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| Temple Square Chorale | |
|---|---|
| Name | Temple Square Chorale |
| Origin | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Genre | Choral music, Sacred music, Classical |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Label | Independent, Deseret |
| Associated acts | Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Orchestra at Temple Square, Temple Square, Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir |
Temple Square Chorale is a large-scale choral ensemble based in Salt Lake City, Utah, affiliated through proximity and shared repertoire with institutions on Temple Square. The Chorale performs sacred and classical works for liturgical seasons, civic occasions, and festival presentations, drawing singers from local communities and attracting audiences from around the United States and internationally. Its activities intersect with other ensembles, venues, and cultural institutions in the Intermountain West, contributing to the region's choral tradition and public music life.
The Chorale was founded to augment the choral resources of Temple Square and to present expansive works that complement the programming of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Deseret News cultural coverage, and civic events involving the Salt Lake Chamber and the Utah Symphony. Early seasons featured collaborations with institutions such as the University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Westminster College (Utah), and the Utah State University music departments. The ensemble's development paralleled growth in regional festivals including the Utah Arts Festival, Festival of Colors, and the Salt Lake City Arts Council initiatives, and it has been part of commemorations tied to local landmarks like the Salt Lake Temple, Temple Square Tabernacle, and the Salt Lake Tabernacle organ restoration projects.
Structured as a non-profit ensemble, the Chorale operates with a board of directors drawn from civic leaders, clergy, and music educators associated with institutions like The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, University of Utah School of Music, and the Brigham Young University School of Music. Membership includes professional singers, music faculty from Utah State University, Weber State University, and Southern Utah University, and advanced community amateurs from organizations such as the Salt Lake Choral Artists and the Utah Symphony Chorale. Auditions are conducted by the artistic staff with input from guest conductors affiliated with ensembles like the Los Angeles Master Chorale, New York Philharmonic, and London Symphony Orchestra when touring artists join projects.
The Chorale's repertoire spans large-scale oratorio literature, liturgical cantatas, seasonal carol settings, and contemporary sacred commissions. Signature works include performances of Johann Sebastian Bach's St Matthew Passion, George Frideric Handel's Messiah, Ludwig van Beethoven's Missa solemnis, and Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem. The ensemble programs music by living composers such as Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and John Rutter, and has premiered commissions connected to local composers linked with the University of Utah and Brigham Young University. Performances occur at venues including the Salt Lake Tabernacle, Abravanel Hall, Temple Square Assembly Hall, and regional churches in Provo, Ogden, and Park City.
The Chorale has produced studio and live recordings released on independent and regional labels, collaborating with producers experienced with choirs like the King's College Choir, St. Olaf Choir, and the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge. Recordings include sacred albums featuring choral cycles by Bach, Handel, Maurice Duruflé, and contemporary choral works by Morten Lauridsen and Eric Whitacre, often distributed through retailers that handle catalogs of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and the Utah Symphony. Media appearances have included broadcasts on public radio stations such as KUER-FM, features on regional television networks, and digital video projects produced in partnership with educational outlets linked to the University of Utah Health Sciences media lab and the BYU Broadcasting team.
The Chorale frequently partners with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, the Orchestra at Temple Square, and visiting orchestras including the Utah Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and touring ensembles from England, Germany, and Australia. It has toured regionally across the Rocky Mountains and nationally to cities like New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston, performing in halls associated with institutions such as Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Symphony Hall (Boston). International exchanges have included collaborations with choirs and conservatories such as the Royal College of Music, Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Artistic leadership has included conductors with backgrounds at the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, faculty from the University of Utah School of Music, and guest maestros from ensembles like the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Music directors have engaged conductors specializing in Baroque performance practice, Romantic oratorio, and contemporary choral techniques, drawing on expertise associated with figures who have worked at institutions like Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, and Royal College of Music. Collaborative pianists, organists, and section leaders are often recruited from faculty rosters at Brigham Young University, Weber State University, and church music programs tied to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Chorale has received civic honors from the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office, cultural commendations from the Utah Arts Council, and commendations associated with performance excellence noted by critics at regional outlets such as the Deseret News, The Salt Lake Tribune, and public radio reviewers at NPR-affiliated stations. Its recordings and live presentations have earned nominations and awards in regional music competitions and have been acknowledged alongside ensembles like the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and the Utah Symphony for contributions to the state's cultural heritage.
Category:Choirs from Utah Category:Musical groups established in 1999