Making her first visit to Salt Lake City, Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins is excited to be involved. “It’s a huge honor to sing with the choir,” said Jenkins during a news conference with choir president Mac Christensen and conductor Mack Wilberg.
- Katherine Jenkins
- Katherine Jenkins
- Pioneer Day Concert
- Katherine Jenkins
- Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins
- Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins
- Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
She performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for the annual Pioneer Day concert 20-21 July 2012 at 8:00 p.m. in the Conference Center.
Jenkins became more familiar to American audiences recently as she competed on ABC’s 14th season of Dancing with the Stars. She said the invitation to sing with the choir came when she was participating on the popular television program. She said she was “absolutely thrilled” with the opportunity to perform with the choir. “I was well aware of the choir and its Welsh roots and thought it would be a lovely thing to do.”
“We’ve had her on our radar for the past four years,” announced Christensen. “She is loved by all who hear her sing. She has sold over seven million albums.”
Wilberg said music for the concert will focus on Jenkins’ Welsh heritage, which happens to be shared by many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Welsh immigrants were among the Mormon pioneers who left their homeland to settle in the Salt Lake Valley.
“The music will feature the breadth of Katherine’s repertoire,” explained Wilberg. There will also be some surprises in the concert, in addition to show tunes and an opera aria. Jenkins will sing a Welsh number without the choir.
Wilberg said, “We couldn’t work with anyone more gracious and kind than Katherine.”
Tickets for the two-night performances have been distributed. Standby tickets will not be issued. However, patrons are invited to stand by for last-minute seating each evening. The standby line will form at the north gate on Temple Square at 6:00 p.m. for the evening performances.
The concert will also be shown at various LDS stake centers over the Church satellite system on Saturday, 21 July, with subsequent rebroadcasts to many areas of the world.
In addition, the performance will be rebroadcast in its entirety on BYUtv on 21 July at 7:00 p.m., 22 July at 9:00 p.m. and again on 24 July at 6:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m. and midnight. KBYU Eleven will air the concert on 22 July at 7:00 a.m. and on 23 July at midnight. BYUtv International will carry the performance on 21 July at 7:00 p.m., 22 July at midnight and again on 24 July at 7:00 p.m.