About
Orchestra at Temple Square
A 200-member volunteer orchestra — companion ensemble to The Tabernacle Choir, founded in 1999 under President Gordon B. Hinckley.
A Companion to the Choir
The Orchestra at Temple Square was founded in 1999 under the direction of President Gordon B. Hinckley as a companion ensemble to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Until then, the Choir had performed major works in collaboration with the Utah Symphony and other guest orchestras; the new Orchestra gave the Choir a permanent partner of its own.
Every musician in the Orchestra is a volunteer. The current roster numbers more than 200 — a deep bench from which the Orchestra fields ensembles of various sizes depending on the repertoire and venue.
Weekly Service and Major Concerts
Up to 85 Orchestra musicians participate each week in the Music & the Spoken Word broadcast alongside the Choir, the Choir’s longest-standing artistic collaboration.
Beyond the weekly broadcast, the Orchestra performs at the Choir’s annual Christmas concerts, Pioneer Day celebrations, and special events. It records on the Choir’s own label and tours biennially with the Choir. Symphonic concerts in the Tabernacle anchor two seasons each year.
Leadership
Mack Wilberg serves as music director, overseeing the artistic direction of all the Choir’s musical organizations.
Barlow Bradford served as the Orchestra’s founding conductor from 1999 to 2003. Igor Gruppman, his successor, has led the Orchestra through its national and international touring era.
Recordings & Legacy
The Orchestra’s recording history began with Telarc in 2000–2001. In 2003 the Choir founded its own label, and over the 15 years that followed the Orchestra played on more than 36 albums released under it.
Among the highlights: the 2016 recording of Handel’s Messiah, performed and released to mark the Choir’s long association with that work.
Interested in Auditioning?
The Orchestra holds auditions periodically across multiple instrument families. Audition information and the current roster of available chairs is posted as auditions open.