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SALT LAKE CITY — This Easter season, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square will perform Handel's "Messiah" in two concerts, and the public is invited to sing with the choir in a virtual performance of the "Hallelujah" chorus.
Individuals, choirs and fans around the globe may upload a recording of their own voices as they sing soprano, alto, tenor or bass in the famous "Hallelujah" chorus. The best voices will be selected to be featured in a virtual choir performance with the choir and orchestra, according to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The "Hallelujah" sheet music and a sing-along video for each singing part are available at virtualchoir.mormon.org. After recording their voice, participants should upload it to YouTube and copy the URL into a submission form.
"Handel's 'Messiah' is an extremely powerful oratorio, especially the 'Hallelujah' chorus," Ryan Murphy, associate music director for the choir, said in a statement. "It is well known and well loved. It's an honor for us to perform it, and we are delighted to extend the invitation to join us to singers all over the world."
Submissions will be accepted through March 1. A video of the world's largest virtual Hallelujah choir will be released March 13 on FollowHim.mormon.org.
The choir and orchestra will perform the entirety of Handel's "Messiah" at 7:30 p.m. March 24 and 25 in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. The choir's music director, Mack Wilberg will conduct the performances.
As Wilberg worked on the score, he wondered, "What would Handel have done if he had had ensembles as large as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square?"
The music director examined every note of the vocal and instrumental parts of the oratorio and made decisions regarding what would accommodate the large choir and orchestra while reflecting modern-day knowledge of Baroque performance practices.
The concerts can be heard live in the Tabernacle, during a premium simulcast in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building Legacy Theater and during a closed-circuit simulcast in the Conference Center Theater.
The public can stream the performance live at 7:30 p.m. March 25.
Community, music and church groups around the world plan to join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in song as they use the live stream in different locations. Resources such as lyrics, historical information about the "Messiah" and connection instructions are available online.
"We have heard from people in several countries who are organizing events," choir president Ron Jarrett said in a statement. "This is a wonderful way to celebrate the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ with all Christians of the world."
Participants are encouraged to post about their experience online with the accompanying hashtag, #MessiahLive. The choir's website will host the live stream for 10 days.
On March 4, the choir and orchestra will release a 60-minute highlights version of "Messiah" and the complete oratorio on 2 CDs with a bonus DVD.
Musicians Peter Hollens and Tiffany Alvord have provided vocals for the "Hallelujah" sing-along videos.
"I am thrilled to be a part of this experience," Peter Hollens said in a statement. "Singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has always been a dream of mine, and since I don't live in Utah, this is definitely the next best thing! For anyone who is considering it, opportunities like this are so rare, and it would be a serious shame to miss."
The public can obtain first-come, first-served tickets at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 online.
