News Release

Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra Christmas Specials on UK Community Radio Stations

By Debbie Twigger

The historic Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square have been broadcasting weekly for 90 years in ‘Music and the Spoken Word’ and perform an annual Christmas Special each year, except for this year.  These past performances have now been offered to community radio stations in the United Kingdom and are being broadcast over the Christmas season by 26 separate stations, as of 17th December.  At a time when live concerts cannot go ahead in many areas the community stations are grateful for the offering of these traditional Christmas specials with guest artists including Alfie Boe, Hugh Bonneville and others.

This community outreach project precedes the tour by The Tabernacle Choir in the summer of 2021 to areas including Cardiff and Newport in Wales and Edinburgh in Scotland.  These dates follow several performances throughout Europe.

Upon receiving these programmes one station presenter commented,
‘I would really appreciate these, beautiful’. And another responded, “Brilliant for Christmas Day!’

From St Austell to Aberdeenshire these community stations are grateful to have such quality programmes to broadcast at a time when many concerts and live performances have been cancelled.  The Christmas specials were given a British voiceover especially to appeal to the listeners around the United Kingdom.

Swindon FM
Islands FM
Unity Radio (Southampton)
Meridian Radio FM
Keep 106, Dorchester
Radio Tyneside
Sedgemoor Radio, Somerset
Drystone Radio, Yorkshire
Park Radio Ltd, Diss
Academy FM Thanet
Winchester Radio
Black Country Radio
Buchan Radio, Aberdeenshire 
Forest FM, East Dorset
Canalside Community Radio
Future Radio, Norwich
Rugby and Daventry Radio
Corby Radio
Andover Radio
Radio St Austell Bay
K107 Kirkcaldy, Scotland
SFM Radio, Sittingbourne
Flame CCR The Wirral
Sheppey FM Sheerness, Kent
Radio Tircoed, West Wales
Hope FM, Bournemouth

The first broadcast of what would later become known as Music & the Spoken Word originated from the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. From that basic beginning has come the oldest continuous network programme in broadcast history featuring the world-renowned Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performing a range of musical genres. Music and the Spoken Word has been inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Listen out for these quality Christmas programmes, featuring global artists, over the festive season with beautiful Christmas singing and music.
 

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