Hallelujah! MoTab’s on YouTube

This morning, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir officially announced the launch of their brand new YouTube Channel: “MormonTabChoir“. The announcement was introduced, appropriately, by church President Thomas S. Monson who is the priesthood adviser to the Choir:

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This social-media addicted blogger can’t help chuckling hearing a prophetic endorsement of a “YouTube Channel”.

♥ Love it! ♥

My fingertips are at your service, President Monson!

As of today, anyone residing on planet Earth with an internet connection will now be able to enjoy a wide variety of genuine [non-pirated, non-“borrowed”] musical highlights and inspirational messages by the renowned Choir, [regularly joined by the Orchestra at Temple Square].

Dancing, singing and celebrating is a huge part of Mormon culture. Our social life, family life and sacred life is filled with melody. Indeed, music has always been a priority for Mormons. After The Book of Mormon, the next official publication of the Church was a Hymnbook.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir traces its roots back over 150 years ago to the 19th Century Mormon Pioneers who sang together as they walked hundreds of miles across the United States to settle in the Great Salt Lake Valley. On August 22, 1847, just 29 days after the first group arrived, a small choir of musical Welsh immigrants, organized by President Brigham Young, sang for the first Church Conference in the valley.

From these humble beginnings would grow one of the world’s most respected choral institutions. In July 1929, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir pioneered a live radio program entitled “Music and the Spoken Word“, which has continued every single Sunday morning since then, now in its 84th year, becoming the longest continuous network broadcast in history. When they performed at the 1981 inauguration of President Ronald Reagan, he dubbed them “America’s Choir“, and when they performed at the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City, they became known as “The World’s Choir“.

All 360 members of the Choir, and 110+ members of the Orchestra and Bells are professionally trained musicians who reside within a 100 mile radius of Salt Lake City. They rehearse every Thursday night and perform every Sunday morning, but additional rehearsals, performances, recording sessions and tours require more than 175 days out of each year [with 80% minimum attendance required for membership]. And they do all of this as unpaid volunteers.

The pioneering spirit of the Choir has always forged new ground, whether it be in radio or television programming, new recording techniques, world-wide tours, receiving countless awards…and now, they have once more expanded their reach to spread a joyful musical message of faith and love across the miraculous world wide web.

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A wide variety of categories have been added to the new YouTube MoTab Playlists, including everything from Music Videos, to General Conference Selections , as well as past professional concerts such as President Monson’s 85th Birthday Celebration: “Golden Days“, and the 2012 Pioneer Day Concert .

Since many more selections will be added on a regular basis, subscribing to this channel would be worthwhile.

Several celebrities and well-established YouTube stars sent their personal “Welcome To Youtube” wishes during today’s launch, including some of my good friends: