Westmont Hits the Road Singing

The Westmont College Choir, Chamber Singers, and New Sounds will join voices with the Chamber Orchestra on their annual musical tour, this year through the Southwest. The group of more than 75 students will travel though Southern California, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona from Sunday, May 6, through May16.

Westmont ensembles will perform evening concerts and hold clinics with local high school vocal groups. In the past, Westmont’s choir has traveled to the East Coast, Canada and Hawaii.

This is the first year the orchestra has participated in the tour, which has traditionally included only vocal groups

“It increases the range of repertoire that we can perform,” says Michael Shasberger, Adams professor of music and worship,” both for the choirs and of course by adding purely instrumental music by the orchestra.”

The performances will include music by Mozart, Palestrina, Brahms and Gawthrop to name a few.

“Touring is an important part of the development of Westmont musicians and ensembles,” Shasberger says. “The opportunity to focus on performance skills on a daily basis in widely varying conditions and for a variety of audiences is very motivating. The tour also serves an important ambassadorial function for the college, building a strong sense of community among the musicians.”

Admission to all the events is free with a free-will offering taken during the program.

Performance’s include:

• Sunday, May 6, at 5 p.m. at Grace First Presbyterian Church in Long Beach, Calif.
• Monday, May 7, at 7 p.m. at Liberty High School, Bakersfield, Calif.
• Tuesday, May 8, at 7 p.m. at Desert Spring United Methodist Church, Las Vegas, Nev.
• Wednesday, May 9, at 7 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Glenwood Springs, Colo.
• Thursday, May 10, at 7 p.m. at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Saturday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. at Augustana Lutheran Church, Denver, Colo.
• Sunday, May 13, at 11 a.m. at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Denver, Colo.
• Sunday, May 13, at 7 p.m. at Christ Episcopal, Denver, Colo.
• Monday, May 14, at 7 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church, Albuquerque, N.M.
• Tuesday, May 15, at 7 p.m. at Camelback Bible Church, Paradise Valley, Ariz.