has outfitted
business leaders, missionaries and everyone in between. In 2000 he was tapped to direct the Choir’s
operations, staff, tours, recordings, and performances. He has welcomed guest artists and
dignitaries, been innovative and conservative at the same time. Put simply, he has been and
continues to be quite remarkable.
His famous phrase, "Bless You," is appreciated by everyone who looks into his kindly eyes. Indeed,
his greatest strengths are his capacity to love the entire Choir family of more than 600 and to
appreciate their ability to touch hearts no matter where they are or what they are singing. A
former United States President referred to the Choir as "America’s Choir" but President Christensen
always is looking farther ahead. "This shouldn’t be the country’s choir," he has been heard to say,
"it should be the world’s choir." That pioneering effort is well under way under his guiding hand.
Choir Tour Highly Successful
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square wowed their audiences on the recent
eastern tour. The Choir sang to sold-out audiences at some favorite locations in a one-week
whirlwind of engagements. Not surprising that local media reports referred to the Choir in such
superlatives as "magnificent," "wonderful," ‘inspiring," and "spectacular." It was the most
publicized tour in Choir history. Perhaps Chautauqua Vice President Marty Merkley said it best: "The
Choir offers the public the chance to be able to hear something heavenly."
The eight days included concerts in Norfolk, Virginia; Washington D.C.; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and matinee and evening performances in Chautauqua, New York and Toronto, Canada. By final count,
the Choir sang for some 30,000 wildly appreciative people who jumped to their feet for standing
ovations and calls for more encores. No wonder Barry Anderson, Choir Administrative Manager, called
the tour "a home-run success."
In addition some in the audience had the chance to join the Choir on stage in a sound-check
rehearsal. One radio station in Virginia ran a contest for a chance to sing with the Choir. "Even
with the nearly perfect quality of the Choir’s performance," said one of the four winners, Kevin
Riehle, of Alexandria, "it was good to see them working to perfect it even more." A Pennsylvania
choir director made a three-and-a-half hour bus trip to Chautauqua with the invitation to sing with
the Choir prior to performance. Said dairy farmer Steve Marshall, "I am not sure my words can even
describe this experience."
For some Choir members it was their first tour. For others, it was the last of what one described as
"blessed, consecrated service."
President Thomas S. Monson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who is the
church advisor to the Choir, attended the Toronto concert and spoke with pride saying, "There is no
finer choir in the entire world." He then recalled the words of a Canadian broadcaster Hana Gartner
who had said, "The sound these men and women create is not just music to the ears. You also hear it
with your heart."
Choir releases new recording This is the
Christ and tour DVD
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is known worldwide for singing glorious praises to Almighty God. For
more than 150 years, the Choir has shared music centered on Christ's promise of hope, peace,
comfort, and inspiration. The messages, found in simple psalms and rousing spirituals, in folk hymns
and classic anthems by master composers, speak of hearts touched in so many ways by the Master's
hand. The Choir's newly released album titled This Is the Christ continues that
heart-stirring tradition.
This new recording brings both a reminder and a tribute to the goodness, the grace, and the glory
of God. Many of the themes draw from the scriptural passages recounting the Lord as the Shepherd of
all mankind. The recording opens and closes with dramatic choruses of "This is the Christ"—for which
the CD is named—and "I Believe in Christ." Other favorites include "The Lord My Pasture Will
Prepare," "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd," "O Divine Redeemer," and "Sunshine in My Soul." Nine
of the fourteen were arranged by Dr. Mack Wilberg, Music Director of the Choir; five of the
selections are newly recorded.
The new DVD One Voice: On Tour with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir chronicles the 2009 Midwest
tour. Already an award-winning documentary, the program features an in-depth look into the
preparation and execution of a Choir tour. Bonus footage includes songs from the Denver tour stop at
the Red Rocks Amphitheatre by the Choir and Orchestra.
These new additions to the shelf of recordings and videos reflect the primary purpose of the Choir
as an official ambassador of music for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Tabernacle Organists have the "dream" job
The Tabernacle organ is a well-revered companion to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and easily
recognized icon in the music world. Organists Richard Elliott, Clay Christiansen and Andrew
Unsworth recognize the tremendous opportunity to "uplift and inspire" listeners as they give voice
to the 11,623 pipes in the Tabernacle and to the 7,667 in the Conference Center. They are among the
13 who have held the coveted position of full-time Tabernacle Organist since 1867.
Elliott, principal organist, works alongside the rest of the Choir’s musical staff to ensure perfect
balance among the singers’ voices, the organ and the Orchestra at Temple Square to produce the
Choir’s signature sound.
The three organists and part-time organists Linda Margetts and Bonnie Goodliffe are heavily involved
in rehearsing and performing with the Choir both on Temple Square and on tour. They play for the
weekly broadcasts of Music and the Spoken Word, present daily organ recitals and participate
in other Temple Square events. It’s a full schedule.
They bring exceptional training, degrees, teaching and professional performance to their
assignments. Elliott, a convert to the Church in his early twenties, graduated in music at Curtis
Institute of Music in Philadelphia and received a doctorate at the Eastman School of Music in
Rochester, New York. As a teenager—he explains with a smile—he played the organ in a rock band
complete with flaming speakers, smoke machines and flash pots. He was a music professor at BYU at
the time of his Tabernacle organist appointment.
Both Christiansen and Unsworth fulfilled life-long dreams when they were invited to become
Tabernacle organists. Christiansen is a graduate of BYU as is Unsworth who also holds a doctorate
from Duke University. Both have been playing the organ since childhood—when their toes could reach
the pedals—and both had been organists at local churches (Christiansen at the St. Mark’s Cathedral and
Unsworth at the Cathedral of the Madeleine) when they were invited to become Tabernacle organists.
Click on the following links to read more about our fabulous organists:
Music and the Spoken Word will soon reach millions
more
Music and the Spoken Word will soon be reaching millions more listeners with BYU Radio’s new
connection to Sirius XM Satellite Radio. In addition to being an internet-based radio channel,
beginning with a launch scheduled for the third quarter of 2011, BYU Radio will also become a
nationwide satellite channel. BYU Radio, an HD sub-channel of KBYU-FM “Classical 89,” is already
carried on DishNetwork.
What does that mean for listeners? Put simply, broader coverage of the Sunday morning program which
currently airs live on Sunday morning and is rebroadcast at 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
Mountain Standard Time. In addition to Music and the Spoken Word and General Conference of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, BYU Radio will include educational, cultural,
entertainment, and sports programming.
One of the conditions of the mid-2008 merger between competitors Sirius and XM Satellite Radio was
the set-aside of 4 percent of the spectrum for channels not programmed by the new entity. Sirius
XM’s search for “diverse” viewpoints and entertainment content opened the door for BYU
Broadcasting’s proposal. Forty stations applied and five were selected. The other channels include a
music and talk station for the African-American community, three specializing in Spanish language
programming, and one in Korean.
New efforts to expand the reach of Music and the Spoken
Word
Greg Garber, Vice President of Bonneville Distribution, got on a plane for Buffalo, New York this
week to meet with station managers in some of television’s largest markets in the East. He was
talking to them about carrying the longest running broadcast in history – Music and the Spoken
Word. Garber is heading the effort to increase the reach of what is the longest continuous
broadcast in history. "We are looking for more big stations in big markets," he explains. This
spring he is inviting stations in the areas where the Choir will tour this summer – Virginia,
Toronto, upstate New York, Washington DC and Philadelphia -- to consider adding the weekly program
to their rosters.
Currently more than 600 stations carry the highly acclaimed program of music and inspiration which
is offered as a public service. Garber and his associate Terry Hritz are aggressively working to
expand that coverage. While the program offers some revenue to a station with advertising spots at
the beginning and end of the broadcast, Garber explains, the real value to a station is being able
to include the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in their programming lineup with the spirit it brings to the
hearts of those listening. "Most of the listeners are not members of the LDS Church," he notes.
"Many of these are faithful listeners who tune in every week; for some of them, it’s their Sunday
services."
While much media programming reflects current social trends and influences, Music and the Spoken
Word offers messages of inspiration and song known and appreciated around the world. BYUtv has
greatly enhanced the broadcast’s global reach. Garber explains that when listeners contact their
station and express appreciation for the programming that response goes a long way in solidifying
Music and the Spoken Word on the station. He urges viewers and listeners to call and simply
say "Thanks."
Music and the Spoken Word is carried nationally on BYUtv, Dish Network and DirecTV. For information
about where to watch it on local channels, go to www.musicandthespokenword.org.
New Album -
Men of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir -
Hits #1 on Billboard
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir concludes its 100th year of recording history with a first – an album
featuring exclusively the men of the Choir. Known for its range of music from the classics in
religious music, favorite hymns, folk tunes, to Broadway hits and songs from many nations this
first-of-its-kind recording—Men of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir—gives a new voice to the
Choir's already deep and varied collection of more than 175 albums.
The Choir has long spotlighted the men's voices on concert programs and broadcast and crowds have
applauded for more. The new CD, released December 27, 2010, is in response to that desire for more
of such stirring music. It met with immediate broad acceptance soaring to number one on Billboard
Magazine's Classical Traditional Chart in its first week of release.
Director Mack Wilberg, former professor of choral music who for many years directed the highly
acclaimed BYU Men's Chorus before coming to the Choir, is known in music circles around the world
for his remarkable arrangements, many of them for men's voices. But Wilberg says the idea for the CD
was not his own. "After as many albums as the Choir has released, we are continually looking for
something new and distinctive which still fits within the Choir's musical mission," said Wilberg.
"When our colleagues at Deseret Book brought us this idea, we thought about it for some time before
deciding that the timing was right for such an effort. The initial reaction to the release of the CD
is very gratifying."
The 15-track album opens with "Brethren, We Have Met to Worship," and includes "Brightly Beams Our
Father's Mercy," "Beautiful Savior," and "Pilgrim's Chorus" from Tannhäuser. Shifting to a more
contemporary sound, the men also perform songs made famous by Josh Groban, "You Raise Me Up," and
Billy Joel, "Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)." Click here
to purchase or download the CD.
Choir Friends on Facebook Top 100,000
When Dan Woolley signed on as a friend of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Facebook he became the
100,000th fan in the 100th year of Choir recording. This BYU-Idaho student received more than just
the distinction and a tip of the hat. The Choir gave him tickets to the upcoming Christmas Concert
featuring David Archuleta--priceless--and a gift basket of the new Choir calendar, CDs and other
treasures.
Choir fans on Facebook are from all around the world. The United States still leads in total
numbers
but the Philippines holds the second slot with Mexico and Chile in third and fourth. Others in the
top 10 include Canada, Australia, Argentina, Colombia and Peru. Not surprising that posts are
primarily in English; Spanish is second, then Portuguese and French. Salt Lake City is still number
one followed by Phoenix, Arizona; Makati, Philippines; and Santiago, Chile.
Some of the recent posts reinforce the Choir's international appeal. One fan commented when a post
encouraged Choir fans to go to Target to purchase the Christmas CD, "There is no Target in the
Philippines." Another asked, "How about you send the choir to Africa?" One writer confessed, "When
I
was a little girl I would stand on the fireplace and grab the fire poker and act like I was leading
the choir" and another said, "Thank you for helping me invite the spirit where ever I go."
How do you join in the discussions, the tips about upcoming events, even ticket giveaways on the
Choir's Facebook page? It's easy. Simply go to Facebook on the Internet, search for the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir and click "like" at the top. And you become a "friend" of the Choir. Or even
easier: CLICK HERE
Historical Roster:
Click here for a
comprehensive list of all who have served in the
Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple
Square.
Check this site often for information about all
the activities of the Choir,
the Chorale and the Orchestra. You'll find
details about performances, rehearsals,
recordings, auditions and tours and much more.
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Mormon Tabernacle Choir Performing Arts Family Internet Resources Site (an internal administrative
website for members of the Choir, Orchestra, and Bells on Temple Square only).
The Choir Has a Closet of 2,000 Dresses!
Looking Back at 2011
Choir Opens “Boot Camp” for Singers
Bells on Temple Square to Conduct Workshops, Auditions
Choir Institutes a Refresher Course For Long-Time Members
Choir broadcast always begins with familiar hymn
A thank you to our Facebook fans
President Mac Christensen honored for his pioneering
Choir Tour Highly Successful
Tabernacle Organists have the "dream" job
Music and the Spoken Word will soon reach millions
more
