Music & Choir

The mission and structure of the music program at Westminster Church are intended to encourage and enable the entire church family to participate—to serve, learn, and grow in knowledge and ability, and to have fun in fellowship. Evolving with the changing demographics of the congregation, the music program is geared toward developing and employing potential musical gifts and strengths within the membership. The choir family and I warmly welcome anyone wishing to join us in a most rewarding endeavor, and I encourage you to contact me at the church with any questions.

You can also download this year's Music at Westminster information in a format suitable for printing.

Peter J. Van Eenam, Organist and Choirmaster

The 2009-2010 choir rehearsal schedule is as follows:

  • Boys’ and Girls’ Choirs (rehearsing jointly) on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 5:45
  • Brass Choir on Thursdays from 8:00 to 9:00 (all year)
  • Chancel Choir on Wednesdays from 7:30/8:00 to 9:30
  • Handbell Choir on Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:00
  • Rainbow Choir on Saturdays from 11:00 to 11:30, beginning October 3
  • Westminster Choristers on Tuesdays from 6:15 to 7:15
  • Young Musicians’ Class on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:00, beginning October 6

More information:

Chancel Choir

This is Westminster's adult choir, devoted to advanced choral repertoire and to leading the music of worship, typically at the 11:00 service, each week. The choir will also lead choral evensongs and sing major works with orchestra.  (back to top)

Westminster Choristers

Comprised primarily of high school students, this choir sings music for mixed voices of all periods and styles. Unaccompanied works are sung as well as music with instrumental accompaniment. (back to top)

Boys' Choir

This choir is for boys with unchanged voices in the third through eighth grades. Literature for treble voices is explored as well as music that is traditionally sung by the English choirs of men and boys. (back to top)

Girls' Choir

An ensemble for girls in the third through eighth grades, Girls’ Choir also sings fine treble repertoire. As with the Boys’ Choir, rehearsals include the development of part singing as well as a knowledge of hymnody. (back to top)

Rainbow Choir

An introduction to musicmaking and the choral music program, Rainbow Choir’s activities promote healthy vocal production, pitch matching and other aural skills, and familiarity with music notation. This choir is comprised of children ages four and five. (back to top)

Young Musicians' Class

Generally intended for young singers in the first and second grades, this choir continues to develop skills nurtured in Rainbow Choir, with an emphasis on ensemble singing. Hymn singing and sightsinging are introduced as well as more advanced notation. (back to top)

The Westminster Handbell Choir

Repertoire for this choir includes music written for English handbells as well as transcriptions. Occasionally members of this group will accompany other choirs. Many techniques of ringing are utilized, including four-in-hand ringing. Anyone with a piano background is welcome to participate. (back to top)

The Westminster Brass Choir

Westminster Church enjoys music for brass frequently throughout the year. Repertoire from five centuries is played by this choir of brass players college-age and older. (back to top)

The Westminster Trombone Choir

This choir is a subgroup of the Brass Choir, playing music written exclusively for low brass. (back to top)

The Westminster Organs and the Musica Organi Recital Series

An organ recital series, Musica Organi is now in its tenth season, bringing organists from around the world to Knoxville and East Tennessee. The congregation and the community are cordially invited and admission is without charge.

Richards, Fowkes & Company's Opus 7 organ was installed in the main sanctuary and voiced beginning in September 1998. It was dedicated the following May with a recital given by Robert Clark, who served as the consultant. The organ is 33 ranks, with 25 stops on two manuals and pedal. It is strongly influenced by the work of Arp Schnitger and the North German/Dutch tradition and yet reflects an eclecticism that successfully supports the wide range of musical demands placed on it by the many periods of church music included in worship and concerts at Westminster.


Westminster also has a lovely organ in the back gallery of the Chapel/Fellowship Hall (the original sanctuary of the church). Marty and Frank Marsh gave it to Westminster in 1969 in loving memory of their daughter, Cathy Marsh, who was killed in an automobile accident in 1968. The organ was dedicated on Easter Sunday of 1969. Alfred E.Lunsford of the Schantz Organ Company built the instrument, modeled after North German and Dutch organs of the Baroque period, combining a Schantz console and German pipework. Its 14 ranks of pipes appear as 12 stops on two manuals and pedal.

More information about Musica Organi can be found at www.musicaorgani.org. (back to top)

The Friends of Music of Westminster Church

This is an account funded by gifts from friends and members of Westminster Church to make possible concerts and other special musical events. (back to top)