Wednesday, August 6, 2008

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing to Sun Valley

Choir benefit is a special summer performance


By SABINA DANA PLASSE
Express Staff Writer

Mormon Tabernacle Choir performing in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. © 2007 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

The magnitude of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is more than just its 360 members or its 150-year history. The choir has received a Grammy and an Emmy Award, two platinum records and five gold records. It has appeared at 13 World's Fairs and Expositions, sung for 10 U.S. presidents beginning with President William Howard Taft and performed in more than 28 different countries.

As part of the Sun Valley Pavilion's opening, the Choir will perform with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony and with special guest and mezzo soprano singing sensation Denyce Graves on Saturday, Aug. 9 for the first benefit concert in the pavilion. Premier seats are $500 each and general seats are $250 each. The evening will kick-off with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at 4 p.m. followed by a two-hour concert beginning at 6 p.m. For tickets, call 622-5607.

"The choir tours every other year, and it is entirely volunteer," said the Mormon Tabernacle Choir general manager Scott Barrick. "The choir sings anything from Bach to Broadway and will do classic pieces from operas such as "Carmen" and "Aida" as well as hymns and American folk songs."

The Choir is also very close to the Holding family, having sung for Earl Holding's 80th birthday and having its annual Christmas banquet at The Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.

"Part of why we are coming is because we want to participate in this wonderful concert to honor Earl and Carol," Barrick said. "There is nothing like hearing 360 human voices all singing together and the Choir has its own recording label."

Performing with Graves is also a treat not only for the Sun Valley Symphony but also for the Choir who frequently make special arrangements for its special guests.

"You don't need a lot of rehearsal time when you are working with this caliber of musicians and a singer such as Denyce," Barrick said. "During the annual Christmas concert we have world renowned guest artists join us and Denyce has been on a short list for a long time and we are really thrilled."

Graves is known throughout the world as one of the best recitalists. Her repertoire includes classical song such as German Lieder, French mélodie and English art songs as well as Broadway musicals, jazz and American spirituals.

Barrick said the Sun Valley Summer Symphony is a highly regarded reputation and the choir is very excited to perform with it. In combination with Graves, the evening will be a memorable performance.




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