Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings at Trump Inauguration

Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Inauguration

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang at the swearing-in ceremony of the nation’s 45th president, Donald J. Trump, just before noon on January 20, 2017. According to a Choir press release, the 215-member choir were dressed in crème-colored coats with matching turtleneck sweaters accented with red-plaid scarves. Conducted by music director Mack Wilberg, they sang his inspiring arrangement of “America, the Beautiful.”

The Choir was accompanied by “The President’s Own®” United States Marine Band® led by director Lieutenant Colonel Jason K. Fettig. The United States Marine Band®, founded in 1798 by an act of Congress, is America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization today. This celebrated band performed with the Choir in the Salt Lake Tabernacle on the September 21, 2014 broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word. (Watch “The Armed Forces Medley” and “Let Freedom Ring.”)

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has performed for U. S. presidents of both parties in many settings, including six previous presidential inaugurals. The previous inaugural performances have included swearing-in ceremonies, appearances in the inaugural parade and at the inaugural opening ceremony as well as at a devotional program. The Choir’s participation in these events is not an implied support of party affiliations or politics, but rather a demonstration of its support for freedom, civility and the peaceful transition of power. The 2017 participation in the swearing-in ceremony of the 45th president is the Choir’s seventh inaugural performance.

“The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has a great tradition of performing at the inaugurals of U.S. presidents," said Ron Jarrett, president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. "Singing the music of America is one of the things we do best. We were honored to be able to serve our country by providing music for the inauguration of our newest president."

Because of space limitations on the platform at the U.S. Capitol, the normally 360-voice Choir was limited to having just 215 members perform.  Because so many more Choir members volunteered to sing than the number required, Choir leaders used a random selection process to choose those who would travel to Washington DC to perform.

For more coverage about the Choir’s performance at the 58th inaugural and for detailed information about the Choir’s previous inaugural performances, see the following:

• Mormon Newsroom inauguration coverage
• History of Choir Performances at Presidential Inaugurals
• Blog: How the Choir Almost Missed the 1965 Johnson Inauguration
• Listen to the Choir sing "America the Beautiful" at the Inauguration Ceremony

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Dirtiest Things You Touch Every Day

Time Magazine lists the 5 germiest places in the home

The toilet seat is not the dirtiest place in the home, says University Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba, because we tend to wash that often.

Gerba suggests other places in the home need more care than they are getting. 

1. Towels should be changed out or washed every two days.

“Most people don’t wash their hands properly,” he says. When you towel off you’re rubbing bacteria into an ideal growing environment. 

Photo by Freya Willemoes-Wissing

2.  Toothbrush holders can contain a lot of germs because people don't clean them.

A 2011 report from the public health organization NSF International found 27% of toothbrush holders were home to Coliform bacteria—a sickness-causing family of microorganism that includes Salmonella and E. coli.

3. In the kitchen, the sponge used for washing and cutting board also attract bacteria.

The sponge may be the dirtiest place in the home, says Gerba. The NSF study found that 75% of home dish sponges and rags contained Coliform.

He recommends a dish cleaning brush that can be thrown into the dishwasher every day. Cutting boards should be thoroughly scrubbed or put into the dishwasher, too. 

4. Cellphones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats. 

"When's the last time you cleaned your cellphone?" asked Gerba. Studies show that one in six phones is contaminated with fecal matter. Wiping daily with a disinfectant cloth will help prevent bacteria buildup. 

 5. Outside the home, shopping carts can be havens for germs. 

“Almost 100% of them are home to E. coli because people are constantly touching the handles after holding raw food products,” Gerba explains. He also says reusable grocery bags can be dirty because they are seldom washed. 

Use wipes at the store or bring your own to clean shopping cart handles and areas where little children may sit.  

Many other everyday items should be added to the list, like shoelaces, purses, keys, and keyboards. Regular house cleaning should also include door knobs, handles, and other places that are frequently touched by many people.