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Pointing
the Way: What Would It Take to Join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?
(Part Two)
by Robb Cundick
In
Part One, I discussed the
application process, the taped audition, and the tests of musical
knowledge and ability that take place before a person can qualify
for a formal in-person audition with the directors of the Tabernacle
Choir. For the audition cycle I'm following there were over
800 requests for applications. Three hundred and fifty people
decided to proceed and send in their applications and tapes; 170
of those were given the opportunity to take the written tests, and
130 were invited for an in-person audition.
Front
to back: Choir Director Craig Jessop, Associate Director Mack Wilberg,
Associate Tabernacle Organist Linda Margetts. Ready for your audition?
Here's the sight that strikes fear into many a heart. But they look
so friendly!
The In-person
Audition
"Auditioning
was the worst thing I've ever been through, but the end was worth
it."
"The
audition was more intense than any other I've done, including Utah
Opera."
From these quotes
you can see how intimidating an in-person audition can be.
I've joked that most people would probably rather slam their finger
in a car door than face such a prospect. Yet in many ways
this last step is the easiest. Craig Jessop was kind enough to let
me sit in on a series of auditions one evening (like the testing,
they were held at the Church Office Building). The first thing
you will notice should you audition is how friendly everyone is.
Jim and Ann Turner were there to greet the candidates, answer questions
and usher them into the audition room. Ann is the choir's
executive secretary and her husband, Jim, is the stage manager.
They both sang in the choir until completing their allotted service.
They are delightful people with a great sense of humor and genuine
interested in seeing everyone succeed. Before the audition
there was one last reality check: requirements (time and otherwise)
for choir participation were reviewed and the candidates asked to
sign a document confirming their commitment to abide by them.
Then it was time to face the music!
"It
was a humbling process. I never felt I needed humility, but
I obtained some in the process. By the time I entered the
choir I knew I'd had divine intervention."
I felt empathy
for each brother or sister who entered the audition room.
They had been through so much just to get here; and now they stood
to sing - all alone - before some of the most accomplished and distinguished
musicians in the Church. Besides Brothers Jessop and Wilberg,
Linda Margetts, an associate Tabernacle organist, was there to act
as accompanist. But don't forget that the Lord, too, is involved
in this process - no one who auditions need feel alone.
It is hard for
me - after having performed under Craig and Mack for years - to
imagine that anyone would find them intimidating. They are
as friendly and down-to-earth as anyone you'll meet. But when
you don't know them, you can only think of what they represent,
and then it is inevitable that your knees feel weak and your throat
terribly dry. But Brother Jessop made a concerted effort to
put each nervous candidate at ease: greeting each with a big smile,
a warm handshake and the assurance that they were among friends
who had prayed for their success.
"You
have to be brave enough to put it all on the line and try your hardest."
The only advance
instructions had been to prepare the hymn of their choice and a
segment from a challenging choral piece they'd been sent.
Each was first asked to sing the hymn. Next came the choral
piece with the piano filling in on the other parts. Then they
were asked to do some sight-reading: an unfamiliar hymn followed
by some musical phrases that contained unusual intervals.
The sight-reading
was definitely the hardest part. Some people got lost right
away as they tried to find their part in the hymn. If so,
Brother Wilberg helped by singing along for a few bars so they could
get their bearings. Some of the intervals in the musical phrases
seemed to trip up just about everybody, and it seemed to me that
they all left wishing they had done better. Jim and Ann later
said that a number of them expressed their disappointment.
They tried to comfort them by pointing out how well they had done
just to get this far.
Before leaving,
each was told they could expect to hear from the choir in early
June. Craig and Mack gave no hints about how they felt about
the performances either before or after the candidates left the
room. Each one, successful or not, was going to have that
agonizing wait for a letter in the mail.
On an interesting
note, three people that participated in this round of auditions
found me and corresponded - either as a result of my articles in
Meridian or my personal website. All three (two sisters and
a brother) made it as far as the in-person audition but were unsuccessful
at that point. They were given advice on what they could do
to improve and were told that they must wait at least a year before
trying again. From talking with them and from my own observation
of the auditions, my best advice on how to pass them is to become
an expert sight-reader. Get a book of unfamiliar vocal exercises.
Give an exercise a try, then go to a piano and see how you did.
Try working them out in your head without even singing while you're
taking a walk or riding in a car. Search the web for ideas
(I tried "sight-reading tips" on a Google search and got several
hits). Find a method that works best for you and practice,
practice, practice! Being a good sight-reader is crucial to
doing well in the choir and will greatly improve your chances in
the in-person audition.
The Temple
Square Chorale and Training School
When I joined the Tabernacle Choir the in-person audition was
the last step. But in the summer of 1999 the Temple Square
Chorale was established as a training organization for prospective
and current members of the choir. This change has made great
strides in improving our professionalism. Associate Tabernacle
Choir Conductor Mack Wilberg (well known for taking the powerful
BYU Men's Chorus to new heights) conducts the chorale. Mack
is a master at drawing the most from singers, and the smaller numbers
of the chorale allow him to give more individualized attention.
There is also a training school where classroom instruction in music
theory and vocal technique is given by such eminent musicians as
former Tabernacle Choir Director Jerold Ottley and his wife, Soprano
JoAnne Ottley.
The chorale
does not have a permanent membership. It is formed every six
months from a mix of prospective and current Tabernacle Choir members.
Each session lasts for three months at which time a formal concert
is given. The chorale also participates in at least one choir
broadcast. Rehearsals are held every Tuesday night in the
Assembly Hall on Temple Square. Classroom instruction is held
across the street in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Thursdays.
The chorale
provides a kind of probationary period for the new singers - giving
them a chance to build up to the hectic Tabernacle Choir schedule
while choir leaders have the opportunity to observe them under rehearsal
and performance conditions. At the conclusion, Brother Jessop
will listen to each of them sing one more time and a final decision
will be made as to whether they are ready to join the Tabernacle
Choir. While most will do so, it is possible that some may
be asked to complete an additional term in the chorale or given
other counsel appropriate to their situation.
So… we
started in January and it is now June; yet those who have made it
this far still have three months to go before they can actually
join the Tabernacle Choir. How did the 130 who were invited for
an in-person audition fare? 63 singers successfully passed
the auditions and have been invited to join the Temple Square Chorale.
They will begin their service in July. The chorale will be
preparing the Bach Mass in B Minor for performance in October.
I plan to sing with them and will continue to follow their progress.
I will probably have something more to say when those who have successfully
completed this long, arduous process finally join the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir in October.
This is by far
the largest number of new singers the chorale has ever accommodated
and, at least in recent decades, is probably the largest group to
join the Tabernacle Choir at one time. I asked Brother Jessop
if the unprecedented number of applicants made for a more talented
"final cut." He said that it did: this group is of excellent
caliber; it is one of the most special groups we've ever had.
They will provide a big boost when they join us in October!
Results of
the Survey
Now you have a good idea what it takes to join the Tabernacle
Choir. I hope this information has not discouraged those who
might want to try and join, for my purpose is not to dishearten
you but to say, "We'd love to have you join us! Here's what
it takes..." At the beginning I mentioned that I had surveyed the
choir to get a better idea of their backgrounds and what they felt
helped them be successful. Let's take a look at the results:
Two-hundred
and twenty-four people completed the survey. That's about
two thirds of the current choir membership. Of those I found
that 77% had received individual voice training before they auditioned
(though some said it was many years before); 92% play one
or more musical instruments, with piano by far the most common (78%
of the respondents play the piano, though some said not very well.
It's good to see those childhood piano lessons can pay off in unexpected
ways!).
"The
first two 'no thanks' messages were devastating, but persistence
pays off."
25% auditioned
more than once before making it. 6% auditioned more than twice
(the highest number being 5). On their unsuccessful tries,
38% got only as far as the taped audition, 26% were held up at the
Skills Inventory/Theory tests, and 36% made it as far as the in-person
audition before being told they would need to try again.
61% had participated
in a choir at a university. I found only a handful that -
like me - were limited in vocal experience to ward and stake choirs
(but that didn't stop me, so don't let it stop you!). BYU
choirs were most frequently mentioned (but that was only 14%) followed
by Mormon Youth Chorus and Utah Symphony Chorus (both at 5%) and
University of Utah and Weber State University choirs (both at about
4%). I was surprised at the range of vocal groups in which
they had participated - I counted 95 university, community or even
professional choirs. How's this for diversity? From
the Billings Montana Symphony Chorus to the Robert Shaw Festival
Choir; from the Heber Utah Women's Chorus to the Danish Music Academy.
From California's Monterey Peninsula College Community Choir to
the Southeastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus; from the Naval Aviators
Choir to the Icelandic National Chorus. It just goes to show
that no matter where you live there are wonderful opportunities
to sing!
The
Mormon Tabernace Choir
In analyzing
the comments about what helped most in their efforts to join the
choir I did my best to group the results into categories so I could
rank them. Here are the results:
23% Spiritual
preparation (faith, prayer, fasting).
20% The
Lord's help or help from the Spirit.
20% Experience
singing in other groups.
18% Voice
teacher or vocal coach.
17% Musical
training and education.
15% Hard
work, study, personal preparation
11% Natural
talent (ear, "genes")
8%
Guidance from others (conductors, teachers, friends).
8%
Persistence, desire, determination
6% Love
of music, singing.
6%
Sight reading ability
6%
Instrumental background
5%
Musical foundation in the family
4%
Sight reading practice
3%
Humility, a willing attitude
3%
Music lessons growing up
3%
Family support
Other items
mentioned were testimony, cultivating a voice that blends well,
ear training, good sense of pitch, practicing the skills inventory
elements, having a positive attitude, learning relaxation techniques
for the audition, luck, and bravery.
It is not surprising
to me that the top two items were spiritual preparation and help
from the Lord. Consider these comments:
"My
personal audition was so bad. I'm sure that an angel must
have come down and told the committee to let me in the choir!"
"When
I compare myself to some of the wonderful musicians in the choir
I wonder how I made it! It was only because the Lord wanted
me here."
"I
had a prompting to try and where I lacked, He carried me through."
"You
can be the most talented musician - but not make choir. Ultimately,
it is God who calls you to the work, and blesses you to succeed
beyond your own expectations"
Such comments
made me wonder about the perspective of those who do the selecting,
so I posed this question to Brother Jessop: "As you listen
to those who audition, do you sometimes feel the Spirit saying,
'This person belongs in the choir,' even when the quality of their
audition leaves something to be desired?" Here is his reply:
"Without question
the Spirit is the first, last, and constant guide in the audition
process. This last round of auditions has been no exception.
It comes in quiet, unexpected and sometimes persistent ways.
I have a firm testimony that all of our singers are here by divine
call. There are times when the Spirit confirms over the perceived
talent - generally they come hand in hand. There always seems
to be one or two singers in each round of auditions that will sit
in a 'maybe' pile and simply will not leave my mind. Such
has been the case many times - I've never second-guessed or regretted
listening to the promptings of the Spirit to admit some singers.
We try to listen with our spiritual ears and hearts first."
That being the
case, I would only add that I'm sure the same has been true in the
selection of our conductors, organists, staff, and the members of
the Orchestra at Temple Square. Can there be any question
that the Lord leads and guides the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - that
He is the one responsible for what people feel when they listen
to us? There is certainly no question in my mind.
More from
the Choir
Finally, here are more comments from the choir. There
were so many I cannot include them all, but these will give you
additional insight about how choir members feel and what you can
do prepare yourself should you want to join:
"Every
ounce of training and experience - every musical ensemble, every
solo, every lesson, every theory and ear training class, every diction
class, every voice lesson. I needed it all. Perhaps
the most important, though, is willingness to serve (musically or
otherwise)."
"I
feel the Lord prepared me to sing in the choir by (1) sending me
to a family where music was important, (2) giving me a talent, (3)
giving me singing opportunities which taught me, and (4) guiding
me to a vocal coach who knew what I needed help with. Therefore,
I feel a great responsibility to sing to the Lord with greatest
love, honor and thanksgiving."
"Although
the new audition process is very challenging, it makes you reach
for a higher level of performance, and helps improve the choir."
"Study
any suggested material, attend the temple and your meetings.
Study the scriptures and pray."
"Keep
trying. Don't give up. Improve your musical skills in
any way you can."
"Do
your best but be humble and determined. If you don't make
it the first time, try again."
"I
knew that after all was said (or sung) and done, the ultimate decision
would be up to my Heavenly Father. So I asked what He would
have me do - then did it - one step at a time."
"Study
theory and PRAY - your spirit is as much a contribution as your
voice - also keep trying, it is worth it!"
[This
person talked about the anguish of her first rejection. She
could hardly listen to the choir during the intervening months.
The second time she did something different. The afternoon
of her in-person audition she went to the temple:] "It was
an unusual day because when I got to the Celestial Room I was completely
alone for the longest time …as I sat alone praying for help
that night to come I surrendered my will to my Heavenly Father and
when I said, 'Thy will be done - I offer Thee my service.
If you want me, I'm yours.' He said, 'Yes, I do.' I
learned that this is His choir and His decision who belongs here.
I am so grateful to be chosen."
"I
believe Heavenly Father magnified me when it was needed. I
was never going to risk failure but He asked and I answered.
He placed me in situations to sing before others (I don't solo)
and I was scared to death. Burying a son at age 23 was easier
than the 3-year process. It humbled me and I will always realize
how blessed I am."
"I
have been singing since childhood and never missed an opportunity
to sing (to learn and share my talent). I felt if I willingly
shared what the Lord had given me whenever asked, He would bless
me when I needed His help. I am in the choir because He made
it so."
"Family
support is essential to my ability to participate."
"It
has to be your time. Too many get in the choir but don't last
long because they weren't ready for the commitment."
"I
was caring for my mother-in-law who is very frail and has severe
dementia. She couldn't be left alone, so while I waited an
hour each mealtime for her to eat, I could study the theory book.
Thank you, Grandma!"
"I
put my trust in the Lord. I knew that if this was something
the Lord wanted me to do I would make it."
"I
believe that singing in the choir is an opportunity that comes to
each individual for many reasons. I have very little (formal)
music training, but I asked the Lord if I could do this and He said
yes! What a great blessing."
"Spiritual
preparation is important - to know you are doing what the Lord wants
you to do. There is a big time commitment, so family needs
to be involved in the final decision as well. It is a wonderful
experience, also in knowing you are doing the right thing for the
right reason, with the support of the Lord and your family.
I prepared myself musically all my life, but the joy from doing
musical missionary work far exceeds anything imaginable."
"The
opportunity to participate with the choir has been a spiritual high
point in my life. I believe that my experience has also been
a vicarious experience for my now-deceased father who loved to sing,
but who did not have the opportunity of choir membership."
"I
sing best when I am in tune with the Spirit."
"I
keep learning more and more about music."
"I
will never lose interest [in the choir]. [I] hope that by
the time my 20 years is up the allotted time limit will be extended!
I absolutely LOVE to sing!!"
"If
you work very hard and it is the Lord's will that you be part of
the choir, you will be." [This person has been in the choir
twice and each time had to audition 3 times (total of 6)].
[This
person talked about being in the choir many years ago when she didn't
have to audition but was simply invited to join. Things have
changed!] "The second time was DIFFERENT!! Talk about
STRESS!! I had been out of the choir for 18 years and mourned
its loss while I raised my 8 children. My voice had gone to
pot, but there was still something inside that told me I was to
be in the choir. I started practicing and praying - and I
KNEW that if I made it, it would be a true gift from Father, for
my voice had a long way to go. The day I got my acceptance
letter I just sobbed. I could NEVER take this gift for granted.
To come to choir is a heavenly blessing."
"I
'live' for choir!"
Singers
in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
This last comment,
in one form or another, was voiced over and over. We absolutely
love this calling - this gift from heaven. But in conclusion
I would like to say a word to the thousands who have hoped for this
opportunity and - for whatever reason - have not been able find
themselves among us. Perhaps you have tried but didn't make
it through this difficult process; perhaps you have been called
to do other things and simply don't have the time. You may
have physical limitations that make it impossible or perhaps you
live elsewhere and can't move to Utah.
To you I would
only say what President Hinckley has exclaimed to us on more than
one occasion: "Sing, sing, sing!" Surely the very best
choral music is that which is directed towards our Father in Heaven
in praise or in prayer. Find ways to do that! As one
of the choir members said, "Music heals!" Lift and inspire
those around you! Sing enthusiastically in sacrament meeting!
Your ward choir needs you! Your stake and regional choirs
need you! Community choirs need you! I did an Internet
search for the words "Mormon Choir" and came up with the following:
The Mormon Choir
of Washington, DC
The Mormon Choir
of Southern California
The Tongan Mormon
Choir of O'ahu
The Arizona
Mormon Choir
The Nashville
Mormon Choir
The "Heart of
America" Mormon Choir
The Valparaiso
Mormon Choir
The Hacienda
Heights Mormon Choir
The Rochester
Regional Mormon Choir
The Perth Mormon
Choir
The Maracaibo
Mormon Choir
Undoubtedly
some of these choirs were formed temporarily for special occasions,
but how wonderful that Latter-day Saint choral singing is being
carried forth in places all over the world! Take advantage
of every opportunity to sing; and if you cannot join us in this
life, it is my hope that we will sing together in the heavenly choirs
above!
If you feel
you're ready and would like to try out, the next period for accepting
requests for applications will be the first week of July.
However it is possible some voice parts will be delayed until January
since so many applications were received in January of 2002.
You can find out by calling the Tabernacle Choir Office at (801)
240-3221 during the first week of July.
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© 2002 Meridian
Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
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