Tickets were gone in less than an hour for The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square’s Christmas concert with award winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth. When Chenoweth was announced as the guest artist, social media lit up with fans sharing their approval in comments such as, “The greatest singer with the greatest choir!” “A winning combination!” “Perfect guest artist!” and “She is amazing!” There were hundreds of thousands of ticket requests from eager fans.

Choir general manager Scott Barrick said, “The Choir and Orchestra perform these free concerts as a service to the community, and we are delighted by the enthusiastic response to this year’s guest artist. With such a high demand for these free tickets, we know there were challenges to securing them online, and we appreciate the patience of those seeking tickets. We are constantly looking for ways to improve the process and user experience.”

If you were not successful getting tickets, here are more ways to enjoy Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir this year:

Standby Seating

You won’t have to wait outside in the cold! A standby line will form at the north gate of Temple Square on each night of the concerts. (Thursday through Saturday, December 13–15). Patrons in this line will be seated in the Tabernacle and taken to the Conference Center to fill empty seats as they are available. The program will be screened live in the Tabernacle on big screens for patrons not getting into the Conference Center. Many standbys are seated in the Conference Center each year.

Ticket Giveaway Contest

Watch the Choir’s website after Thanksgiving for details on a second chance ticket giveaway contest.

Attend the Sunday, December 16, broadcast of Music & the Spoken Word

No tickets are required for the broadcast in the Conference Center. The broadcast program will include music from the concerts. Admission is free but is limited to those eight years of age and older. Doors open to the public at 8:30 a.m., and guests should be seated by 9:15 a.m.  

Consider attending any December Sunday morning broadcasts of Music & the Spoken Word in person in the Conference Center (December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30) as the Choir and Orchestra celebrate the season with Christmas music. Admission is free but limited to those eight years and older. Doors open to the public at 8:30 a.m., and guests should be seated by 9:15 a.m.

Watch the 2017 Concert on PBS and BYUtv

A 60-minute version of the 2017 concert featuring Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville will be seen on nationwide PBS television on Monday, December 17. Check local listings for times in your area. The full 90-minute concert will be shown on BYUtv, a cable television network channel, on Thursday, December 20, and will be available to stream from their website at www.byutv.org. More details about specific times still to come.

Watch Choir Christmas Specials on The Choir’sWebsite and YouTube Channel

Many of our Christmas Music & the Spoken Word programs are available on the Choir’s website in our video gallery. You can listen to the Choir’s Christmas playlist on the YouTube channel as well.  Check there also for many of the Choir’s Christmas songs as individual tracks.

Attend the Bells on Temple Square’s Holiday Concert, “Ring in the Holidays”

Another way to see and experience the Christmas spirit is the Bells annual concert performed by the 35-member, all-volunteer ensemble. Their 2018 concert, “Ring in the Holidays,” will be on Friday and Saturday, November 16–17, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. in the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square. Online tickets are available at lds.org/events.  Watch this video of the Bells performing ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” from their 2018 summer concert! 

Purchase or Download the Choir’s Newest Christmas CD, DVD, and Book—Just Released in October

Spread the joy of Christmas with the gift of music, A Merry Little Christmas, recorded during the Choir’s 2017 Christmas concerts featuring Broadway star Sutton Foster and world-renowned English actor Hugh Bonneville. The book It Is Well with My Soul—the touching story of the Spafford family as narrated by Hugh Bonneville—is also available. This inspiring concert reminded us that Christmas is a time to both celebrate and ponder, to rejoice and be still, and to consider the ultimate gift of hope and redemption that the Christmas season represents.

Come Enjoy the Lights and the Christmas Spirit On Temple Square Every Evening from November 23 through January 1. Check www.lds.org/events for other Temple Square events.

Wishing a joyous Christmas season to all!