The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Biography

Called "America's Choir" by U.S. President Ronald Reagan, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is made up of some 360 men and women, all of whom are volunteers. There are many husband-wife combinations and many families have participated in the choir for generations. Choir members are currently limited to twenty years of participation, or until the member reaches the age of 60, allowing new members to join the choir on a regular basis.

The choir was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. The choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to support their organization. Choir members are not paid for their participation or performances.

Although the choir has traditionally been recognized for its sound quality, the most recent director, Craig Jessop, a student of Robert Shaw, has made changes designed to improve the overall quality of the choir. Jessop's efforts to add vitality to the choir's sound include the formation of The Orchestra at Temple Square, the 2005 addition of The Bells on Temple Square (a handbell choir), and continual refinement of the choir's tone, enunciation, and repertoire. The minimum age for participation has been reduced from 30 to 25. In addition, new choir members participate in The Temple Square Chorale training choir, a combination music theory/performance school led by associate director and composer/arranger Mack Wilberg.

From its first national tour in 1893 to the Chicago World's Fair, the choir has performed in locations around the world, including:

The choir has a list of prestigious awards, including the National Medal of Arts (2003). Its radio broadcast Music and the Spoken Word has been inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters hall of fame. It has also received two Peabody Awards for service to American Broadcasting (1944, 1962) and it was awarded the Freedom Foundation's "George Washington Award" (1981, 1988). The choir was awarded a Grammy for its 1959 recording of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Since its first recording in 1910, the choir has earned five gold albums and two platinum albums. The choir has made over 300 recordings and continues to produce albums. For some live performances and albums, the choir had collaborated with large orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and the newly formed Orchestra at Temple Square.