Wasatch Choral Summit 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Inaugural Wasatch Choral Summit Unites Area Ensembles in Day of Music, Mentorship, and Community.

Salt Lake City, UT — May 12, 2025 — The spirit of harmony and collaboration took center stage on Saturday, May 10, as more than 200 singers gathered for the first annual Wasatch Choral Summit, hosted at First Baptist Church in Salt Lake City. The five-hour event featured six community-based choirs from across the Wasatch Front, each bringing their unique sound to the stage—and leaving with new insights, inspiration, and friendships.

Each ensemble performed two selections for their fellow singers and then received an on-the-spot clinic from renowned conductor Dr. Craig Jessop, former music director of the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, Utah State University Emeritus Professor, and current Artistic Director of the American Festival Chorus and Orchestra. With warmth, precision, and deep musical insight, Dr. Jessop offered personalized feedback tailored to each group’s level and identity—celebrating their strengths while offering actionable tools for continued growth.

“The inaugural Wasatch Choral Summit was a fantastic success,” said Steve Scott, Artistic Director of The Saltaires and principal architect of the event. “Groups from all over the region came together to share their songs, open their hearts, and make connections with other area musicians. Seeing everyone perform for each other was a special treat. The star of the day, though, was Dr. Jessop. He gave each ensemble his utmost respect, courtesy, and attention. He tailored his instruction to meet each one where they were at and offered feedback that was both useful and transferable. I can’t wait for next year!”

The participating choirs ranged from auditioned ensembles to all-welcome community choruses, reflecting the diverse ways choral music lives in the Wasatch region. While the groups varied in size, age demographic, and musical style, the day was unified by a shared sense of purpose: to build a community of community choirs—a regional network that values connection as much as performance.

For many, the highlight was not just the amazing clinic from Dr. Jessop or the performances, but the atmosphere of mutual support and artistic curiosity. One participant noted that it was “rare and refreshing to be in a space where choirs come to learn from each other, not compete.”

The overwhelmingly positive response has already sparked interest in future iterations of the Summit. Plans for the 2026 Wasatch Choral Summit are already underway.

For more information about the Wasatch Choral Summit or to learn how to participate in future events, contact Steve Scott at [email protected] and join our email list.

Steve Scott leads the participants in singing the tag, “Sunshine Is Bidding The Day Goodbye” at the 2025 Wasatch Choral Summit.