(Salt Lake City, UT) - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir opens its eight-day, seven-performance, whistle-stop tour of the eastern United States and Canada on Monday, June 20, 2011. The 360-voice Choir and its companion organization Orchestra at Temple Square will perform concerts at music festivals and in renowned concert halls in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York and will conclude the tour in Toronto.

The Choir received an official send-off June 12 from Thomas S. Monson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints following the Sunday morning broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word. He praised the Choir for their remarkable service and the opportunity ahead of them to touch hearts and souls of those in the many audiences attending their concerts. The Choir is recognized as musical ambassadors of the Church and often referred to as “America’s Choir.”

“Every week we have thousands of visitors from all over the world who come to Salt Lake City to experience the Choir in person,” states Mack Wilberg, music director of the Choir. “Touring gives us the chance to share this experience with new audiences around the country.” The Choir goes on tour in North America every other year. In addition, the Choir has toured 28 countries, sold millions of recordings, and sat atop the Billboard charts many times.

Click here for more information about the tour.