SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 23, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square is canceling this year’s “Music for a Summer Evening” concerts, usually held in conjunction with Pioneer Day celebrations in July.
The cancellation comes amid continued concerns over large gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, said a news release from the choir.
Choir President Ron Jarrett said: “While we are all disappointed not to be singing for the Pioneer Day concert, I am happy to announce that we will begin the 2021 audition process for new choir members. This means we are looking forward to not only singing together in the future, but welcoming new members into our ranks.”
The choir’s 2021 audition application will be available online beginning Tuesday, June 1, at TabChoir.org/auditions. All applications should be submitted online by Sunday, Aug. 15.
To apply, each applicant must be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; be in good standing; be between 25 and 55 years of age on April 30, 2022, when choir service would begin; and currently reside within 100 miles of the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.
“The audition process is an exciting part of the continuing progress of the choir,” said music director Mack Wilberg. “We always look forward to meeting those who want to represent the church by using their musical talent and serve with us in this unique way.”
The process to become a member of the choir stretches over nine months. An individual must meet the membership criteria and complete a four-phase audition process. The process includes submission of an electronic application, a skills assessment test, in-person audition and 100% attendance at choir school for four months.
In Aug. 2020, the remaining three of the four phases of the 2020 audition cycle were postponed until 2021. Applicants who had successfully completed Phase I of that cycle received an email from the choir informing them of the delay. They will join successful 2021 Phase 1 applicants to complete the additional three phases later this year.
Usual duties for members of the choir include weekly performances on the “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast, plus concerts, tours and recordings. Choir members invest an average of six hours per week for rehearsals for 75 scheduled performances per year.
At this time, live “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcasts and public rehearsals continue to be postponed. The “Music & the Spoken Word” program airs and streams each week, using music from the choir’s library. Each episode is available on YouTube and Facebook for on-demand viewing immediately after the weekly streams.
