The New York Times

• The Westminster Symphonic Choir performed Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Franz Welser-Möst on Thursday, October 18.2007.  Read the review:

     The New York Times

• The Westminster Choir performed Bach's St. Matthew Passion with the New York Philharmonic and Kurt Masur March 19-22, 2008. Read the review:

          The New York Times

April 6, 2007 - Princeton Packet - The sound of music
Nick McBride	Westminster Choir College opens up a new world for the young -- Moving from the Cinderella story to Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring," using music from a TV show the entire class knows, in under 45 fast-and-fun minutes: This is probably not your usual sixth grade music course.

Westminster Choir - The Critics' Choice

Paulus: Voices of Light
New York Philharmonic
Joseph Flummerfelt, conductor

“…seamless blend and clarity of diction.”
       The New York Times

Honegger:  Jeanne d’Arc au Bucher
New York Philharmonic
Kurt Masur, conductor

“Another strength of the performance was the work of the Westminster Symphonic Choir.  Showing thorough preparation by its director, Joseph Flummerfelt, the chorus sang superbly, as usual, and made delectable turns as raucous sheep and donkeys in response to Porcus’s utterances.”
       The New York Times

Dvorak:  Stabat Mater
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
Zdenak Macal, conductor

“…the Westminster Choir sang magnificently…”
       The New York Times

Bach:  St. Matthew Passion
New York Philharmonic
Kurt Masur, conductor

“But perhaps the most interesting role is for the chorus itself, which in this case was well prepared by Joseph Flummerfelt.  One instant the chorus is the crowd calling for the crucifixion, then it becomes a congregation singing the chorale “Who hath so smitten them.”  One moment it is caught in narrow viciousness, the next it represents a transcendent perspective.  It seems to move between the poles of this work:  its anger and its faith, its minute obsession with concrete detail and its grander, humane perspective.”
       The New York Times

Christmas at Carnegie Hall
Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Joseph Flummerfelt, conductor

“…remarkably well-polished.  Mr. Flummerfelt drew a velvety, perfectly blended sound from his 40-voice choir.”
       The New York Times

Haydn:  Lord Nelson Mass
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Orchestra
Joseph Flummerfelt, conductor

“The Westminster Choir sang the work with a youthful exuberance that possibly made the Mass seem more powerful than it is.  Although the group is a relatively small one, about 40 voices, it filled the auditorium with vibrant sound, and its traditional care in phrasing and expressiveness was present in abundance.  The Choir is a recurring miracle; each year it loses a significant number of its members, undergraduates and graduate students at Westminster Choir College, to graduation; yet it continues year after year to maintain its standard as one of the world’s foremost choral groups.  For that much of the credit goes to Flummerfelt, its director since 1971.”
       Trenton Times

Britten:  War Requiem
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Wolfgang Sawallish, conductor

“The Westminster Choir contributed spirited and polished singing.  The purity of the ‘amen’ of the Pie Jesu was a moment to savor.”
       The Philadelphia Inquirer

“The Westminster Symphonic Choir, prepared by Joseph Flummerfelt, caught very well the questioning tone with which Britten invests his liturgical texts.”
       The New York Times

“The Westminster Choir, throughout the performance, demonstrated its trademark uniformity of sound, and had obviously been trained for identical vowel production across all vocal sections.  The blocks of sound in the Credo, as well as the unison singing on the more significant texts of the same movement, gave further proof of the ensemble’s extensive preparation.  A quick transition from the Benedictus to the Hosanna, often troublesome for choruses, was performed effortlessly by this ensemble.”
       Town Topics

“Unquestionably, the star of the evening was the Westminster Choir, which sang like the heavenly host.”
       Newark Star Ledger

“The Westminster Choir, prepared by Joseph Flummerfelt, was superb, as always.  The sound of this world-famous chorus once more was something to marvel at, marked by a unique warmth and cleanness of articulation.”
       Trenton Times

“…the quality was beautiful…and the preparation thorough and precise.”
       Chorus

“The Westminster Choir … the epitome of choral music.”
       Milwaukee Sentinel

“The Westminster Choir not only gives its fantastic contribution to the performance of operas, but … also offers concerts of choral music which, like the one performed in the Spoleto Cathedral, have aroused such an interest that the concert above could have taken the place of half of the performances of the Festival of the Two Worlds.”
       Il Tempo (Italy)

“The Westminster Choir is a highly polished ensemble, one that seems to strive for purity of tone and exceptionally clear enunciation.”
       The Houston Post

“The American chorus, young and attractive, was musical and subtle as few opera choruses are.”
       International Herald Tribune

“Westminster again proves it has no peer.  The choir is adept, practiced and refined to the point of intimidation, and good taste is never an issue.  In sum, other choirs are compared to Westminster – not the reverse.”
       Newark Star Ledger

“The full-bodied, incisive singing of the Westminster Choir was a triumph.”
       The New York Times

“This superb choral group could do no wrong.”
       New York Magazine

“A very memorable example of how great the art of choral singing can be.”
       Newark Star Ledger
       
 
Spoleto Festival U.S.A.

“Professional in every way.  Their entrances are precise.  Their pitch is flawless.  Their diminuendos flow exquisitely into crescendos, then back again.  Their musical message is never lost.”
       Charleston Post and Courier

“Is there anything left to say about Joseph Flummerfelt and the Westminster Choir?  On Thursday afternoon Flummerfelt, the Choir and about 30 members of the Spoleto Festival Orchestra made the beautiful music we have come to expect each year.”
       Charleston Post and Courier

“Under its director Joseph Flummerfelt these young voices make a noise that manages to be both elegant and rousing.  A real aristocratic uproar.”
       Charleston Post and Courier

“Joseph Flummerfelt and the Westminster Choir filled the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul with choral splendor.”
       Charleston Post and Courier

“Conductor Joseph Flummerfelt, the Westminster Choir and members of the Spoleto Festival Orchestra gave a spine-tingling performance (of Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass).”
       Charleston Post and Courier

“Electrifying.”
       Charleston Post and Courier

“For 18 years the Westminster Choir conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt has been creating beautiful music for sold-out concerts.”
       Charleston Post and Courier

“Joseph Flummerfelt, the festival’s third artistic director, conducted exuberantly.  His usual charges, the Westminster Choir, sang with the usual assurance…”
       The New York Times

“The Westminster Choir is made up of 40 mortals, but sounds like a host of angels.  The Westminster Choir’s director, Joseph Flummerfelt, has been called the greatest choral conductor in the world:  The Westminster Choir is certainly the greatest choir in the world.”
       The Charleston News and Courier

“…Flummerfelt’s control of his chorus is tremendous, and the chorus’ sensitive response a joy to hear.  The Verdi ‘Ave Maria’ brought forth a purity of tone that was positively ethereal.  It was exquisite singing.”
       Charleston Post and Courier

“…. the Westminster Choir is definitely one of the stars of the Spoleto Festival, and I can’t imagine as high a level of excellence without them.  So if the price we have to pay is some a cappella choir programs, so be it.  I suppose I can bear another over-arranged choral ‘Danny Boy’ in order to hear the great work of this choir in the orchestral concerts and operas.

The Westminster Choir sang in a program that contained both Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and the Duruflé Requiem.  I heard them do the Haydn five years ago, so it was the Duruflé that impressed me.  Joseph Flummerfelt, their director, conducted, and everything about the performance was wonderful.  There was atmosphere, there was majesty, there were thrills, and there were spiritual depths. The Festival Orchestra is a splendid group of young musicians—conservatory-age, I would say.  They are recruited by audition fresh every year, and this year’s players were really good.

The Westminster Choir also took part in the operas—not only the choral parts, but also secondary roles.  Since a great many of the singers in the choir could easily be soloists, that works out well.  The women of the choir added a great deal to Suor Angelica, and the men were downright thrilling in Die Burgshaft.  The choir also sang in the other two Puccini operas in the Trittico.  Always you noticed their work, because it was so much better than you expected.  How many opera choruses can sing on this level?  Very few.”
        American Record Guide