January begins a new year and new life for 43 singers who take their places in the once-a-year Mormon Tabernacle Choir Training School. Choir School is the last step in the audition process for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. This year’s class includes 26 men and 17 women, who will meet Thursday evenings-the first session was January 8-to fine tune their choral skills.

In addition to the Choir School, these aspirants also participate in the Temple Square Chorale, which meets on Tuesdays (the first rehearsal was January 13) in preparation for their yearly concert. This year, the concert will take place on April 17 and 18, in the Tabernacle, under the direction of Ryan Murphy, associate director of the Choir. Dr. Murphy has selected Mozart’s Requiem as the work for this performance. The concert will be a joint appearance with the Orchestra at Temple Square, who will perform their own piece during the concert’s first half. The Chorale, with 129 singers, also includes those who attended Choir School last year as well as veteran volunteers from the Choir.

Often referred to as a “boot camp” for singers, the Choir Training School focuses on basic singing techniques, blending, singing responsibly, listening, sight-reading skills, rehearsal expectations, Choir policies, and being committed to the intense schedule of the Choir, which includes concerts, Music & the Spoken Word, touring, general conference, and other special Church events. The Choir Training School has a faculty of seasoned professionals, including Cherilyn Worthen, vocal coach Rebecca Wilberg, and Tabernacle organists Bonnie Goodliffe and Linda Margetts.