Westmont Ensembles
Choral and instrumental ensembles at Westmont, including the College Choir, Chamber Singers, Women’s Chorale, Men’s Chorale, Chamber Orchestra, New Sounds and the Wind Ensemble, are open by audition to all students, regardless of major.
- College Choir
- MUA 071/171
Westmont’s principal choral ensemble, a large mixed chorus, is under the direction of Dr. Michael Shasberger. The choir performs the classic repertoire of the past five centuries, along with spirituals, folk song arrangements, and music of other cultures.
The ensemble presents local concerts including, each year, a major work with orchestra. The College Choir also appears at Westmont events, performs in chapel, ministers in local church services, and participates in regional choral festivals. Highlights of the year include the Christmas concert and the spring tour.
- Chamber Singers
- MUA 072/172
This select ensemble, under the direction of Professor Grey Brothers, specializes in a cappella literature, including madrigals and motets of the Renaissance, contemporary sacred and secular music, folk song arrangements, and spirituals.
Outreach is an important function of the ensemble; in addition to joining the College Choir on the spring tour, the group performs locally and across southern and central California. Membership in the Chamber Singers is contingent upon membership in the College Choir
- New Sounds
- MUA 076/176
This select ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Steve Hodson, specializes in vocal jazz and recently composed music from around the world, including contemporary Christian settings. The ensemble incorporates use of microphones and accompanying instruments.
Since an important aspect of the mission of New Sounds is to train twenty-first century church musicians, outreach in chapel and to area congregations will be important, and annual touring probable. Membership in New Sounds is open to members in good standing of the Westmont College Choir..
- Men’s Chorale
- MUA 073/173
- The Men’s Chorale under the direction of Dr. Grey Brothers encourages men to sing in a variety of styles and formats. The Men’s Chorale participates frequently in campus Chapel services, and performs in concert and community settings. Men frequently form smaller ensembles for a cappella, gospel and barbershop musical styles. All men are encouraged to participate!
- Women’s Chorale
- MUA 074/174
Women’s Chorale, under the direction of Prof. Rebecca Leftwich Hodson, specializes in a variety of accompanied and a cappella literature for women’s voices.
The ensemble performs in concert with the College Choir, appears in chapel, performs locally in churches and at civic events, participates in regional choral festivals, and travels on tour.
- Chamber Orchestra
- MUA 083/183
The Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Michael Shasberger, performs original literature, transcriptions, and arrangements. Included in this are works for full orchestra, string orchestra, and small ensembles. The study and practice includes various style periods and composers from the Renaissance through the Twenty First Century. The orchestra performs two major independent concerts each semester, as well as a combined Christmas concert with the choral ensembles and a major works program in the spring with the College Choir. Typically, the orchestra is made up of circa 30 student string players and a classical wind component with appropriate percussion and keyboard musicians. Faculty specialists coach each section of the orchestra, including Dr. Philip Ficsor (violin), Professor Valerie Malvinni (viola), Dr. Nona Pyron (cello), and Dr. Paul Mori (wind, brass and percussion).
- Wind Ensemble
- MUA 081/181
The Wind Ensemble, directed by Dr. Paul Mori, is made up of brass, woodwind, and percussion players. The music rehearsed and performed covers various style and historical periods including original works for band and transcriptions. Also incorporated are musical elements such as history, theory, musical forms and structures, and public performance.
The various bands and chamber ensembles perform throughout the semester with the wind ensemble performing one major concert each semester.
- Jazz Groups
- MUA 082/182
Westmont has three ensembles of varying levels. All groups study the jazz idiom, including the art of improvisation, and perform both on and off campus.