In addition to appearing in President George W. Bush's Inaugural Parade Jan. 20, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed an inaugural gala concert Friday evening, Jan. 19, at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. (Please see page 3 for the report about the parade.)
Demand for tickets — issued at no charge — was so high that the choir honored a request to turn its Thursday evening practice into a dress rehearsal so that those who could not obtain tickets for the gala concert could attend the rehearsal and see the choir in concert dress.
The concert was hosted by Elder J. Willard Marriott Jr. of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy and was chaired by Elder Ralph W. Hardy Jr., also of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy.
Directing the choir and a 19-member ensemble from the Orchestra at Temple Square were Craig Jessop, Mack Wilberg and Barlow Bradford. Organists John Longhurst, Clay Christiansen and Richard Elliott provided accompaniment on a Rogers organ that was boosted by 40 speakers installed specifically by the Rogers company for the concert.
The same venue was used Sunday morning, Jan. 21, for the network broadcast of "Music and the Spoken Word," and a mini-concert afterward. Lloyd Newell narrated for all the events.
The gala concert featured a wide range of music, from hymns to patriotic songs and anthems, to classical works and selections from an international spectrum.
Members of Congress and Washington's diplomatic corps attended Friday evening as well as Sunday morning.