Question about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?

You must be in your seat by 9:15 am at the latest for the 9:30 am live Sunday broadcast of "Music and The Spoken Word".

However, it is strongly recommended that you arrive earlier to ensure a good seat! Anyone 8 years of age and older (with ability to remain seated and silent for up to 1 hr) are invited to attend.

Background Info:

"Music and the Spoken Word" is the longest continually running network broadcast in history. Beginning with radio brodcasting in July 1929, (joining Television in 1949) the program has been happening every Sunday since! By attending a live broadcast you become part of over 80 years of history! This is definitely a "MUST SEE" if you plan to be in Salt Lake City on a Sunday morning.

What To Expect:

The doors will be opened to the public at 8:00 am. The Choir will be rehearsing. At 8:30 am the Choir and crew will do an entire run-through of that morning's program for timing and production purposes. The broadcast often includes The Orchestra at Temple Square, and guest artists are common. Ushers will be assisting you to find a seat. Movement and soft talking is allowed during the run-through. At 9:00 am the choir is given final rehearsal notes and a 10 minute break while greetings and announcements are given to the audience. At 9:15 am the doors are sealed, and you must take your seat. Dr. Lloyd Newell, the announcer of "Music and the Spoken Word" will address the congregation and give some important last minute instructions. Be sure to TURN OFF all electronic devices! At 9:30 am on the dot, the 30 minute TV / Radio broadcast will begin. Audience members have the unique opportunity to hear the choir perform while watching "behind the scenes" camera, lighting and stage crews working. You must remain in your seat and be as silent as possible during the broadcast. Many television and radio networks within the Intermountain West carry the program LIVE. Over 2,000 stations both National, International, and Cable will be broadcasting by tape-delay. From time to time the audience is asked to remian in their seats after the broadcast. This could be due to re-taping of a portion of the program, or because a guest artist has agreed to give an exclusive encore performance for the studio audience! The Tabernacle Choir will sing a special good-bye song to the audience members, and at that point, feel free to exit the building. Or, you may wish to remain seated just a little longer to enjoy the organ recessional.

TIPS:

1. During peak tourist season there are often large bus tour groups, and long lines of people waiting for the doors to open to claim a seat. Arrive Early!

2. Due to such a high volume of visitors to Temple Square, [and lack of air conditioning in the historic Tabernacle] during tourist season the location of the weekly Choir broadcast moves across the street to the 21,000 seat LDS Conference Center. Generally, the Choir is located in the Conference Center between Memorial Day to Labor Day. Broadcasts and rehearsals during the month of December are also located in the Conference Center.

3. Free parking is usually available under the Conference Center, located directly north of Temple Square. Enter the underground parking plaza northbound on West Temple Street.

4. There is a lot to see and do on Temple Square! Plan to allow yourself plenty of time after the broadcast to stroll the beautiful gardens, take photos, and see the historic buildings. There are free tours offered in over 40 different languages!

5. For those in town, but not able to attend a Sunday morning broadcast, the weekly Choir Rehearsal is open to the public on Thursday evenings from 8:00 - 9:30 PM. Visitors to Temple Square of all ages are invited to rehearsals, and you may choose to come and go at your leisure.

6. For those unable to come to Salt Lake City, you can still experience a broadcast! Go to the official "Music and the Spoken Word" website, click on "View A Broadcast" and enter your city to locate a TV or radio station in your area that carries the program.

7. For more information visit one of the handy websites listed below. Cheers!