Growing up in Utah, I really didn’t think much about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I knew that they sang really well, and there was one member of our home ward who was in the choir for a few years. But beyond that I really didn’t think about how the choir was a missionary tool. I didn’t think of their influence beyond the church. Whenever they toured I thought that only members would attend their concerts. It was a pleasant surprise to realize how wrong I was about this.
I first realized this shortly after I moved to North Carolina. When one of my coworkers realized I was from Utah, she asked me if I had ever heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in person. She didn’t ask me if I was a member of the church because she was too excited that I might have seen the choir in person. She grew up watching “Music and the Spoken Word.” She and her brother collected the CDs. She was excited when I told her that if she ever visited Salt Lake City that she could attend a taping of the program for free. After we talked about the choir, she began to ask questions about the church. It was a good experience for both of us.
The choir members are all volunteers. I know that many of them make great sacrifices to be part of the choir. As I have grown older, I have really come to appreciate the beautiful music that the choir creates. If you haven’t attended a choir rehearsal or a taping of “Music and the Spoken Word,” I highly recommend it. If you are visiting Utah, it is worth taking time out of your schedule to visit the choir. You can learn more about the times and dates of rehearsals and tapings here. What memories do you have of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?