Mormon tabernacle choir how long

On July 24, , when the first group of Mormon pioneers had crossed the rugged Wasatch Mountains into the wide valley of the Great Salt Lake, their leader, Brigham Young, looked long and earnestly at what he saw.

Then he said, "It is enough. This is the right place. A choir was officially formed in August , one month after the pioneers entered the valley. The choir has since grown to be one of the world's most respected musical organizations. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square has garnered numerous awards including a Grammy for its rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," five gold records, and one platinum record.

The choir made its first phonograph record in Since then, the choir has produced more than recordings and now records on its own label. The choir's first network radio program with organ, choir, and announcer sharing a single microphone was transmitted on July 15, Today, after more than 75 years and 3, broadcasts, "Music and the Spoken Word" is the oldest continuous nationwide network broadcast in America.

The "Spoken Word" has also been televised since the early s. The show is now released worldwide every week through some 1, radio, television, and cable stations. Choir Members. For many, choir membership is a family tradition. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.

By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Print Subscriptions. Deseret News homepage. Filed under: Faith U. After more than a year away, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square is back. Reddit Pocket Email Linkedin. After more than a year away, the Tabernacle Choir will return to live events this summer.

Will there be a live Christmas concert this year? Sign up for the newsletter Morning Edition Start your day with the top stories you missed while you were sleeping. Where can I purchase recordings of The Tabernacle Choir? Does The Tabernacle Choir accept unsolicited musical works? Does the Choir have a presence on social media?

How can I stay informed about Choir events and activities? How do I license a Tabernacle Choir picture, sound recording or video for use in my project? The Tabernacle Choir has been called many things, including an American icon, a symbol of freedom, a holiday tradition, and the greatest choir in the world.

Why is the Choir universally recognized and lauded? Of course, it makes great music, but perhaps more central to its success is the ability of its members to lift the spirits of people of diverse cultures, ages, and religions all over the world.

One of the oldest and largest choirs in the world, The Tabernacle Choir has performed before presidents, sold millions of records, won scores of awards, and enthralled audiences in more than 28 different countries.

The Choir is composed of volunteer singers ages 25—60—all exceptionally talented musicians. They practice and perform weekly and are accompanied frequently by the Orchestra at Temple Square. As the Latter-day Saints moved west, Church President Brigham Young included musicians among members of the advance parties. Consequently, a small choir first sang for a conference of the Church in the Salt Lake Valley on August 22, , just 29 days after the first group arrived. The origins of The Tabernacle Choir may be found in the desire and commitment of early converts to include appropriate music in both sacred and secular events.

In fact, there has always been a standing choir at each Church headquarters—from early Church locations in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo, Illinois, to the current headquarters in Salt Lake City. The Choir's mission continued unchanged; to provide music for listeners of all generations around the world—music that will have power to uplift and inspire.

Odds are that you have. It is broadcast to over 2, radio and TV stations and cable systems. You may also have seen them on PBS, where their annual Christmas concert is always among the top-rated specials. The Orchestra at Temple Square is made up of outstanding volunteer musicians, many of whom also have professional music careers.

Founded in , it has become one of the best volunteer orchestras in the nation. It is the training choir for The Tabernacle Choir. New members of the Choir initially become members of the Chorale at Temple Square as part of their training for choir membership.

Additionally, many longtime Choir members rotate in and out of the Chorale to hone their musical skills. The Bells at Temple Square handbell ensemble was organized in It has 32 members, who ring English handbells and chimes.

The bell choir enhances the concerts and recordings of The Tabernacle Choir and performs its own concerts twice a year. Just west of the temple in Salt Lake City stands the historic Mormon Tabernacle, completed in after four years of construction. The Tabernacle Choir got its name from the structure, which has been home to the Choir since its earliest years. Brigham Young wanted the Tabernacle roof to be self-supporting, without pillars or posts to obstruct audience views.

The balcony with its supporting pillars was added later. Because of its groundbreaking design and historical significance, the Tabernacle has been designated both a national historic landmark and a national civil engineering landmark. The Tabernacle is so acoustically sensitive that a pin dropped at the pulpit can be clearly heard at the back of the hall— feet away. Accompanying the Choir in the great auditorium is the 11,pipe Tabernacle organ, featuring prominent golden pipes made of round wood staves, hand-carved from Utah timber.

Located in the Tabernacle building in Salt Lake City, the organ is a massive yet intricate instrument with more than 11, pipes. Together with the Tabernacle itself, the organ is in no small way responsible for the signature sound of this world-renowned choral ensemble. The first organ installed in the old adobe Tabernacle—a predecessor to the existing Tabernacle—was shipped by boat from Australia to California by its builder, Joseph Ridges, in the s. When the current Tabernacle was constructed in , Ridges built a new organ for the new hall.

Since , the Tabernacle organ has been enlarged or renovated five times and has grown from its original 2,pipe frame to its present size of 11, pipes.

Today, pipes are still functioning from the Joseph Ridges organ. The Tabernacle organ is one of the largest and most elaborate organs in the world. The organists perform weekly with the Choir and play daily organ recitals in the Tabernacle—a year-round tradition since