Jessop said that the program for next week's concerts will include carols from around the world and favorite sacred and secular Christmas songs. "It's all eclectic and all wonderful." During the performance, Terfel will also read the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke.

The choir's free Christmas concerts have become a much-anticipated event, not just in Utah but throughout the country. "People fly in from all over to attend these concerts," Jessop said. "It's a great gift the church gives to the community."

Conducting duties will be shared by Jessop with the choir's associate director, Mack Wilberg. The Tabernacle's three organists — John Longhurst, Clay Christiansen and Richard Elliott — will accompany.

Jessop is humbled when he reflects on the musical forces that assemble for these concerts, as well as for the concerts that the choir and orchestra perform throughout the year. "It's a miracle to me," he said. "I don't know if there are many communities that can say this. But here we have 360 choir members and a 100-piece orchestra, all volunteers. Not one of them gets paid. It shows the willingness to give and the talent that we have here in the state."

Because of this selfless commitment and dedication, it was particularly gratifying for Jessop when President Bush honored the choir last month with the National Medal of Arts. "It was a validation and recognition of what we do. The choir is a great representative of our state and our nation." (Past recipients of the National Medal of Arts have included von Stade, Maurice Abravanel and O.C. Tanner.)

Von Stade and Terfel will also be guests at the "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast next Sunday morning. Afterward, there will be a short concert with selections taken from the Christmas program.

Getting a seat for one of the performances will be difficult, if not impossible. All of the tickets for the three concerts, as well as for the "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast, have been distributed. There will, however, be a standby line forming at the North Gate on Temple Square at 6 p.m. each evening, and at 7:30 a.m. next Sunday.

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If you go What: Frederica von Stade, Bryn Terfel, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square Where: LDS Conference Center When: Thursday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; "Music and the Spoken Word," Dec. 14, 9:30 a.m. How much: Free but tickets required (only standby seating remains)

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E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com