Trying Out for the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City
I’ve looked online for personal experiences auditioning for the Tabernacle Choir and didn’t find any so I’m putting this out there for anyone interested in a first hand account of what it’s like.
It was never my life-long dream to sing with the choir. I sang growing up and sang in school and church choirs, but I felt most comfortable behind the piano. I studied piano off an on since I was 5. In college I took classes and knew music theory well enough, or so I thought. I graduated with a piano performance degree.
It was March 23, 2025 during our ward conference that this crazy idea came to me. I was singing with our ward choir and while singing the thought came, “you should try out for the Tabernacle Choir.” Was it because I was at church without my family and sat alone at the organ that day?
I texted my husband, who has been in the choir 5 years and asked what he thought. He was super supportive and thought it was a great idea. I talked to my kids and my mom, who graduated in vocal performance and has helped several people get into in the choir. She told me to do it.
I started singing again every day, had weekly voice lessons, joined the Davis Master Chorale and decided I was going to do it.
I recorded and re-recorded my audition tape at least 5 times. My mom listened to it each time and gave me feedback and what to fix. I felt like I’d never be good enough to be in the choir, but the Lord loves effort so I fought my fears and doubts each day and kept singing.
Phase I
I sent in the recordings of a hymn: first verse, loud, soft, straight tone. I sent in the exercises of scales and arpeggios and wondered if it was all a waste of time, but my husband said I had nothing to lose and to sent it in the last week of July before I was going on vacation with my daughter.
I got an email back in September that I had passed phase one and would take the theory test in 2 weeks. I reviewed the theory book again and spent hours studying. Nothing was new, but my last theory class was about 30 years ago.
Phase II
September 15 I drove to Salt Lake for the theory and listening tests. It was 3 hours and more than my ADHD brain could handle. The first part of listening was easy: major or minor keys or both. The Second part was listening to melodies and choosing the right note. The third part was a bunch of random notes played and then I had to decide if the notes changed, the rhythm changed, or nothing changed. Some melodies were atonal and it was 30 questions. The last part was the easiest: the written exam. It was material I actually knew from the book and I felt good about that part. So part 1 and 4 were fine, but I don’t think I could have studied for the third section. To pass this phase you need 80% and I moved on to the next phase.
Phase III
October 15 I had my in person audition with Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy. I was told to come early for the interview but when I got there I was told they weren’t doing the interview that day. So I had 20 minutes to worry in the halls of the Tabernacle. I had warmed up my voice before driving there and I hummed and sang in the hall waiting for my turn.
Linda introduced me as “Michelle Depp” and Mack said, “Is that how you say you’re name?”
I replied, “it’s deppEE but I respond to Depp, deeper, depper,”
He said, “I thought so. Your husband’s in the choir.”
“He is.” I replied
He then told me there was no reason to be nervous, that they were praying for me. I was praying I wouldn’t pass out or forget the words or really mess this up. I was definitely nervous. I’m a highly introverted person so this whole thing was nothing but stressful.
I chose hymn 1002, When the Savior Comes Again. I handed the sheet music to Linda Margrets, the accompanist and said I’d sing it in the original key. I said, “it’s the key of C,” but really my first note was C and the key was F. I’m the type that remembers all of my mistakes, so this was such a dumb one. I know my key signatures and teach piano.
I sang my hymn which was fine, not my worst, not my very best. I was told to open the folder on the music stand and sing the alto line. Mack said, “1,2,3,4 go.” No time to look ahead at the music, the tempo was too fast, it’s some weird hymn I’ve never heard before. Probably written just for auditions. It didn’t go great, but I started and ended on the right note at least.
The next part had a few melodies to sight sing. Not too bad. Then there a bunch of random notes to find. It was not sight singing like I’d done in school with melodies, it was random notes on a page and I had to find them, which I somehow did. It wasn’t pretty. Mack said, “you must be good at sight singing from all your years of piano.” To which I said, “Sight singing is my worst thing,” Which it is!! I do not have perfect pitch, I learned fixed “DO” not movable “do” like the singers learn.
The last part was vocalizing to hear my range and I felt like that went well. I can sing in tune and had practiced exercises for a long time, even before I decided to audition. I’ve had vocal lessons off and on, but did not have “extensive choir experience” that they were looking for. I was a piano performance major and played the organ.
Anyway, I found out on Halloween that I made it to phase IV, the interview which was November 13 at the tabernacle. I was hoping for a “congratulations, you’re in the choir school,” but this year the interview was phase IV and choir school is phase V.
Phase IV
For the interview I met with President Clayton of the Tabernacle Choir presidency. I told him why I wanted to be in the choir and how I acted on a prompting I had. He said this was a missionary calling and asked if I had a current temple recommend, which I did. I asked if we were traveling in 2027 and that was a no. Bummer. I’d miss the trips to Brazil and the Hollywood concert, but the Salt Lake Temple will be rededicated in 2027 so that’s something to look forward to.
I had a dress fitting November 18 for a turquoise dress. Right after that I met with Dr. Rebecca Wilberg to have a vocal assessment. I should have warmed up but I didn’t and I said I felt cold. My voice was cold so I didn’t sing out very well. I’m going to be a second alto, which is what I originally auditioned for. On my paperwork I was told my voice is versatile but I have a small voice. Again, I sang cold and didn’t have the projection I normally do. At least I sang in tune and my breathing is fine and everything else is ok.
It’s December 10 and I start choir school January 8. I have Chorale and choir school until the end of May. I must have 100% attendance so I had to cancel my trip in February to Slovenia. I moved it to October, but really my winter trips are my favorite.
I sang December 6 with the Davis Master chorale at the Salt Lake Tabernacle and as I was there I could imagine singing with the Tabernacle choir at temple square in that space and it felt exciting!!
I found out there are 44 in my Choir school group. They have hundreds of audition tapes for phase I. Phase II had about 100 people. I feel lucky to have passed all the testing and I’m in! I met a few other choir school members in the halls at the office of the Tabernacle when I had my interview. I’ll work hard and keep singing. It will be the beginning of another adventure!!
