Utah Symphony and Utah Opera Launch Pioneer Fiddles Exhibition to Showcase Family Instruments

Imagine walking into Abravanel Hall and hearing the resonant echo of a family’s history. That is the promise of Pioneer Fiddles: The Soundtrack of the Gathering to Zion, a new exhibition announced by the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera (USUO). Set to open in 2027, the show will debut in the lobby of Abravanel Hall and spread across downtown Salt Lake City, timing its launch with the reopening of Temple Square.

The project is a collaboration with the Church History Museum of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑Saints (LDS Church). According to the Deseret News, the partnership will bring the museum’s extensive collection of pioneer‑era instruments into the public eye while preserving the stories behind them. The exhibition also aligns with the museum’s ongoing efforts to archive oral histories through StoryCorps, an organization that records interviews across the United States.

Pioneer Fiddles is part of USUO’s broader summer outreach, the Music Elevated State Tour. The tour, which began this month in partnership with America250 Utah, will travel statewide to celebrate Utah’s musical heritage and the nation’s 250th anniversary. Ben Kipp, USUO’s vice‑president of education and community engagement, said the idea emerged from conversations about how families preserve and share stories through the instruments they inherit.

In 2027, selected instruments will undergo restoration where possible and be displayed in multiple venues. The Church History Museum will house the artifacts and record the narratives of each instrument’s past owners. The museum already owns a 1800s cello that belonged to a member of the Tabernacle Orchestra, the predecessor to the Utah Symphony.

Families across Utah are invited to submit instruments that connect to the state’s past or culture. The call is open to any type of instrument—from fiddles and violins to saxophones and fifes. Kipp noted that one family has already submitted a Hispanic‑heritage instrument from the early 20th century. The USUO team will evaluate submissions, and selected pieces may be restored to playing condition by Peter Prier & Sons Violins, a local luthier shop.

The exhibition’s purpose is twofold: to display historic instruments and to share the personal histories of the people who played them. “When we talk to folks about their instruments, it’s exciting for the purpose of the project, but then also as a human to hear how much this thing means to this person,” Kipp said. The stories will be archived in the National Archives through StoryCorps.

USUO will provide more information about the project during the Music Elevated tour. The seven concerts are free and open to the public. Interested families can submit their instruments through a form on the USUO website. The organization will review submissions and contact applicants via email. Questions can be directed to education@usuo.org.

The Pioneer Fiddles exhibition reflects USUO’s long‑standing role in Utah’s cultural life. Founded in 1925, the orchestra performs at Abravanel Hall and tours throughout the Intermountain West. Its merger with Utah Opera in 2002 has expanded its audience to more than 150,000 annually. The partnership with the Church History Museum and StoryCorps underscores the organization’s commitment to preserving Utah’s musical and cultural heritage.

As the state prepares for the 2027 Temple Square reopening, the exhibition will provide a tangible link between Utah’s pioneer past and its contemporary artistic community. The project also aligns with America250 Utah’s goal of celebrating the state’s 250th anniversary by highlighting local history and culture.

USUO’s announcement has already prompted interest from families across Utah. The organization plans to finalize the list of participating instruments in the coming months and will begin restoration work in early 2028. The exhibition is expected to open in time for the 2027 Temple Square reopening.

The Pioneer Fiddles project demonstrates how historic instruments can serve as vessels for personal and communal memory, offering a new way for Utah residents to connect with their state’s musical past.