The Tabernacle Choir Blog

Day 2 - Indiana Pacers Welcome Choir and Orchestra

In the sports world, it is a great honor to have your name on the back of a team jersey. Now that honor belongs to an unlikely group: the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Prior to the Choir’s concert in Indianapolis, Indiana, on June 14, the Choir received a personalized jersey from the Indiana Pacers professional basketball team.

The presentation was made by Greg Schenkel, the Pacers’ vice president of corporate communications; Rich Kapp, the vice president of facility services; and Marty Beckhtold, the director of booking. Jack Everly, the Principal Pops conductor of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra also joined in welcoming the Choir and Orchestra.The Choir’s performance in Indianapolis will be held at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, which is the home of the Pacers.

“I hope this jersey finds a place of prominence with you and you remember us fondly,” Schenkel said.

Noting that this is the Choir’s first visit to Indianapolis since 1911, Schenkel said, “I hope it doesn’t take you another 102 years to come back.”

The unveiling of the jersey was greeted with enthusiastic applause by the members of the Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, who are on the second stop of their tour through the upper Midwest United States.

“This is just something simple that we could do to thank the Choir for coming to visit us and sharing their talents with our community,” Kapp said.