Tabernacle Choir shares historic photo to celebrate 175th anniversary

Choir traces roots to group that performed less than a month after pioneers entered Salt Lake Valley

23 Aug 2022, 9:51 a.m. MDT

Members of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square sing during “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

This year marks the 175th anniversary of when the vanguard pioneer company of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints entered the Salt Lake Valley in July 1847.

Less than a month later, a small choir was formed to sing at a conference of the Church on Aug. 22, 1847. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square’s roots come from that small choir.

The Tabernacle Choir shared the anniversary and a historic photo on social media, including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, on Monday, Aug. 22.

It’s been 175 years since a small choir was formed, which first sang at a conference of the Church on August 22, 1847—only 29 days after the first pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. From this small beginning, the Choir has become an international musical sensation. pic.twitter.com/xED1FYKI6p
— The Tabernacle Choir (@TheTabChoir) August 22, 2022

The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square today includes a 360-member chorus of men and women and has performed at World’s Fairs and expositions, for U.S. presidents and in countries around the world.

The choir’s “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast began in 1929 and is carried on more than 2,000 radio and television stations and with over 4,500 episodes, notes the choir’s history on thetabernaclechoir.org.

When the Tabernacle Choir has performed for U.S. presidents