While the coronavirus pandemic has put practices and performances on hold for The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, it has not stopped the announcement of a new logo and strategic direction for the choir.
Unveiled Thursday morning, the new logo harks back to the past by still featuring the signature organ pipes from the Tabernacle, the choir’s longtime home, but also looks forward for its modern, stylized look that is designed for the choir’s digital strategy.
Unlike past organ pipes, these are simplified, gold-colored pipes designed to point us toward heaven, while a curved line intersecting them represents the dome of the Tabernacle.
The meaning assigned to the new logo is included in this chart.
Ron Jarrett, president of the choir, and director Mack Wilberg, participating from their homes in a virtual press conference revealed the new visual identity. Jarrett said, “We love how this new look visually represents the work of the choir and orchestra to bring people closer to the divine through music.”
It can also be animated, with the pipes slightly falling to represent the rhythm of music.
Wilberg said, “I think it is important to note that the simplified logo is designed to allow people to add their own meaning to it. We want those who listen to our music to feel hope, comfort, joy and peace.”
The new logo is part of a strategic plan that started when the choir changed its name in 2018 in response to President Russell M. Nelson’s direction to use the true name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The choir is also making plans to reach out further in its digital efforts to influence a wider audience.
The updated logo will appear immediately on the choir’s website and digital channels as well as be on their new album to be announced next week.
Wilberg said that since he hasn’t seen the members of the 360-voice choir for several weeks, he is not sure how they are keeping their voices in shape. At first there was an effort to practice in sections, but that had to also be given up.
With few interruptions the choir has performed every Sunday since July 15, 1929, and in its 92nd year, is the longest-running continuous network broadcast in history.
It hasn’t been determined whether the choir’s summer tour, that would be seven performances in give countries—Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Scotland– will be canceled.
This is the sixth time the choir has changed its logo, with most of those being in the last twenty years. Here are the earlier iterations:
