Review: KRISTIN CHENOWETH SINGS WITH (AND PRAISES OF) THE TABERNACLE CHOIR AT TEMPLE SQUARE

Hundreds of people across Utah audition every year for a coveted spot in the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. The standards are high and the competition is fierce. It's all for good reason though, which is evident once you've heard what the choir is capable of.

When a group of 360 people can come together and sound as flawless as they do in their harmonies, especially on Christmas classics like "Mary, Did You Know?" and "What Child is This?" it's hard to imagine a better way to celebrate the Christmas season. But then you add in Tony-award winning Broadway star, Kristin Chenoweth, and the magic is undeniable.

Throughout the weekend of Dec. 13-15, a total of 63,000 people filled the Conference Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to hear Chenoweth perform with the choir for its annual Christmas concert.

Chenoweth had glowing reviews of the choir, turning to them during the concert and gushingly proclaiming, "You know how much I love you all."

Chenoweth said she was proud to share the stage with them, because they are all just people sharing a love of music, and what's better than that?

The Tabernacle Choir, the Orchestra and the Bells on Temple Square under the direction of choir director Mack Wilberg, put on a breathtaking performance this year.

Wilberg spent countless hours (months, actually) preparing for the concert. He partnered with Chenoweth's team to choose just the right songs and prepare the perfect arrangements for the show.

The outcome was truly spectacular.

Choir president, Ron Jarrett, was proud of what the choir accomplished for this concert.

"The choir memorized every piece of music, a difficult process and huge feat," Jarrett said. And as a retired choir member himself, he should know.

The choir members had as little as a week to memorize some of the final pieces, in addition to their regular rehearsals and weekly broadcasts.

Their hard work and dedication was impossible to deny at the live performances, with delightful harmonies that at one point even incorporated the entire audience for a round of "The 12 Days of Christmas."

The mesmerizing performance can be seen next Christmas season when the full 90-minute concert airs on BYUtv and a special 60-minute version on PBS, both nationwide.

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