Actress Kristin Chenoweth jokes with conductor Mack Wilberg while singing with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during their annual Christmas concert in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018. Photo: Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square will not hold its annual Christmas concert in 2020, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Friday.
The annual concert, which features the choir along with the Orchestra at Temple Square and the Bells at Temple Square, routinely packs the church’s Conference Center in Salt Lake City, with tickets typically assigned through a lottery system.
The decision to cancel the Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas concert came as a result of guidance from church officials to postpone any large gatherings in areas where COVID-19 is prevalent. The choir’s annual tour had previously been canceled for the same reason.
“This is disappointing for all of us, but we have found a silver lining in these unique times by discovering innovative ways to share our vast repository of music with more people globally than ever before through the blessing of modern technology,” Choir President Ron Jarrett said in a news release. “As such, we are exploring ways to continue the Choir’s annual traditions of TV specials and recordings next year even in the absence of a live Christmas concert in 2020.”
The Orchestra at Temple Square also canceled its fall concert, as the Bells at Temple Square did their November concert.
The choir also postponed its 2020 audition cycle until next year.
The full details of the announcement can be found here.