PRINCETON NJ Announcement

Westminster Choir College Celebrates 100th Anniversary

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. — Centennial events in Lawrenceville and Princeton honor legacy while supporting future generations of musicians

Westminster Choir College of Rider University is celebrating its 100th anniversary, marking a century of excellence in music education and performance.

As part of the centennial celebration, Westminster Choir College will host alumni gatherings and reunion events May 14 to 15 in Lawrenceville and Princeton, New Jersey, bringing together alumni, faculty and friends to reflect on the College's legacy and celebrate its continued impact.

The events will culminate in the 100th Anniversary Chapel Service on Friday, May 15, at 7 p.m. in the Princeton University Chapel. The service will feature the combined choirs of Westminster and the Westminster Alumni Choir, accompanied by Symphony in C, one of the country's three youth training orchestras, based in Camden, NJ. The program will include classic Westminster repertoire as well as selections that look toward the future, with works by Brahms, Duruflé, Parry, Powell, and Warren Martin.

Founded in 1926 by John Finley Williamson, Westminster Choir College began with the belief that a choir of volunteer singers could be trained to perform at a professional level. That vision quickly gained national recognition and led to the establishment of Westminster Choir School in Dayton, Ohio. Over the next century, the institution evolved through multiple campus moves, from Dayton to Ithaca, New York, and eventually to Princeton, New Jersey, before joining Rider University in 1991 and relocating to Rider's Lawrenceville campus in 2020.

Today, Westminster Choir College offers undergraduate and graduate programs in music, performance, music education, pedagogy, sacred music and conducting, and its ensembles continue to perform with leading organizations, including The Orchestra of St. Luke's and the Budapest Festival Orchestra.

"For 100 years, Westminster has remained committed to its founding ideals of musical excellence and service through music," says Dr. Jason Vodicka '03, '09, senior associate dean of Westminster Choir College and the School of Communication, Media, and Performing Arts.

"Through three campus moves and the ever-changing professional landscape, Westminster continues to serve as a center for music teaching and learning centered on artistry, pedagogy and community."

In conjunction with the centennial, Rider has also launched a 100th Anniversary campaign to support Westminster students and programs.

Contributions will help fund special WCC@100 events throughout the year, including the May 15 Chapel Service and performances by Westminster ensembles on campus and in the community. The campaign will also provide support for student needs that extend beyond traditional scholarship funding.

"Just over 5,000 students have graduated from Westminster Choir College, and while that may seem small, an estimated 1,000,000 people are impacted by our graduates each and every week of the year," says Vodicka. "Our small school has had an oversized impact on our nation's churches, schools and performance halls, and will continue to do so for the next 100 years and beyond."