This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Think of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which was founded in 1847, and the names of some of the more famous singers might come to mind. Perhaps you've heard of Alex Boyé, Laura Garff Lewis or JoAnn Ottley.
But anyone associated with the choir will rightly tell you that each of the 360 singers is important, even if most will never become household names.
Here's a look at two members of the choir who enjoy their volunteer service, but say they have no aspirations to record solo albums.
Margaret Owens
Personal • Lives in Sandy; age 59
Joined • 1993
Day job • Director of human resources at Deseret Book
Audition story • "It was a little bit nerve-wracking." Owens felt the most pressure during the in-person audition, which three choir officials judge, along with three other choir members. Part of her audition focused on how well she could harmonize with those three choir singers.
Time commitment • "On a slow week, it is about eight to 10 hours. In a busy week, it is almost every day of the week."
Favorite performances • Singing at the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Dedication of the Nauvoo Illinois Temple in 2002. "Christmas is an amazing time and is very rewarding. General Conference is a part of an enormous satisfaction."
David Meidell
Personal • Lives in West Bountiful; age 56
Joined • 2000
Day job • Works as a seminary teacher for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Audition story • "It was really intense." In addition to passing two auditions, he also had to pass a written test about music theory and a hearing test to identify major and minor chords, pitch, and other musical questions. After going through the audition process, he spent three months in choir training school as part of the Temple Square Chorale before becoming a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Time commitment • At a bare minimum, Thursdays from 7 to 9:30 p.m., and Sundays from 7 to 10:15 a.m., not counting prep time at home. But half of the time there are concerts and recordings to prepare for that include extra rehearsal time.
Favorite performances • Singing at the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Dedication of the Nauvoo Illinois Temple in 2002.