Mormon Tabernacle Choir Holding Auditions
The world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir is currently auditioning altos, sopranos, tenors, and basses to round out its 360-member ensemble.
Article Highlights
- Applications must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, August 15, 2017.
- Applicants must be between 25 and 55 years of age and live within 100 miles of Salt Lake City.
“It is a very rigorous process that yields marvelous results. 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.” —Mack Wilberg, music director
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The world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir is currently auditioning altos, sopranos, tenors, and basses to round out its 360-member ensemble.
“It is a very rigorous process that yields marvelous results,” says music director Mack Wilberg, “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.”
The process to become a member of the choir is demanding—stretching over 9 months. Auditions are conducted in three phases. 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.
The process then resumes in January 2018, when 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 of the Church in good standing; 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 at www.motab.org/about/choir/auditions.html. Applications must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, August 15, 2017.
Members of the choir, all volunteers with other family and employment responsibilities, have the unique musical experience of performing publicly each week on Music and the Spoken Word, broadcast worldwide on radio and television and live-streamed over the internet. Including these weekly performances—plus concerts, tours, and recordings—choir members average 75 scheduled performances per year.
