New Mormon Tabernacle Choir Associate Music Director Appointed

SALT LAKE CITY 27 March 2009 The Mormon Tabernacle Choir announced today that Ryan T. Murphy has been named associate music director. Murphy will assume the associate music director position formerly occupied by Mack J. Wilberg, who was appointed music director in March 2008.

The appointment concludes a world-wide search that began in August of 2008 and culminated with experience conducting both the Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square.

Murphy has extensive choral conducting and professional musical theater experience. He currently conducts six choirs in the Boston area, including two choirs at the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music. He serves as the choral director at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, an internationally recognized secondary school affiliated with the New England Conservatory.

He has served as the music director for the Tuacahn theatre in the St. George, Utah, area and prior to that as the music director for five seasons at the Sundance Institute in Provo, Utah. He has maintained an active performing schedule, including recent collaborations at the Tanglewood Summer Festival outside of Boston.

Speaking about his appointment, Murphy said: “It is a dream come true to work with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and to be associated with the caliber of musicians here serving the Church. It will be an honor to assist Dr. Mack Wilberg, and I look forward to working with him to touch the hearts of a wide variety of people, cultures, ages and beliefs.”

Mack Wilberg, music director of the choir, looks forward to having Murphy join the artistic staff on Temple Square. “We are extremely pleased to have Ryan join us in working with the choir and the orchestra. He is a very talented and well-rounded musician with a breadth of experience. His energy and enthusiasm will contribute to the work we are doing to fulfill the mission of the choir in our concerts, broadcasts and recordings.”

Murphy graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in piano and organ performance and pedagogy. He also has a master’s degree in choral conducting from Brigham Young University and will receive his doctorate in choral conducting from Boston University in May of this year. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children and currently reside in Belmont, Massachusetts. Murphy plans to begin his duties on Temple Square this summer after concluding his responsibilities in Boston.