maa@ssc-bee.UUCP (Mark A Allyn) (02/14/85)
There are some interesting facts about the well known Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. You might be interested to relyze: 1. There is a waiting list of people which is several times the size of the choir itself and these people are those who have allready passed the rigerous auditioning processes. 2. Everyone in the choir has to be a full tithing member of the church (contributing 10 perccent of their income). 3. Everyone in the choir has their own assigned music which is stored in an assigned slot in the choir room. There is a person whose job is to check the music bins during the start of each rehearsal for the purpose of determining who is absent. More than two or three unexcused absences may result in being asked to leave the choir. 4. During each rehearsal, a portable tape recorder is passed from member to member in precise intervals of two minutes and in a set order. After the rehearsal is over, the director listens to the tape which contains a sampling of everyone's singing during that rehearsal. Deviations in pitch or timing may result in further rehearsal requirments and or being asked to leave the choir. Mind you, this is done at EVERY rehearsal (which are held weekly on Tuesday evenings). 5. The rehearsals as well as the services are all open to the public free of charge. 6. A few of the members of the choir live in distant states and they fly into Salt Lake City every week. Talk about devotion! Just think about this next time you think your band or chorus seems to be pushing you very hard!!