Music

Choral and instrumental ensembles at Westmont, including the College Choir, the Chamber Singers, Vox Lumina, the Chamber Orchestra, and the Wind Ensemble, are open by audition to all students, regardless of major.

 

 

College Choir
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Westmont's principal choral ensemble, a large mixed chorus, is under the direction of Dr. Steve Hodson. 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
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This select ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Grey Brothers, specializes in the a cappella literature, from madrigals and motets of the Renaissance to folk songs and spirituals, contemporary sacred music, and vocal jazz.

 

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.

 

 

"Vox Lumina" Women's Chorale
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Vox Lumina, under the direction of Professor Marilee J. Mouser, 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
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The Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Professor Emily Sommermann, studies and reads 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 Twentieth Century through sight-reading, rehearsing, discussion of history, theory, musical forms and structures, and public performance.

 

The orchestra performs a major concert each semester.

 

 

Wind Ensemble
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The Wind Ensemble, directed by Professor Ron McCarley, 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

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Westmont has three small improvising groups of varying levels plus a larger Big Band, all under the direction of Ron McCarley. All groups study the jazz idiom, including the art of improvisation, and perform both on and off campus.