Sound of music alive at Westminster Choir College

The Westminster Chapel Choir and Westminster Schola Cantorum include all first and second-year students, respectively. The Westminster Singers perform a wide range of repertoire ranging from classics to show tunes and appear frequently at local corporate events. Westminster Jubilee Singers perform music of the African American tradition. The Westminster Concert Bell Choir--recognized by the Madison, Wisc., Journal as the "Chicago Bulls of Bell Choirs"--performs on the world's largest set of handbells.

Because its middle name is "choir," many people wrongly assume that Westminster only trains musicians to sing in choirs. In fact, Westminster offers four degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level in 23 fields of study. Westminster graduates go on to successful careers in fields ranging from teaching and sacred music to conducting and performance. This season, four Westminster graduates will have starring roles at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. And, while it's easy to focus on the high-profile world of performance, Westminster alumni have had equal success in a broad range of fields. Many students go on to successful careers as music teachers or conductors, and it has been estimated that each week Westminster alumni teach or conduct one million people around the world.

Westminster's distinctly career-oriented program made it a good match when it merged with Rider. "Both Rider and Westminster have long histories of preparing students for successful careers," says Luedeke.

"Westminster is proud to be one of Rider's four colleges," says Robert Annis, director and dean of the Choir College. "Our partnership has enhanced the opportunities offered to students on both campuses. A number of Westminster students are enrolled in classes on Rider's main campus in Lawrenceville, and several Lawrenceville campus students are taking lessons at Westminster. In addition, faculty teach on both campuses."

Westminster's choirs have served as unofficial ambassadors for Mercer County for decades, both in live performances and in radio and television broadcasts.

This year's season includes performances with the New York Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the New Jersey Symphony, and the Trenton Symphony. October 21, the Westminster Symphonic Choir will perform Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the New Jersey Symphony as part of the opening of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. The concert will be taped for national broadcast on public television on New Year's Eve.

Westminster also offers on-campus performances throughout the year. The Christmas at Westminster series in December is one of the area's most popular holiday offerings, and most concerts are sold-out soon after tickets go on sale in November. In addition, choral and solo performances are presented throughout the academic year. Each summer, the Choir College presents a six-week summer concert series featuring a variety of music events, most of which are free. Two popular highlights are the weekly hymn sings and readings of major choral works that enable local amateur singers to participate in the musicmaking.