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Show CHOIR HlkS CHAR ID GOTO FRISCO Salt Lake Singers Have Opportunity Op-portunity if Guaranteed Financial Support. YlKMlirf nr nn Hie famous " Mormon Mor-mon labei-nai'lc i-lioir'' will lie rppre-seuto.l rppre-seuto.l at the San KranVisco Panama-Pai-itic exposition in 1!H5 is an undecided unde-cided question. Whether or no any hody ot Utah singers representative of the state s musical talent will bo able to enter into the great international eisteddfod is still undecided. The facts in the controversy which have been a fruitful soutcc of comment com-ment in musical circles of the state are: Something like a year ago the 0-den 0-den tabernacle choir was officially designated by the first presidency of the .Mormon church to represent Utah on the Panama-Pacific exposition programme. pro-gramme. Immediatelv there arose a storm of protest, as it was generally understood that the term "tabernacle "taber-nacle choir" should be applied to the body of singers famous in previous transcontinental tours. Professor J. J. McClellan, tabernacle organist, in discussing the question last night, said: The Ogden choir will go as the representative of the Mormon church; that is certain. Professor Pro-fessor Stephens, leader of the Salt Lake choir, returned from San Francisco ten days ago, hopeful hope-ful that by the, support of the business nien of Utah the choir might be heard in concert. There is another feature to the case, more important, just at present. pres-ent. I It is particularly desired that Utah be represented in the great international eisteddfod, a competition com-petition of singing societies from all over the world. There is a $10,000 first prize for ihe winner, and I believe that the singers who compete should not be con-, fined to members of any church. A choral society ought to win the prize. I am confident the talent is here. |