Music & the Spoken Word

The Tabernacle Choir presents its weekly broadcast, Music & the Spoken Word, on Sunday, December 20, 2026. It's a short, half-hour program that runs from 9:30 to 10:00 AM, with a live audience on Temple Square. For this particular date, the broadcast moves to the Conference Center instead of the Tabernacle.

The music comes from The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, with Music Director Mack Wilberg planning each week's program and narrator Derrick Porter leading the spoken word. Porter took over the role in 2024, following Richard L. Evans, J. Spencer Kinard, and Lloyd Newell.

It's a long-running tradition. The show first aired on July 15, 1929, when a local radio crew ran a wire from their control room to an amplifier in the Tabernacle. The 1867 Tabernacle building itself became a recording studio known for its sound. The very first program opened with the 1835 hymn "Gently Raise the Sacred Strain," and the show moved to television in 1962. It's been inducted into both the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame, and it now reaches audiences worldwide via social media.

Because of growing interest and preparations for the 2027 Salt Lake Temple Celebration, free ticket reservations are highly encouraged. A standby line forms each Sunday morning when capacity is limited, so booking ahead is the safer bet. Doors open at 8:15 AM, and you'll be seated by 9:15 AM for the 9:30 AM start.