Tabernacle Choir Looking for New Members, Here's How to Join

The world-renowned choir is once again looking for new members to join their 360 all-volunteer choral ensemble. Despite restrictions to rehearse due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the choir will still proceed with its rigorous audition.

“Even though the choir isn’t rehearsing, we always have to be worrying about our next generation of choir singers,” Scott Barrick, the choir’s general manager, told Deseret News.

What is the Audition Process?

The process to become a member of the choir is demanding. They first need to meet certain requirements before proceeding to audition. According to a press release from the choir, “an individual must meet a set of membership criteria and complete a four-phase audition process which includes 16 weeks of training for those who reach the fourth phase of the process.”

The choir provided the following information for applicants:

Membership Criteria

Applicants must meet several criteria for membership which include:

Be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in good standing.
Be between 25 and 55 years of age on April 30, 2021, when Choir service would begin.
Currently reside within 100 miles of the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Four-Phase Audition Process

Auditions are conducted once each year in four phases. Auditions are usually open for all voice parts.

Phase 1 consists of submitting a completed electronic application, which includes a digital photo and a digital voice recording. Upon receipt of the electronic application, the Choir will email notification to the applicant’s local Church leader and ask for an ecclesiastical endorsement response. When the ecclesiastical endorsement is received the Choir audition application will be complete. The link to the digital application and an application guide is posted online each year on June 1. All applications must be completed and submitted electronically no later than August 15. Applicants who advance to Phase 2 will be notified by email in early September.

Phase 2 is a two and a half-hour musical skills written and oral assessment that measures musical ability and aptitude. This assessment usually takes place on a Saturday morning in mid-September. Applicants with acceptable test scores (usually 80 percent or better) then advance to the next phase.

Phase 3 begins with an interview with the Choir president to be sure the candidate understands the demands of Choir membership. This is followed at the same appointment with an in-person audition before the Choir’s music director and associate music director, which includes solo singing, vocal range testing, and sight-reading. The interviews and in-person auditions are usually held in early- to mid-October. Phase 3 audition results will be sent by email in early- to mid-November.

Phase 4 consists of participation in Choir School and the Chorale at Temple Square. The 16-week course of training takes place each Tuesday and Thursday night and applicants commit to 100 percent attendance over the four months. This training has proved invaluable to meet the demands of the Choir’s performance schedule and limited rehearsal time.

After the 16 weeks, candidates who pass the choir school exam may become members of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. They will be asked to perform on Music & the Spoken Word (a live 30-minute program broadcasted worldwide) world tours and will become an official musical ambassador for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

For more information visit the choir’s official website.