Tabernacle Choir’s global participant program goes from pilot to permanent
Meet the 12 singers from 10 countries who sang at the April 2024 general conference
The 12 global participants of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for the April 2024 general conference pose with their home country's flags. They are, from left, Ninni Bautista of Sweden; Heber Ferraz-Leite of Austria; Esther Petion of France; Mitchell Greengrass of England; Anja Rossau of Denmark; Clément Jouault of France; Jieun Kim of South Korea; Elisha Tubo-Oreriba Joseph of Ghana; Olivia Araya of Chile; Carlos Rabanales of Guatemala; Maria Hagman of Sweden; and Joel Villagra of Argentina. Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
International musicians singing with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ general conference is moving from a pilot program to a permanent part of the organization.
“We’ve received approval from the First Presidency for it to be a regular, ongoing part of the choir,” Tabernacle Choir President Michael O. Leavitt said in an interview with the Church News.
It is anticipated that they will visit Salt Lake City in groups of 12 for each general conference and each will serve up to five years or until they have visited general conference twice, President Leavitt said.
Each global participant is initially recommended through area leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then each goes through the multistep audition process with a recording, musical theory tests and live singing session with choir officials — a similar process for those who live within 100 miles of Salt Lake City. Also, they must be able to travel to the United States and demonstrate English proficiency.
The 12 global participants of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for the April 2024 general conference pose with three of the Tabernacle organists and choir volunteers in the Tabernacle at Temple Square. They are, from left, Douglas and Ginny Smith; Carlos Rabanales of Guatemala; Esther Petion of France; Clément Jouault of France; Jieun Kim of South Korea; Elisha Tubo-Oreriba Joseph of Ghana; Anja Rossau of Denmark; organist Andrew Unsworth, Richard Elliott and Brian Mathias; Mitchell Greengrass of England; Maria Hagman of Sweden; Heber Ferraz-Leite of Austria; Ninni Bautista of Sweden; Joel Villagra of Argentina; and Olivia Araya of Chile; Cindy and Michael Nieder. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
For those who are selected, they join the choir virtually for rehearsals leading up to general conference and also spend about two weeks in Salt Lake City for more training, including Choir School, rehearsals with the choir and attending “Music & the Spoken Word.”
“When they get here, they have two very intense weeks,” President Leavitt said.
The global participants have also toured Temple Square and other sites, had a demonstration of the Tabernacle organ, learned the history of the choir and met with those in the Church’s music department. This time, the singers have ministering brothers and sisters from the choir to help them, too.
Bringing in Church members from around the world to sing with the choir was one of the pilot programs announced in November 2022. It supports the change to the choir’s mission, which has added “throughout the world” to read: “The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square performs music that inspires people throughout the world to draw closer to the divine and feel God’s love for His children.”
President Leavitt said, “The choir is a wonderful music instrument, but it’s also an important symbol of unity, harmony and the Church’s worldwide mission.”
Music director Mack Wilberg leads The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square as they rehearse in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square rehearses in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal as they are participating in the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Clément Jouault of France rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. He is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Ninni Bautista of Sweden rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. She is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Elisha Tubo-Oreriba Joseph of Ghana rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. He is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Anja Rossau of Denmark rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. She is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Carlos Rabanales of Guatemala rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. He is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Jieun Kim of South Korea rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. She is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Joel Villagra of Argentina rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. He is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Esther Petion of France rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. She is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Heber Ferraz-Leite of Austria rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. He is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Olivia Araya of Chile rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. She is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Mitchell Greengrass of England rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. He is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Maria Hagman of Sweden rehearses with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. She is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square rehearses in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Assistant director Ryan Murphy leads The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square as they rehearse in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Assistant director Ryan Murphy leads The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square as they rehearse in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Assistant director Ryan Murphy leads The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square as they rehearse in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square rehearses in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square rehearses in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Music director Mack Wilberg leads The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square as they rehearse in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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Music director Mack Wilberg leads The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square as they rehearse in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square rehearses in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square rehearses in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square rehearses in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square rehearses in Salt Lake City for the general conference on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Twelve global participants joined the choir for the evening rehearsal in advance of the April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
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The 12 global participants of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for the April 2024 general conference pose with three of the Tabernacle organists and choir volunteers in the Tabernacle at Temple Square. They are, from left, Douglas and Ginny Smith; Carlos Rabanales of Guatemala; Esther Petion of France; Clément Jouault of France; Jieun Kim of South Korea; Elisha Tubo-Oreriba Joseph of Ghana; Anja Rossau of Denmark; organist Andrew Unsworth, Richard Elliott and Brian Mathias; Mitchell Greengrass of England; Maria Hagman of Sweden; Heber Ferraz-Leite of Austria; Ninni Bautista of Sweden; Joel Villagra of Argentina; and Olivia Araya of Chile; Cindy and Michael Nieder. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
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The 12 global participants of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for the April 2024 general conference pose with three of the Tabernacle organists in the Tabernacle at Temple Square. They are, from left, Carlos Rabanales of Guatemala; Esther Petion of France; Clément Jouault of France; Jieun Kim of South Korea; Elisha Tubo-Oreriba Joseph of Ghana; Anja Rossau of Denmark; organist Andrew Unsworth, Richard Elliott and Brian Mathias; Mitchell Greengrass of England; Maria Hagman of Sweden; Heber Ferraz-Leite of Austria; Ninni Bautista of Sweden; Joel Villagra of Argentina; and Olivia Araya of Chile. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
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The 12 global participants of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for the April 2024 general conference pose with their home country's flags. The are, from left, Ninni Bautista of Sweden; Heber Ferraz-Leite of Austria; Esther Petion of France; Mitchell Greengrass of England; Anja Rossau of Denmark; Clément Jouault of France; Jieun Kim of South Korea; Elisha Tubo-Oreriba Joseph of Ghana; Olivia Araya of Chile; Carlos Rabanales of Guatemala; Maria Hagman of Sweden; and Joel Villagra of Argentina. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
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The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square sings during the Saturday morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2024. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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Mitchell Greengrass of England, center, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
April 2024 global participants
For the April 2024 general conference, there were 12 singers from 10 countries. The singers are:
Jieun Kim of South Korea
Elisha Tubo-Oreriba Joseph of Ghana
Carlos Rabanales of Guatemala
Clément Jouault of France
Esther Petion of France
Heber Ferraz-Leite of Austria
Anja Rossau of Denmark
Maria Hagman of Sweden
Ninni Bautista of Sweden
Mitchell Greengrass of England
Olivia Araya of Chile
Joel Villagra of Argentina
Their backgrounds vary — singing opera, singing professionally, having various degrees in music, specializing in an instrument, such as piano, or conducting, singing more as a hobby while having a profession in a completely different field. Many are lifelong Church members, but others are converts to the Church, including Rossau, who joined the Church less than three years ago. Hagman and Bautista are sisters. It’s Joseph’s second time coming to conference, as he was part of the first group who came in April 2023. Some are grandparents, others are single or are just beginning their families. All have become friends during the time they’ve been together.
Here’s what they’ve said about being part of the global participant program:
Jieun Kim of South Korea, alto 1
“It makes me more humble to feel the music … [and see what they do] to prepare for it and [what] effort they put into it so that we can feel the Spirit. … I feel they are so devoted to everything.”
Jieun Kim of South Korea, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Elisha Tubo-Oreriba Joseph of Ghana, tenor 1
“When you sing [a hymn], you feel the Spirit, even though that person is singing in a different language. And so the choir’s mission is spreading the gospel through music. I feel super blessed to be part of that mission.”
Elisha Tubo-Oreriba Joseph of Ghana, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Carlos Rabanales of Guatemala, baritone
While meeting with a Church leader from Guatemala, Carlos Rabanales told him: “They’re treating us like rock stars. Sometimes I get a little uncomfortable with that. Because we’re supposed to be regular members of the choir.” Rabanales said the leader’s response was: “The global participants have enriched the choir so much. That is why they are like that.”
Carlos Rabanales of Guatemala, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Clément Jouault of France, bass 2
“We can have the most difficult experience in life, and our Heavenly Father will always come back and [let us know], ‘Hello, I’m here, and I love you.’ … Even though you go through the most difficult things in your life, … Heavenly Father sometimes sends little messages and little experiences that [He is there].”
Clément Jouault of France , one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Esther Petion of France, soprano 1
“You just exercise your faith. … That is what is wonderful in this experience. And with faith, we can do a lot of things. We can know our potential better. And you can share the love of God with others and testify of how He is powerful and He can change our lives.”
Esther Petion of France, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Heber Ferraz-Leite of Austria, baritone
“It has been musically the most rewarding experience I’ve had in my life. But that was expected. It has spiritually been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life, and that was not expected. … [I’ve been] spiritually nourished through the association with everybody here and with the music that we’re doing. … The motivation is not how we can get more streams on Spotify. … The motivation is how can we touch the hearts of the children of God so that they will come nearer to Him? And that has been impressive to me to watch.”
Heber Ferraz-Leite of Austria rehearses with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Thursday, April 4, 2024. He is one of 12 global participants who joined the choir for April 2024 general conference. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News
Anja Rossau of Denmark, alto 1
“It’s been the greatest spiritual experience, and it’s definitely strengthened my testimony. I definitely feel my Heavenly Father has given me this as an answer to a prayer. … Music speaks to the soul.”
Anja Rossau of Denmark, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Maria Hagman of Sweden, soprano 2
“I’ve learned that I’m actually a child of God. Because you’ve heard that in Primary and everything, … and I just felt that my Heavenly Father really knows that I needed this right now. … I really feel that I am known and that He knows me. And He knows what I’m going through.”
Maria Hagman of Sweden, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Ninni Bautista of Sweden, alto 2
Initially, she thought it would be like some of the performances she’s done. “But it’s been totally different, and the spiritual experience is so huge. … I’ve been singing in choirs all my life, and I conduct choirs and stuff like that. It’s like a total different thing to sing with the Tabernacle Choir. It’s not like anything I’ve done, actually. They have their own sound, their own thing.”
Ninni Bautista of Sweden, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Mitchell Greengrass of England, baritone
“There’s such a humble, beautiful and diligent ethos in the choir. It’s just really great to be a part of that. … [All of their work] creates this incredible sound and this incredible performance because everyone is so diligent. … We all need to give our very, very best.”
Mitchell Greengrass of England, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Olivia Araya of Chile, alto 1
“I’m very grateful for the tools they are giving us, because we can bring it to our countries. There are certain things that they do just in the Tabernacle Choir, but other things that can apply to our choirs as well. … I’ve been thinking that I can’t be the same person I was afterwards. We can’t be the same, because we are learning so many things here.”
Olivia Araya of Chile, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Joel Villagra of Argentina, bass
As a teenager, he was a fan of the Tabernacle Choir, and Craig Jessop was the conductor. “To me, Craig Jessop is a legend.” When Joel arrived, it was Jessop who helped with his luggage.
“I feel the love of our Savior [though those I’ve met]. … Every time and every moment, I feel my Savior’s love, because of simple acts of love, and that’s very important for me. [They are] so dedicated and so humble. It’s been a special lesson for me.”
Joel Villagra of Argentina, one of 12 global participants, sings with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference in the Conference Center on April 6, 2024. | Kate Turley, Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square