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Carole Mikita reporting The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has a new music director, Dr. Mack Wilberg. Although everyone expected Dr. Wilberg to become the choir's music director, this does signal a new era.
After nine years as the choir's associate conductor, Dr. Mack Wilberg now becomes the 15th music director, moving into the position recently vacated by Dr. Craig Jessop.
President Thomas S. Monson officially extended the call, and the members of the choir and orchestra were told at last night's rehearsal. "It is a bit of a pressure cooker, but it's the very best kind you could be associated with," Wilberg said. "Every member of this organization is a magnificent musician, they have to be in order to survive, and not only are they great musicians but, they're great people."
Wilberg went on to say, "I'm very honored and humbled by the confidence shown by President Monson, the First Presidency and President Mac Christensen in being appointed the 15th music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir."
Choir administrators did not name a new associate conductor, but there is a new interim assistant who many will know. He is Dr. Edgar Thompson, the former director of the University of Utah School of Music. Thompson said, "It came as a great surprise and a great honor, and the surprise has worn off but certainly not the honor ... To have a musician of the stature of Mack Wilberg look you in the eye and say 'I want you to do this' is the height of any honor that could come to me."
The choir is in preparation for the upcoming LDS General Conference.
A search committee will be created, then the choir will start a churchwide search to select a new associate conductor. That will begin Oct. 1. The announcement will be made next spring.
E-mail: cmikita@ksl.com
