“Tabernacle Choir is the most marvelous experience I’ve ever had in my life.”
“Every rehearsal, event, and performance is a joy. I feel very blessed to be here.”
“This is the greatest blessing in my life after the gospel and my family.”
These comments from current members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir are among scores I received in a survey I took recently. We members of the choir are very aware of how fortunate we are. Each week’s “Music and the Spoken Word” is a spiritual feast, and our concerts and tours leave us feeling like we’ve visited heaven for a while. How we wish everyone could experience these things! While that is not possible, we are glad to help anyone who expresses interest in joining. The more people who become aware of this incomparable experience and are motivated to do what it takes to join us, the better the Choir will become. And we hope that those who try and are unsuccessful will nevertheless find other ways to experience the joy of singing in church and community choirs. The Latter-day Saints have a great singing tradition that should only continue to grow as the Church expands across the world.
With that in mind, I have long felt the desire to write an article about the audition process. So I decided to follow the latest cycle closely, from applications to in-person auditions. I asked questions of Choir Director Craig Jessop and others involved in conducting the auditions. I attended a testing session and witnessed an evening of in-person auditions. And I conducted the survey mentioned above to find out more about choir members’ musical backgrounds and what they thought helped them make it through the process. I will continue to include their comments in bold type throughout this article and discuss the results at the end. I did not require those who responded to include their names and since most didn’t, I think it would be better to make all the quotations anonymous.
“Tell them to follow their dream, set their goal and don’t be discouraged! It’s well worth the effort.”
Perhaps there are those among you who are like I once was: you love to sing, but – while you’re a fan of the choir – the idea of trying out for it never occurred to you. Perhaps – like me – all you need is someone to point the way. I suppose the reason I never thought of joining is because it seemed beyond my reach. My youth was occupied with instrumental (violin) studies, so I never sang in school choirs. Though I loved to sing, my experience was limited to ward choirs and congregational singing. If my younger brother Tom had not pointed the way, I might have missed one of my life’s greatest joys.
Tom sang in a seminary choir in high school, so joining the Tabernacle Choir wasn’t so unthinkable to him. In the late 1980’s, our Dad’s career as Tabernacle Organist was approaching its end. Tom thought it would be wonderful to witness those last few years sitting nearby in the choir loft. He prepared by first taking vocal lessons. After studying for a year, he auditioned but was unsuccessful. Not to be discouraged, he took to heart the suggestions the rejection letter listed, worked even harder, and was accepted on his second try. I was happy for him! Then one day the thought finally occurred to me: maybe – just maybe – I could do that, too. I signed up for lessons with Tom’s teacher and tried out a year later. I was fortunate enough to make it on the first try!
So if you have an interest in trying out someday, or even if you’d just like to know more about what it’s like, here’s the inside story:
The application materials contain detailed information about the tremendous commitment required to participate in the Choir. Many people become discouraged at this point and don’t apply.
The Application
“The initial audition application almost convinced me not to try.”
Why would someone feel that way? Let’s take a look at the application process and the materials you would be given were you to apply:
Requests for applications are accepted during the first week of January or July. The audition cycle I’m writing about began the first week of January 2002. Auditions hadn’t been held for a year because choir membership was “frozen” for the Olympics. [This has been the practice before all major tours and events in order to discourage those who might want to join only for a particular opportunity. It takes a lot of training and practice even after joining the choir to be come really proficient, so it’s important for the choir to have long-term commitments]. Between that fact and the unprecedented visibility we have enjoyed lately, interest this time was unusually high: the choir office was overwhelmed by over 800 requests for applications!
How do you whittle down that many applications? As we shall see later in the article, when final selections are made the guidance of the Spirit is first and foremost. But consider these words from the Doctrine and Covenants 11:21:
“Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.”
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a missionary calling, so just as it is necessary to study and obtain knowledge before preaching the Lord’s word, so should we prepare ourselves musically for a ministry in song. It is thus according to the Lord’s pattern that the audition process first rigorously test and challenge the applicants, bringing to the top those who have both superior skills and a conscientious sense of dedication. That dedication is very important. The application guide that comes with the materials lists the following as the priorities of a Tabernacle Choir member:
1. One’s relationship with God.
2. One’s family relationships.
3. One’s occupational pursuits and responsibilities.
4. One’s volunteer membership by calling to the Tabernacle Choir.
The guide also states, “membership in the Tabernacle Choir is an earned privilege, requiring the enthusiasm of a volunteer and the discipline and responsibility of a professional.” Such professionalism cannot be accomplished unless the choir is among the most important priorities in life. Take a look at the required time commitment:
| Day of the Week | Time | Frequency |
| Sunday: | 7:30-10:15 a.
m. |
Regular |
| 10:15-Noon | Occasional | |
| Thursday: | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Regular |
| Tuesday: | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Approximately 20-25 times per year |
| Concerts, Tours: | As announced |
This translates to being at the Tabernacle (or on tour) some part of 140-150 days in a typical year. We are required to maintain a 75% attendance record, so we can miss on occasion. But even so, choir participation consumes much of our free time. The tours also necessitate the dedication of a goodly portion of our vacation time (major tours come about every 2 years and can take as long as 3 weeks).
This information serves as a reality check, and apparently many people react as did the choir member quoted above, because of the over 800 application packets sent out, only about 350 people applied. But fortunately for those who did decide to proceed, the number of openings for this group was also unusually high. Retirements of choir members who had reached their maximum service were also delayed for the Olympics, so approximately 51 people will have left us by October (when this audition cycle is finally completed and those who are successful will join the choir).
The application itself asks about your church and family background, occupation, educational background, and musical experience. Application requirements are as follows:
1. Membership in the Church.
2. Age between 25 and 55. [Mandatory retirement from the Choir is at age 60 or 20 years of service – whichever comes first. A minimum period of 5 years service is requested].
3. Good health.
4. Body size that can be accommodated by the Choir’s wardrobe (exceptionally small or large sizes are limited).
5. Ability to receive a bishop’s recommendation indicating temple worthiness (though a temple recommend is not required).
Applicants are asked to prepare an audition tape to be returned with the application. The tape consists of the following:
1. Choose one of three hymns (Abide With Me, O My Father, or I Need Thee Every Hour).
2. Play and announce the beginning pitch in a comfortable key.
3. Sing one verse of the hymn (without accompaniment).
4. Play and announce the ending pitch (which, of course, should be in the same key in which you began!).
5. Sing a few bars of the hymn with a straight tone.
6. Sing a few measures sotto voce (with a quiet undertone quality).
7. Sing a few measures loudly.
8. Perform three short vocal exercises (which are included with the application materials). These will help determine your natural voice range.
The due date for applications and tapes was February 15, giving the applicants several weeks to prepare the tape. Once the tapes reached the choir office, they were carefully reviewed by Craig Jessop and associate director Mack Wilberg.
Writing this article has brought back memories of what the process was like for me. Before I began to study with a teacher, I thought my voice was pretty good. People at church seemed to think so. I had received a number of compliments through the years, and ward choirs were always glad to have a tenor. But once I started lessons, I was due for some surprises. It’s really just like learning to play a musical instrument. In fact, the voice is referred to as one’s “instrument”. There are so many factors involved in producing a beautiful sound; and the better you become, the more you understand how much there is yet to be learned and perfected.
Here are some of the factors Brothers Jessop and Wilberg take into account as they listen to the tapes: intonation, articulation, appropriateness of vibrato, consistency of tone, breath support and flow, flexibility, beauty of tone, diction, proper vowel placement, good consonants, pitch, vocal style, and musicality. If you study singing, all of these elements will become familiar to you; they are worked on constantly in the Tabernacle Choir. There is more involved than just having a great voice. In fact, many talented soloists may not be suitable for the Tabernacle Choir unless they can adapt to sing in a way that will not stick out and disrupt the blend of voices. And with as much singing as we do, singing without proper technique can result in serious vocal strain or even damage to the voice.
As with the initial application information, the taped audition eliminates a number of applicants. Of the 350, 170 were selected to continue. Those who didn’t make it were given specific instructions about what they could do to improve and try again.
Just like the college days: Choir hopefuls at work on their tests.
The Music Skills Inventory and Music Theory Test
“Being a music major, everything I ever learned, I needed for the choir auditions (and after!). And I am still learning every day!”
Now that the choir knows you have a promising voice, the next step is to test your musical knowledge. The tests are administered at the church office building and take about 2 hours to complete. There are two parts: a “Music Skills Inventory,” which is designed to assess inherent musical ability, and a test in Music Theory. The theory test was not included when I joined the choir but was added with the introduction of the Temple Square Chorale and training program (which I will cover later). With so many candidates, this time it was necessary to hold testing sessions on four different nights. I witnessed one of them.
The scene reminded me of final exams in college: a roomful of nervous candidates fiddling with their pencils and hoping for the best as they waited for the tests to be handed out. Among the group that night I saw some familiar faces: three former members of the choir. Yes, if you leave for more than 3 months you’re required to complete at least part of the audition process again before rejoining.
As I continue to describe all the steps, you’ll see why that’s a big incentive for not leaving once you join!
 |
| Debra Gehris instructs the group before the Music Skills Inventory Test. Debra and husband Dave have been administering the tests for many years. |
David and Debra Gehris, section leaders in the choir, administered the tests. They have been doing so for a long time; in fact, they were the ones who gave it to me 12 years ago. Debra told the group that many of them would leave that night feeling badly about how they’d done; yet they may find themselves pleasantly surprised once the results came back. On the other hand, some who felt they had done well might be surprised, too.
The skills inventory was first. The application materials state, “The [inventory] is a shock for some, including some with considerable training. On the other hand, many with lesser training, who possess innate abilities, do very well. The total music skills inventory helps us predict your probable success as a member of the Tabernacle Choir.”
This test requires intense concentration and good listening skills. The questions are given orally via a recording, so there is no stopping to ask for something to be repeated. You must think quickly and then move to the next task (a foreshadowing of what it will be like to sing in the choir). The inventory is made up of the following elements:
Listen to two chords. Indicate whether they are major or minor mode.
Listen to a musical phrase. Indicate whether it is major or minor mode, or if it changes modes.
Listen to 4 chords in the same key, followed by 3 notes. Choose which of the 3 notes is the key tone (i.e. the first note of the scale for that key).
Listen to a musical phrase followed by 3 notes. Choose which is the key tone.
Listen to a 4 bar musical phrase while looking at a corresponding musical notation. Identify every measure where the pitch that was played is different from the notation.
Listen to a 4 bar musical phrase while looking at a corresponding musical notation. Identify every measure where the rhythm that was played is different from the notation.
Listen to a solid chord followed by a broken (arpeggiated) chord. Decide which note (if any) differs from the chord.
Listen to a melody played alone, then harmonized. Decide if the melody is in the high, middle, or low part of the harmony.
Look at a bar with two notes. Listen as the first note is played. Listen to 3 more notes and decide which is the second note.
Why would skills such as these predict success in the choir? Because they indicate how quickly you are able to analyze and assimilate musical information. Musical agility is very important in the choir because the pace is …well …I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to call it murderous! When I first joined, I found it necessary to spend an hour or two on my own each week just to keep up. Take a look at how we prepare for a typical broadcast:
The broadcast averages around 6 pieces of music. We see them for the first time when we do a quick reading on the Thursday night rehearsal ten days before the broadcast. We’ll take another quick look at the harder pieces early Sunday morning before moving to the current week’s broadcast. On the next Thursday (three days before they’ll be performed) we have about an hour to refine all six pieces and do a test recording of them. Sunday morning, right before broadcast, there will be a half hour for final cleanup of rough spots. We’ll do a practice run-through of the entire broadcast and then it’s time to perform. If you divide the total rehearsal time by the number of pieces, that gives us less than half an hour for each one – less than half an hour from seeing the piece for the first time to performing it!
Thankfully, after a couple of years you start to see some pieces coming around a second time, and with five years under your belt, you’re familiar with most of the repertoire. But it’s always a fast moving train. So you can see why the kind of innate musical ability revealed by the skills inventory is important. While you can practice these skills, they do seem to come more as a result of musical experience and natural ability.
The music theory test, on the other hand, is something one can and should study for. Theory will be covered in the choir school if you make it through the auditions, but you’ll do better to have the concepts down to improve your score in this initial test. It consists of 6 pages of multiple-choice questions covering concepts such as key signatures, how many steps between given notes, which notes are enharmonic (e.g. the same note: B flat and A sharp, for example), note values (e.g. how many half notes in a whole note?), intervals, tetrachords and triads. The choir school uses the text, “Basic Materials in Music Theory: A Programmed Course” by Paul O. Harder and Greg A Steinke (8th edition. Publisher: Allyn and Bacon). Loaner copies of this text are available from the choir office for study prior to the test along with a study guide on which chapters are most important.
Let’s review for a moment: we started with about 800 requests for applications. 350 returned the applications, and 170 made it through the taped audition to the skills inventory and theory test. An average score of 80% is required to continue to the final step: an in-person audition before director Craig Jessop and associate director Mack Wilberg. [Brother Jessop did tell me, however, that a voice that was extraordinary on the taped audition might buy a little leeway with the test scores.] I was surprised to find that the majority of those who took the tests were able to proceed: 130 were invited for an in-person audition.
In Part Two of the article we’ll talk about the step that seems to be most feared: an in-person audition before Craig Jessop and Mack Wilberg. We’ll talk about the Temple Square Chorale – a training choir in which those who successfully complete the auditions will serve before they can join the Choir. I’ll finish by discussing my survey of the choir and include many more comments from current choir members.
Editors: Watch for Part 2 in Friday’s edition of Meridian Magazine.
