This Salt Lake choir you may not even know about is celebrating its 70th year

SALT LAKE CITY — If you are looking for something unique to help bring in the Christmas spirit this season, you may want to attend one of the Salt Lake Symphonic Choir’s performances. The choir is one of Salt Lake City’s hidden gems.

The choir was formed in 1949 as an alumni choir for South High School students, along with their teacher James Armont Willardsen who acted as their founding director.

Now, 70 years later with a more diverse range of members, the 80-strong Salt Lake Symphonic Choir is still performing and continuing its traditions. For example, its current director, Erin Pike Tall, is a former high school choir teacher from Cottonwood High School.

The choir performs several times a year, with annual spring and Christmas concerts.

This year its Christmas program is called Beautiful Savior. It’s quite diverse, with styles ranging from 15th-century carols to upbeat gospel songs.

The concert will also include a premiere of a brand-new composition by composer Adam Holladay, a member of the Salt Lake Symphonic Choir, closing with his a capella Silent Night, arranged for last year’s concert in commemoration of the carol’s 200th anniversary.

The choir will perform on Dec. 17 at First Baptist Church on 13th East and 800 South in Salt Lake City and again on Dec. 19 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Cottonwood Heights. Both concerts start at 7 p.m. Although donations are welcomed at the door to help fund the choir’s next decade, its Christmas concerts are considered a gift to the community which are free for all to attend.

And if you are interested, the choir is always looking to add new members for future performances. Check out its website or Facebook page for more information on the choir itself and the event page for information on its Christmas concerts.