Update: As the funeral of President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who died on Sunday, Nov. 12, is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 17, in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, the Bells at Temple Square’s holiday concerts on Friday, Nov. 17, and Saturday, Nov. 18, have been canceled and hasn’t been rescheduled. Ticket-holders were notified via email of the cancellation on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

The Bells at Temple Square’s holiday concert “Grateful Praise” is on Friday, Nov. 17, and Saturday, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City. 

The free tickets were available starting Friday, Oct. 20, on mpv.tickets.com, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square shared on social media. Tickets were available on a first-come, first-served basis, and were sold out as of Thursday, Oct. 26.

The 33-member handbell choir, led by conductor LeAnna Willmore and associate conductor Geoff Anderson, plays on two sets of English handbells and handchimes — one with seven octaves and one with 6½ octaves.

In addition to periodically performing with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and its summer concert, the group performed at the Handbell Musicians of America national seminar in Irving, Texas, on July 14.

How to watch the Bells at Temple Square 2023 holiday concert

Tickets for the concert are free but required. Each patron may request four tickets; admission is open to those 8 and older. Tickets are available online at mpv.tickets.com.

Due to construction on and around Temple Square, access to the Salt Lake Tabernacle will be through the west gates. Check the map here for access and parking locations.

Past concerts have been streamed online (see below). This one will only be available for those attending in-person, according to information from the Tabernacle Choir. 

A member of The Bells at Temple Square performs during the “Bells in Motion” spring concert on Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Salt Lake Tabernacle.

The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

About the Bells at Temple Square

The Bells at Temple Square was created in March 2005 as part of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square organization. The bell ringers are volunteer musicians, like the members of the Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square and Chorale at Temple Square.

The handbell choir’s performances include two yearly concerts, taking part often in the weekly “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcasts of the Tabernacle Choir and a major role in the choir’s annual Christmas concerts. The ensemble rehearses weekly. The rehearsals are currently not open to the public.

Watch the bell ringers’ 2022 holiday concert “Visions of the Season”, the 2023 spring concert “Bells in Motion,” and see the Bells at Temple Square playlist on YouTube.

A member of The Bells at Temple Square performs during the “Bells in Motion” spring concert on Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Salt Lake Tabernacle.

The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Bells at Temple Square 2022 holiday concert

In 2022, the holiday concert included Beethoven’s “Hymn to Joy” and the American folk song “Shenandoah” and “This Is My Country.” They were followed by Christmas favorites “Christmas is Coming,” “Carol of the Birds,” “Joy to the World,” “Do You Hear What I Hear?” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “O Holy Night,” and “We Three Kings.” The concert finished with “The Man with the Bag” and “Wizards in Winter.” The handbell numbers were interspersed with performances by organ solos provided by Temple Square organists.

2022 holiday concert: ‘Visions of the Season’

2023 spring concert: ‘Bells in Motion’

Editor’s note: This was originally published on Oct. 26, 2023, and was updated on Nov. 15, 2023.