Craig Jessop

Craig D Jessop born 1949 is an American academic musician and singer best known for his tenure as the music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Choir from 1999 to 2008 A native of Millville Utah Jessop has been a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints LDS Church He was a student of Robert Shaw and received a BA from Utah State University USU MA from Brigham Young University BYU and DMA from Stanford University He has been the director of the National High School Choir Festival since its founding in 2005 The event held at New Yorks Carnegie Hall auditions schools from around the country to inspire and enable young singers in learning great works of music and performing with renowned musicians from around the world He has also spent seven years as a baritone with the Robert Shaw Festival Singers and performed in the choirs of Helmuth Rilling and John Rutter Prior to his association with the Choir Jessop had a distinguished career as a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force where he was director of the Singing Sergeants 19791987 commanderconductor Band of the United States Air Forces in Europe 198791 conductor for Ramstein Community ChoirRheinpfalz Community Choir 198891 and commanderconductor of the Air Combat Command Heartland of American Band 199195 He began his career in education as director of choral activities at Granite High School in Salt Lake City The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performing on December 3 2005 in the Conference Center under Jessops direction Jessop was named Associate Director of the Choir in 1995 and became its director in 1999 Under Jessops direction the Choir won many awards including the Special Recognition Award from the International Radio and Television Society Foundation and a National Medal of Arts presented by George W Bush He served in that position until suddenly resigning on March 4 2008 At an evening rehearsal he appeared long enough to read a statement to the surprise and confusion of choir members and community members Jessop explained he was at a major crossroads of life and would return to the career that I originally began in my musical journey and spend more time together with our children and grandsons Jessop and his wife have four children and eleven grandchildren