SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 12, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — The world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir has announced it will hold a nine-month audition process for altos, sopranos, tenors and basses to round out its 360-member ensemble.
The choir, part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. The Tabernacle was completed in 1867 and the choir held its first concert there on July 4, 1873.
Auditions are conducted in three phases, a news release from the choir said. The first phase consists of submission of a completed application, a CD voice recording and the recommendation of an ecclesiastical leader.
The second phase is a musical skills assessment that measures musical ability and aptitude. Applicants with acceptable test scores then advance to the third phase, an in-person audition before the music directors and an interview with the choir president. Audition results are usually available by late fall.
“It is a very rigorous process that yields marvelous results,” said music director Mack Wilberg, in a prepared statement. “Each year we continue to be pleased with the high level of musical expertise displayed by choir applicants and look forward to meeting many of them during the audition process.”
In January 2018, those who successfully complete the audition begin 16 weeks of participation in the Temple Square Chorale and Choir School. The Chorale is a training ensemble made up of newly accepted choir members and some current members that rehearses weekly.
Choir School consists of classroom training in music theory, sight singing, rehearsal techniques, and much more. At the end of the 16 weeks, there is a final Choir School exam and performance by the Temple Square Chorale. Only then does the audition process started in July culminate in individuals becoming members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Applicants must meet several criteria for membership: be a member in good standing of the LDS Church; be between 25 and 55 years of age on April 30, 2018, when choir service would begin; and currently live within 100 miles of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Detailed information about requirements, the application, and an application guide can be found here. Applications must be postmarked no later than Aug. 15.
Members of the all-volunteer choir perform publicly each week on “Music and the Spoken Word,” broadcast worldwide on radio, television, and live streamed over the Internet. Including these weekly performances — plus concerts, tours, and recordings — choir members average 75 scheduled performances per year.
