A week after the Mormon Tabernacle Choir announced that it would perform at the Inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, one of its members has resigned.
Soprano Jan Chamberlin posted her resignation letter on her Facebook page Thursday. She wrote that the choir’s participation will appear to be an endorsement of Trump and she felt betrayed by the performance.
Only about two thirds of the full choir will be able to make the trip to Washington, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said that choir members’ participation is voluntary. But in her letter, Chamberlin said she couldn’t in good conscience continue to sing with the group.
LDS Church Spokesman Eric Hawkins has said the performance is not meant to show support of party politics.
“It is a demonstration of our support of freedom, civility and the peaceful transition of power,” Hawkins said in a statement.
More than 20,000 people have signed an online petition urging the choir to reconsider singing at the Inauguration.
