The audience usually sees organists from the back or the side at best. But the notable Tabernacle organ sits on a rotating disk that allows increased visibility of the organist and keyboards. Those attending concerts receive not only the organ's warmth and richness, but also the skill of the organist at work. So it is with the newly created Tabernacle Organ Virtuoso Performance series in the venerable Salt Lake Tabernacle showcasing some of the greatest talent in organ performance today. 

Dr. Andrew E. Unsworth, one of three full-time Tabernacle organists and one familiar to those who follow The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, will perform Friday, November 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. The evening’s program is the third in the newly created Organ Virtuoso series.

• Tabernacle Performance: The Tabernacle Virtuoso Organ Performance Series is open to the public at no charge to all those eight years and older. Entrance to the Tabernacle will be through Temple Square’s west gate. To view a map check here.
• Live Stream and On-Demand: This special concert will also be live streamed on the Choir’s YouTube channel at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 4, 2022. After the performance ends, the video will be available on-demand as well.

Andrew Unsworth

Dr. Unsworth, an accomplished soloist with a Bachelor of Music degree from Brigham Young University and a masters and doctorate from Duke University, will perform music by composers Percy Whitlock, J. S. Bach, Edward Elgar, Maurice Duruflé, Charles Villiers Stanford, Jean Langlais, and George Baker.

The well-known Tabernacle organ, an iconic pipe instrument with its five manuals (keyboards) and 206 ranks of organ pipes is considered one of the world’s largest instruments and one most highly recognizable. Its famous golden pipes have been towering over the Salt Lake Tabernacle since the 1860s when pioneer settlers shaped Utah timber into the facade that still stands – and still plays today. The unique acoustics of the Tabernacle capture the grandeur and intimacy of the organ’s tonal design. 

Next Tabernacle Organ Virtuoso Performance

The next Virtuoso Performance will be February 3, 2023, featuring Viktor Billa, Ukrainian organist, and doctoral candidate at Florida State University.