20031013 Westminster Choir College by The Daily Princetonian

Westminster Choir College by The Daily Princetonian

Higher Education in Princeton — The other institutions

http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2003/10/13/page3/

Westminster Choir College

By Zack Surak, Princetonian Senior Writer

Imagine walking on to one of the smallest campuses you've ever seen. As you walk into a dramatic hall — similar in beauty and presence to Princeton's Nassau Hall — images of venerated men and women stare at you from the depths of the canvases that line the walls. History resonates from the soul of the building.

The rest of the interior is reminiscent of the elegant beauty of Prospect House with antique artifacts indicating a rich history. But the setting is not that of Prospect House or Nassau Hall.

As you ascend to the main lobby up a story from the entrance, a wall of singing suspends you in your tracks. Peering into the room awash with late afternoon sunlight, you see a woman — no more than 25 years old — standing adjacent to a black grand piano. She is sweetly singing an aria from an opera that this writer never had the privilege of hearing. The notes range at least three octaves and the emotions of the lyrics are played out on the singer's face.

Then, the surreal scene is interrupted. A member of the small audience calls out, "More legato . . . suspend . . . suspend . . . and release."

[…]

Westminster is a small music college with an undergraduate program of roughly 330 students pursuing scholarship in music. Classes include music education, organ performance, piano, sacred music, theory and composition, voice performance and music theater.

At the graduate level, Westminster also has about 110 students who are working towards a Master of Music degree.

The story of Westminster began in 1920 when John Finley Williamson established the Westminster Choir at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Ohio. Within a few short years, Williamson had his volunteer choir singing at a professional level at national venues.

The early success motivated Williamson to start the Westminster Choir School in 1926 to professionally train musicians. The school moved to Ithaca, New York, in 1929 and became part of Ithaca College.

Then, in 1932, the institution moved to be close to major cities with symphonic orchestras and to a seminary that would complement the school's study of sacred music. With the help of Charles Erdman, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church and professor at the Princeton Theological Seminary, the Westminster Choir School moved to Princeton and was renamed Westminster Choir College.

At the time, Princeton President John Hibben helped Westminster's move as he lobbied the New Jersey governor for approval of college's charter. In those first years, Hibben also made the University chapel available for choral services and allowed the college to use University grounds for Westminster's annual spring festival. Close ties were forged between the University and Westminster.

Westminster continued to expand its renown during the 20th century, attracting many prominent musicians to its conservatory and faculty.

Then, in 1992, Westminster merged with Rider University.

Today, Westminster continues to attract topflight musicians. The school is home to musicians from 40 states and 18 countries.

[…]

Read the entire article here: Higher Education in Princeton — The other institutions

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Westminster Choir College Princeton New Jersey, New Jersey,