"Pipedreams" and recitals to feature Tabernacle organists
The nationally syndicated American Public Radio program, "Pipedreams," will feature the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir, Tabernacle organ staff, and members of the Orchestra at Temple Square on its
upcoming "Beyond the Tabernacle" program. The two-hour program will air on nearly 200 public radio
stations during the week of July 26. Locally it will be carried on Classical 89 (KBYU-FM) on Sunday,
August 1st at 9:00 p.m. It will re-air on August 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Detailed information about the program and the list of radio stations carrying the program in
different areas are available at www.pipedreams.org. The Pipedreams website will carry the program for a limited
time period following the airing of the program.
The first hour features three of the organs on Temple Square, while the second hour highlights the
five current organists from the Salt Lake Tabernacle - Richard Elliott, Clay Christiansen, Andrew
Unsworth, Bonnie Goodliffe, and Linda Margetts - and Douglas O'Neill, Cathedral of the Madeleine
organist. All of them performed at last year's KBYU-FM Organfest at the Cathedral.
Organ enthusiasts will also enjoy this year's Organfest, which will take place at Salt Lake City's
Cathedral of the Madeleine, 311 East South Temple, on Friday, August 6 at 8:00 p.m. The concert, now
in its third year at the Cathedral, is free to the public. "Organ Fest III" is part of a series to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of KBYU radio (FM-89.1/89.5).
In addition, the Tabernacle organ staff and guest organists perform free 30-minute recitals in the
Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square from Monday through Saturday noon to 12:30 p.m. During the
summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), the Monday through Saturday recitals are repeated again at 2
p.m. ion the Conference Center organ. Sunday recitals are performed from 2 to 2:30 p.m. in the
Tabernacle. For more information, go to www.lds.org/events.
Attention Customers Who Purchased 100 prior to 7/22/2010
Click here for information about
obtaining a corrected version of the
bonus disc for
100: Celebrating a Century of Recording Excellence.
Choir one of four in National Radio Hall of Fame Competition
Admirers of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will decide if Music and the Spoken Word is named to
The National Radio Hall of Fame. The famed Choir broadcast, on the air since 1929, has been
nominated as one of four contenders in the "National-Pioneer category" for 2010. A public vote will
determine the winner.
Click here to listen to an
audio
montage of excerpts from Music and the Spoken Word through the years.
Online balloting began on Monday, June 14 and extends to midnight August 1. Here's how you vote--
and
it's free. Go to www.radiohof.org and click
on
"voting" on the left panel. A simple registration will allow you to cast your ballot for :Music
and the Spoken Word. Votenet, a highly respected online vote tabulating firm, will supervise
the
balloting. The four areas to be honored include National Pioneer -the Choir's category--National
Active, Local or Regional-Active, Local or Regional-Pioneer. The inductions into the National Radio
Hall of Fame are scheduled for a two hour broadcast on national radio originating in Chicago on
November 6, 2010.
The National Radio Hall of Fame & Museum honors the giants who have made radio a 20th century
centerpiece of American society. Of all the electronic media that have made their indelible mark,
radio was one of the first and one of the most lasting. From radio's earliest days, the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir has been part of that great tradition.
The nomination of Music and the Spoken Word recognizes the "program of inspiration and music
. . . the longest continuous running radio network broadcast in America." It further identifies
that
"the Choir which first started broadcasting on July15, 1929, is made up of 360 volunteer members
and
is heard from coast to coast."
Please cast your vote for the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast by clicking here. Click where it says "Vote Here
Now." Then fill in your name and e-mail address. You'll be sent an e-mail with a username and
password. Click on the link in the e-mail and use your username and password to sign in. Then vote
for Music and the Spoken Word in the National-Pioneer Category. You can only vote once. (You
can vote in the other categories if you choose.) Encourage friends and family to vote too!
Choir Marks 100 Years of Recording History
One hundred years ago, September 1, 1910, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir laid down its very first
recording– “Let the Mountains Shout for Joy” using the famed Tabernacle as its “studio.” The event
began a long history of recordings unmatched by any other artist in U.S. history. This year the
Choir celebrates its remarkable recording history in a landmark collection that includes a
compilation of its most requested songs as well as a snapshot of historic moments on both audio and
video.
The three disc celebratory set—100: Celebrating a Century of Recording Excellence—features
two audio discs with all-time favorites including “Consider the Lilies,” “Come, Thou Fount of Every
Blessing,” “Climb Every Mountain,” Grammy-award-winner “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and the
Choir’s
first-ever CD recording of Mack Wilberg’s arrangement of “Danny Boy” and “Betelehemu,” a Nigerian
folk song which usually brings the house down on tour. The popular songs were recorded in the
Tabernacle-turned recording studio with blankets covering the wooden benches to boost the sound.
A bonus disc with 11 historic videos and 6 vintage audio selections includes the first recording in
1910, the first electrical recording in 1927 by the Victor Talking Machine Company, and videos of
the Choir singing at Mount Rushmore in 1962, at the Reagan Inaugural in 1981 and in Jerusalem in
1992.
In the past 100 years the Choir has recorded more than 175 albums with five gold records and two
platinum. This new one is the 33rd recording project of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir since
establishing its own label in 2003.
In addition, the theme of this year's Pioneer Day Commemoration Concert on Friday, July 16 will be
a
celebration of one
hundred years of recording. Click here for ticket information.
What's Next? - A CD featuring the Men of the Choir
What do you do for an encore after Heavensong, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's recently
released and highly acclaimed CD that hit number one on Billboard's Classical Crossover chart? You
release a whole "new" recording sound featuring the men in the Choir singing such favorites as the
African-American folk song, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," the beloved hymn, "Brightly
Beams our Father's Mercy," the anthem, "Fight the Good Fight," and the Josh Groban hit, "You Raise
Me Up."
The new CD promises to add another dimension to the Choir's already deep and lustrous shelf of
recordings. It will be released in early 2011.
The week of May 17 the men in the Choir - all 180 of them - will be recording the 16 pieces to be
included in CD repertoire. Several of the numbers have been presented on Music and the Spoken
Word broadcasts in recent weeks and others will be included in weeks to come. So keep your ear
tuned for those you will want to hear again and again. Certainly the upcoming CD will feature some
of the pieces stirring your soul including "The Morning Trumpet," "Lullaby" by Billy Joel, "Hush
Little Baby and "Non Nobis Domine" from Henry V. There will be new arrangements by Mack
Wilberg and one by new associate music director, Ryan Murphy.
Those wishing to attend the regular Thursday rehearsal the week of May 17 will be steered to the
North Visitor's Center for a showing of the PBS Special, "America's Choir" which has won rave
reviews for its unique portrayal of the Choir and its tours, concerts, rehearsals, and broadcasts.
That night the Tabernacle will be a recording studio and closed to the public.
Choir on Facebook: Fans Have Doubled in One Year!
For fans of the Choir and Orchestra, another great place—in addition to our our weekly newsletter,
Choir Notes, (signup information is to the right under "Headlines")—to find out the latest
news and information is on the Choir’s official Facebook page. Packed with performance schedules,
upcoming events and even exclusive videos and new content, the Choir and Orchestra’s Facebook page
has everything you need to stay up-to-date with the Choir.
More than just a place to learn about the Choir, you can also interact with other fans of the Choir
and Orchestra and even get access to some of the Choir’s biggest fans on Facebook. In fact, members
of the Choir and Orchestra also frequent the Choir’s fan page so you never know who you’ll run into
on Facebook.
The number of fans following the Choir on Facebook has doubled in the last year! There are fans
from throughout the United States and sizeable numbers of fans from all over the world! There are
hundreds of posts on the site each week and thousands of fans visit the site frequently.
If you’re not a member of Facebook, don’t worry. It’s easy and it’s free to join. Simply visit facebook.com and set up your profile. Then,
type
Mormon Tabernacle Choir into the search field and click on the link that says “Become a Fan.”
You’ll join the 32,000 and counting fans who are instantly updated on everything that’s being added
to the Choir’s Facebook page, and you’ll never miss an opportunity to win!
Video for Easter Week
And What is it We Shall Hope For?
from the 2008 Easter Performance of
The Redeemer
by Tabernacle Organist
Emeritus Robert Cundick
(Available on DVD.
Click here for more information.)
Choir No. 1 Yet Again: Heavensong tops Billboard chart
Choir’s new album, Heavensong, reached No. 1 on
Billboard’s Classical Crossover chart this week.
The album is unlike anything the Choir has recorded before, and includes a choral arrangement of
the
hit song, "The Prayer," by Grammy Award winner David Foster. "We particularly enjoyed working with
our friend, David Foster," said Choir Music Director Mack Wilberg. "We're very pleased to see the
music's popularity and hope that many more people will have the chance to enjoy this music."
Click here to read the press release from
Deseret Book.
Heavensong says it all!
Put away the New Year's resolutions and the myriads of plans for the next decade. The way to
begin
2010 is with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's newest release -- Heavensong: Music of
Contemplation
and Light. Recorded live in the Tabernacle in early September 2009 this new CD officially
went
on sale January 5, though some sneaked-a-peek for Christmas.
This is music that promises to calm the soul, speak to the heart and cushion the inevitable bumps
along the way in the months and years ahead. It may be just the antidote to weeks of frazzled
holidays
and cold winter months, not to mention the burdens of staring at a new decade. And this CD is
different
from many well-loved recordings of the Choir. Words like "soft," "soothing yet
engaging
," "sublime," "relaxing," "mellow" and "uplifting"
seem
just right to describe how this new CD sounds - and feels.
Heavensong is the just the right name.
These 15 selections include six Mack Wilberg compositions--two with original text by David
Warner--familiar
melodies from John Rutter and Johann Sebastian Bach, and a new choral arrangement of "The
Prayer"
written by award winning producer and pianist, David Foster in collaboration with Carole Bayer
Sager.
Foster spent a Saturday recording live with the Choir and Orchestra in the Tabernacle, a first for
him.
Of the Choir, he said recently, "It's always been a goal of mine to work with the Mormon
Tabernacle
Choir...They are truly one of the greatest choirs in the world."
Much of the new CD is familiar but titles may not be.
Click here
for
samples of each song.
The titles you'll find are: "The Shepherd;" "Sheep May Safely Graze;"
"Brother James's
Air;" "O Lord Most Holy;" "Be Thou My Vision;" "Pavane;" "O
Light of Life;"
"O Lord God;" "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring;" "Meditation (from
Thais);"
"The Lord Is My Shepherd;" "I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes;" "The Prayer (from
Quest
for Camelot);" "Alleluia;" and "Benediction."
Choir opens “Boot Camp” for 78 singers
Nearly 400 hopeful singers submitted applications for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the 2009 call
for new members. Of those who applied, 78 were accepted. The Choir had not auditioned in two
years
so the group applying and those accepted were both large numbers.
Now, these singers enter an intensive 16-week training period. On Tuesday each week they will sing
as members of the Temple Square Chorale which culminates with a concert in April. The Chorale will
also feature members of the Choir who joined in 2007. Ryan Murphy, associate director of the
Mormon
Tabernacle Choir will conduct the Chorale rehearsal sessions and performances. On Thursdays, they
will attend Choir Training School—sort of a graduate course in choral singing. Required attendance
is 100% of the Tuesdays and Thursdays for the 16 weeks.
Cherilyn Wirthin, who is in charge of the Choir Training School, explains it’s “boot camp” with an
intense schedule but short- lived. The purpose is to get people ready to sing in the Choir.
Essentially, the Training School and Chorale provide a “run-up” to full Choir participation and a
final check to insure the singers are a good match for the Choir. The goal is to introduce new
voices to the choir “in a homogenous way.”
“When we send new members up into the loft, we want them to know how to be good choir members,” she
explains. Everything from policies and procedures to music is covered in the three months of
training. As part of the two-evenings a week schedule, vocal coach Rebecca Wilberg will address
pedagogy, issues related to voice, and basic singing techniques and Tabernacle organists Bonnie
Goodliffe and Linda Margetts will cover what is expected in Thursday night practices and Sunday
performances from music theory to music notation. How to sing correctly in the ensembles is
emphasized as are expectations for participation in the ensemble.
“Once we send them up into the loft, we’re counting on them to apply what they’ve learned,” Wirthin
explains. “We hope that once they have had the Choir training, they will sing responsibly, blend,
listen, and read accurately, all in the spirit of becoming part of the team.”
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.
Sign up on our mailing
list to receive earliest notification of
distribution dates for concert tickets and
performance information.
Click here
to
go to the
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).
"Pipedreams" and recitals to feature Tabernacle organists
Choir one of four in National Radio Hall of Fame Competition
What's Next? - A CD featuring the Men of the Choir
Heavensong says it all!
Choir opens “Boot Camp” for 78 singers
