Tabernacle Choir

Pandemic resilience: Mitchell and mega-concert return

Standing in a massive – and empty – concert hall, Brian Stokes Mitchell (shown here) had a bittersweet feeling.
He’d been there years earlier, when it was packed with sound, spectacle and people. There were 21,000 in front of him then, more than 500 more behind him in the chorus and orchestra.
And now? “The bitter part was that there weren’t any people there,” he said. “But the sweet part was that we were still able to make a show. We were still able to celebrate.”
The result is “20 Years of Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir,” airing twice on PBS (8 p.m. Dec. 13 and 24) and four more times on BYU TV. It offers epic moments in the past and adds a few new ones. We see Mitchell singing alone with a pianist – and, in an amazing number, backed by 300-plus choir members, each recorded separately at home. Read more…

Remember massive music? Here’s a reminder

For months, show-business has been adjusting to a less-is-more approach.
At times, the result can be splendid. Kelli O’Hara showed that with gorgeous solos during PBS specials for Memorial Day and the 4th of July.
But now there’s a flip side – a reminder that more is more. Viewers will see her Christmas concert (shown here), taped a year ago with the Tabernacle Choir.
“It’s so moving to hear that sound,” she said. “It’s like an ocean wave washing over you.” Read more…

Tiny star soars in a BIG hall

If we ever need to give all the Christmas jobs to one person, Kristin Chenoweth could try
.She has the voice of an angel, the height of an elf and, seemingly, the disposition of Santa Claus. If she can learn to make toys and pull a sleigh, she’ll be perfect.
This month, viewers have already seen her sing in Nashville and act in a Hallmark movie (which reruns often). Now a concert (shown here) – Dec. 16 on PBS, Dec. 19 streaming – has her on the big stage … literally. Read more…