The Westminster Williamson Voices is an ensemble that specializes in choral music. It is named for

Westminster Choir College , mottoeng = Let us be judged by our deeds , established = 1926 , type = Private , president = Gregory G. Dell'Omo , dean = Marshall Onofrio , city = Dayton, OH (1926–1929), Ithaca, NY (1929–1932), Princeton, NJ (1932–2020), Lawrenc ...

's founder,

John Finley Williamson John Finley Williamson (June 23, 1887 in Canton, Ohio – May 28, 1964 in Toledo, Ohio) was the founder of Westminster Choir and co-founder of Westminster Choir College. He is considered to be one of the most influential choral conductors of the t ...

, who believed that choral music performed at the highest level should be accessible to all. The Choir is directed by conductor, pedagogue, and writer Dr. James Jordan The repertoire and performances of the Westminster Williamson Voices cover a broad spectrum, with special emphasis on music commissioned for the choir. The choir has had music written for it by a number of composers including

Morten Lauridsen Morten Johannes Lauridsen (born February 27, 1943) is an American composer. A National Medal of Arts recipient (2007), he was composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Master Chorale from 1994 to 2001, and is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus ...

, Paul Mealor, and

James Whitbourn James Whitbourn (born 1963) is a British composer and conductor. Biography James Whitbourn was born in Kent and educated at Skinners' School before winning a scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he gained his first two degrees. ...

. Artistic collaborations with other art forms—dance, theater, and the visual arts—are at the core of the performances of this ensemble. The ensemble presents artistic repertoire of both traditional and non-traditional genres, tailored to establishing high standards of performance in choirs in churches, schools, and universities. Williamson Voices' 2010–2011 season included concerts in Princeton and at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center, New York City. Collaborations in both this season and past have included performances with Daniel Stewart and members of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, and Rossen Milanov with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. On September 6, 2011, Williamson Voices' recording of music by James Whitbourn, produced by the composer, was released on Naxos. The album debuted on the Billboard Charts. The 2011–2012 season included concerts in Philadelphia at the Cathedral Church of Saints Peter and Paul, and in Princeton at the Princeton Meadow Church and Event Center. In May, 2012, the group recorded Whitbourn's Annelies, in its chamber version, released by Naxos in January 2013.

Grammy Awards

On Friday, December 6, 2013, it was announced that the Williamson Voices had been a nominated for a Grammy Award in the "Best Choral Performance" category for their recording of James Whitbourn's, "Annelies". Also featured on the album are Dr. James Jordan,

(Composer and Producer), The Lincoln Trio, Bharat Chandra, and Arianna Zukerman. The award for this category was presented at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2014.

Pedagogical Significance

The Westminster Williamson Voices serves as a choral laboratory. Its primary musical mission is to explore new methods of teaching and rehearsing and to be at the forefront of choral education

pedagogy Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken ...

. The teaching and learning of literature for performance use contemporary ensemble methods involving groundbreaking Aural Immersion Solfège and movement pedagogy emphasizing both the philosophies of

Émile Jaques-Dalcroze Émile Jaques-Dalcroze (6 July 1865 – 1 July 1950) was a Swiss composer, musician, and music educator who developed Dalcroze eurhythmics, an approach to learning and experiencing music through movement. Dalcroze eurhythmics influenced Carl O ...

and

Rudolf von Laban Rudolf von Laban, also known as Rudolf Laban (German; also ''Rudolph von Laban'', hu, Lábán Rezső János Attila, Lábán Rudolf; 15 December 1879 – 1 July 1958), was an Austro-Hungarian, German and British dance artist, choreographer a ...

. The ensemble also explores new avenues for the art of choral accompanying. The accompanist for the Westminster Williamson Voices assumes a new role, becoming the keystone for aural training for the choir. Consequently, its members gain valuable pedagogical tools to use in their life's work as teachers and professional choral singers. The choir, in addition to being an artistic performing ensemble, is available to serve as an ensemble-in-residence in schools, churches, universities and professional conferences throughout the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

.James Jordan: Evoking Sound
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Choral Institute at Oxford (St. Stephen's House)

The Westminster Williamson Voices, in collaboration with their conductor James Jordan and regular collaborator

, began the Choral Music Institute in the summer of 2013. The program takes place annually, and occurs at St Stephen's House. This program allows conductors of all age ranges and abilities to study choral conducting and choral music with notable faculty including James Jordan,

, James O'Donnell, and many more. More information about the program can be found at the external link below.

Recordings

Angels in the Architecture (GIA Choralworks Series)
(As the Voices of Anam Cara) 2010
Living Voices (Naxos)
2011 * Annelies (Naxos) 2013 *Hole in the Sky (GIA) 2016 *Missa Carolae and Christmas Carols (Naxos) 2016 *Silence into Light (GIA) 2017 *Ola Gjeilo: Sunrise Mass (GIA) 2019 *Aurora (GIA) 2020

References

External links

Westminster Choir College of Rider University

Talbott Library

Dr. James Jordan (Conductor)

Choral Music Institute at St. Stephen's House (Oxford University)
{{Authority control Music schools in New Jersey Private universities and colleges in New Jersey Princeton, New Jersey Westminster Choir College alumni