The Salt Lake Children’s Choir was established to extend the community’s already rich cultural heritage into the realm of fine choral singing by children–long a highly cherished art form in many cultural centers of the world.  Combining the inherent beauty of carefully guided young voices with the world’s outstanding vocal literature, the choir strives each year to be an increasingly worthy example of the children’s choral art and a source of enrichment and growth for a broad range of audiences and for its young singers.
Founded by Ralph B. Woodward in 1979, the Salt Lake Children’s Choir has long been regarded as one of the finest ensembles of its kind in the nation.  It consists of boys and girls, generally between ages 8 to 15, from the Salt Lake Valley and adjoining areas who rehearse once a week.   It emphasizes correct vocal development and the works of the immortal masters, as well as outstanding folk and contemporary music from around the world. Its major concerts are given in the area’s prominent venues, but it also reaches out to school children and care center residents, and performs at community and corporate functions (such as the recent visit of Sir John Major).
A prize-winner in international competition, the choir has appeared with many internationally celebrated artists and organizations–including Grant Johannesen, Frederica von Stade, Marvin Hamlisch, Pete Seeger, and on numerous occasions with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Utah Symphony, with whom it has also recorded.  It has been featured at several conventions of the American Choral Directors’ Association and its singers have performed on multiple film soundtracks and on promotions for CBS, NBC and Walt Disney Productions.  It can be heard on local classical radio broadcasts and was heard nationwide on 260 public radio stations during four of the last five Christmas seasons.  Two former choir members are now appearing in leading operatic roles on the major stages of the world–with others pursuing a variety of careers in music.  However, most choir alumni simply continue making singing an on-going compliment to their lives.  The choir doesn’t explicitly seek fame for itself or its members, but merely to fulfill its educational and artistic mission.