From a bilingual grammy winner and lauded Mexican performer to the glee clubs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, the guest artists performing with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square on its “Hope” tour bring diversity and harmony.
The world-renowned Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square will travel to Florida and Georgia for two public concerts and one private performance on September 7–11, 2024, for the North America Southeast leg of their tour. The free arena performances will also be live-streamed to watch parties in homes, Church meetinghouses, and community centers in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Southern Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
The 400 voice choir will kick things off in Sunrise Florida on September 7, at the Amerant Bank Arena. The Choir will be joined by Golden Globe, Oscar, and Grammy winner, Adassa, of “We Don’t Talk about Bruno” fame as well as Alex Melecio, a popular Mexican vocalist whose versatile voice brings to life both original and Latin American traditional music. The bilingual concert will feature music and dialogue in Spanish and English that reflects the rich Latin traditions in Florida and the southeastern United States.
The Choir will then move on to Georgia, where it will perform with the Morehouse College Glee Club and Spelman College Glee Club on September 9 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel on the Morehouse campus. The Morehouse College Glee Club and the Spelman College Glee Club also perform as the Choir’s special guests at the State Farm Arena concert in Atlanta on September 11.
In October 2023, the Choir hosted the glee clubs from Morehouse and Spelman Colleges in Salt Lake City, where the two groups performed on the Choir’s weekly television, radio, and internet broadcast of Music & the Spoken Word. The combined choir showcased more than 400 voices, including some 60 singers from the historically Black colleges, accompanied by the Orchestra at Temple Square in the Tabernacle in downtown Salt Lake City.
Choir president Michael O. Leavitt said, “The Choir will join their voices once again with those from Morehouse College and Spelman College glee clubs. When these famed groups perform together, the music is magnificent, and the message is of peace, harmony and shared values.”
Dr. Kevin Johnson, director of the Spelman College Glee Club, said, “I am thrilled to be a part of this collaboration. The world needs music, and we will deliver it in a powerful way together. I have good friends in Utah now because of this ongoing collaboration. It’s all about love.”
Dr. David Morrow, the director of the Morehouse College Glee Club, concurs. “The music we sing and the experiences we share continue to be beautiful highlights we will remember through the years. We look forward to sharing the majesty of our music and message with our friends in Atlanta."
Under the direction of Choir Music Director, Mack Wilberg, and Assistant Music Director, Ryan Murphy, the musical repertoire will encompass a wide range of musical genres and styles. From classical masterpieces to contemporary music, the performances will resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The diverse selection of music serves as a testament to the Choir’s commitment to inclusivity and the universal language of music.
The arena concerts are free to the public, but tickets are required. Ticketing information can be found at www.choirworldtour.com.