Cathedral hosts concert by Westminster Choir of Rider University and the Westminster Choir College

IC photo/Laura Vallejo

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The Westminster Choir of Rider University and the Westminster Choir College performs Jan. 16 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine.

SALT LAKE CITY — As part of their 2020 tour, the Westminster Choir of Rider University and the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J., performed at the Cathedral of the Madeleine on Jan. 16.

This tour celebrates the choir’s 100th anniversary. It was established in 1920 by John Finley Williamson at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Ohio. The tour included stops in Seattle, Boise, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Choir members were hosted locally by the community of The Madeleine Choir School.

“As a Westminster graduate, I am really honored to welcome you to tonight’s concert,” said Melanie Malinka, the school’s director of music, during the performance at the cathedral.

Under the direction of conductor Joe Miller, the program included pieces by Lukaszewski, Britten, Schoenberg, Runestad and Carey.

“One hundred years of making music reflects the dedication and hope of so many musicians and supporters,” Miller said. “As we stand on the shoulders of all who have gone before us, we are grateful to be able to share this tradition with you.”

The Westminster Choir is comprised of students at Westminster Choir College, a division of Rider University’s Westminster College of the Arts in Princeton. Since 1977 it has been the chorus-in-residence for the Spoleto Festival USA. In 2018 it was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.

The concert at the Cathedral of the Madeleine delighted youngsters and adults alike.

“I was really pleased to be able to enjoy such a delightful performance,” said John Welsh, who attended the concert.