FAQ
Everybody Wants To Know...
What kind of a college is Westminster?
Whether you want to sing, to teach, or to work in another area of music, Westminster can help you turn your talent into a life's work, and your passion into a profession. As a student here, you can expect to work hard under demanding coaches, but you'll also be part of a warm community that helps you discover the best in yourself, both musically and personally. Most important, everyone notices how close-knit and supportive Westminster students are. A common passion for music brings them together every day in ways that link serious striving with just plain fun.
What kind of students go to Westminster?
You'll find yourself singing, playing, and studying at Westminster with friends who span a world of musical, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Some of them have achieved academic distinction or are extraordinarily gifted performers already. About 20 percent are minorities, and almost 15 percent come from foreign countries. What binds them together is not only their love of making music, but a genuine interest in contributing their unique voices to our remarkable community of musicians.
Is singing the only way to shine at Westminster?
You'll definitely sing at Westminster, every year, in one of the famous choirs that make up the heart of the Westminster experience. But you can also count on a top-notch education in many other areas of music. Aside from studying voice, piano and organ (the largest department of its kind), students can focus on music education, sacred music, theory and composition, conducting and music theater. Our Bachelor of Arts in Music program also prepares students for positions in arts management and other music-related careers.
What does Westminster offer that regular colleges don't?
Westminster makes a promise to every student that even other music schools don't: In your years here, you will perform with some of the greatest orchestras and conductors of our time. We will coach you toward technical mastery of the highest degree, working under musical leaders who are dedicated to making the most of your talents. But we're not forgetting that you have a life! At Rider University, our parent institution in nearby Lawrenceville, you may take courses, use the library and athletic facilities, and participate in student organizations. You may also take courses at Princeton University or Princeton Theological Seminary. In the end, our most important priority is helping you grow as a complete musician--so we make available the widest possible range of musical, educational, cultural, and touring experiences.
What doors will my Westminster education open for me?
Westminster can put you on the path to success whether you want to be a performer or a choral conductor, an accompanist or a church musician, a voice coach or a music teacher in schools, a manager of music groups or an arts administrator. Our graduates have a great track record in all these fields and more--in fact, our alumni list reads like a Who's Who of the music world. We commit to helping you discover the right place for music in your life, and providing the experiences that will take you there. All signs point to a job market for our graduates that's getting stronger and stronger.
How often will I get to perform at Westminster?
Better to ask when you won't be performing! All freshmen are members of the Westminster Chapel Choir. Sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students make up the Westminster Symphonic Choir, which performs with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra and other major orchestras of the world. You may also audition for the Westminster Choir, Westminster Kantorei, the Westminster Williamson Voices or the Westminster Concert Bell Choir. Westminster Opera Theatre and the Westminster Jubilee Singers round out the list.
Who will be my teachers . . .
At Westminster your teachers will include some of the best known names in the music world including Dalton Baldwin, the world-renowned accompanist and coach; the noted Bach scholar and hymnologist Robin Leaver; organ virtuoso Stefan Engels; Donald Dumpson, an authority on the performance of African-American music; and the highly regarded music educator Frank Abrahams.
. . . and will they know who I am?
With one teacher for every seven students, Westminster offers an extraordinarily personal education. The teachers here are superb musicians, but they will also be your mentors and friends-dedicated to helping you understand not only what the notes say, but the psychology, literature, and theater of music. And the learning doesn't end in the classroom. Depending on your special interests, you could end up working with mentors in schools, churches, or music organizations who will help start your successful career while you're still a student!
Is Westminster a church school?
Even though choral music is often sacred in nature, Westminster is not connected to any church or faith. Religious backgrounds among our students are as diverse as their musical gifts.
What does the connection with Rider University offer me?
You can explore virtually any interest at Rider University, which enrolls 5,100 students in a wide range of programs. You might take courses in business, the humanities, or education at Rider's Lawrenceville campus, for example. Or you may decide to swim in its pool, play tennis or ice hockey, or join one of its other athletic offerings, which include 20 sports competing at the NCAA Division I level. Westminster students are also welcome members of the more than 70 student clubs and organizations.
What special facilities will I find at Westminster that will help me in my music studies?
Westminster is a treasure trove of instruments and resources for the student of music. You can practice on any of our 110 pianos and 21 organs-more than you'll find at any other institution in North America. You can sharpen your technique or polish your latest composition in our state-of-the-art Computer Lab for Music Learning. If you are not a piano specialist but want to acquire basic proficiency, sign up for our Piano Lab where you'll get coaching on keyboard technique while working on electronic pianos. Experts will analyze your vocal technique using the latest equipment at our Voice Resource Center for Vocal Pedagogy, or you can find exactly the music you need among the 23,000 scores at Talbott Library, which also houses the collection of the Organ Historical Society.
What's so great about Westminster's location?
As a music student, you could hardly find a better location than Westminster's historic and lovely Princeton campus, which lies within easy reach of the nation's best orchestras and musical opportunities. Princeton itself is a picturesque and cosmopolitan village, rich in cultural and intellectual resources--not only Princeton University, but prominent institutions like the Tony Award-winning McCarter Theatre, the Princeton University Art Museum and Princeton Theological Seminary. Only a short train ride away lies New York City, with its ceaseless parade of unmatched musical, theatrical, and cultural events. Or you can head for Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; or any of the East Coast's abundant gathering spots for lovers of the arts.
Can I afford to go to Westminster?
Cost should not be an obstacle to attaining a Westminster degree. More than 80 percent of students receive some form of financial assistance, either as grants or loans. We award scholarships on the basis of need and merit. And if you want a part-time student job you can get one. In church music alone, we can point you to current openings where you can earn anything from $75 a week singing as a choir section leader to more than $10,000 a year conducting and accompanying choirs.
How can I find out more?
Information about degree programs, auditions, admission, and financial aid are on the pages that follow, and you may request separate informational booklets on individual departments and faculty members. You will also find an application form in the back pocket of this publication. We hope that at some point soon you will be able to visit the campus. To arrange a visit, or to request more information about programs, auditions, and the admissions process, call 1-800-962-4647. You can also e-mail us at wccadmission@rider.edu or submit your request online.
