The Choirs of Central Bucks West High School West, from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, comprise one of the most respected choral programs in the nation. Having presented close to four hundred world premieres in the last eighteen years, West Choirs have served as a pioneer of and advocate for contemporary composition. Their accomplishments and unique programming have inspired choirs, conductors, and com
posers around the country. West Choirs continuously enjoy collaborations with some of the world’s most important composers and conductors. Morten Lauridsen, the most performed American composer in history, has called West Chamber Choir the greatest high school choir in the country. West Choir has performed from coast to coast in the United States, as well as internationally in Canada and Europe. The choirs have performed in major venues such as the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Cathedral of St. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lincoln Monument, the National Cathedral, Pentagon, Washington Temple, and six times at The White House in Washington, DC. They have sung in Boston’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Jordan Hall, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Mother Church Christ, Scientist, Symphony Hall, Tremont Temple, and Trinity Church. West Choirs have performed on numerous occasions in New York City at Columbia Artists Management Hall (CAMI), the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Riverside Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity Church-Wall Street, the United Nations, and Carnegie Hall. They have performed in Philadelphia at the Academy of Music, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Saint Paul, Church of the Holy Trinity-Rittenhouse Square, Citizens Bank Park, Mann Music Center, Philadelphia Cathedral, St. Mark’s Church, and Veterans Stadium. West Choirs have held performances at Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and have had the honor of singing the music of Maurice Duruflé at his home church, St. Etiènne du Mont. West Choirs have sung at Toronto, Ontario’s Sky Dome, Casa Loma, St. James Anglican Cathedral, Metropolitan United Church, St. Michael’s Cathedral, and the Toronto Centre for the Arts and in Montréal, Quebec at St. Joseph’s Oratory, Notre Dame Basilica, and St. Patrick’s Basilica. The choirs have traveled to California, performing in major venues in Pasadena, San Diego, and at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. They have toured Chicago where they performed at the Cathedral of St. James, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Holy Name Cathedral, Orchestral Hall, and St. James Chapel at Quigley Seminary. The choir has performed at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston, South Carolina and the Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Orlando, Florida. The choirs have performed at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Trenton, the Princeton University Chapel in New Jersey, and at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore. Performance venues in Nashville have included the Cathedral of the Incarnation and historic Ryman Auditorium. Cleveland Performances have been at Progressive Field, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Severance Hall, and Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. The choirs have sung on the campuses of many prestigious universities including Brown, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, as well as Temple University, the University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, and Westminster Choir College. West Choirs have worked under the batons of world-famous conductors such as Frank Albinder, Charles Bruffy, René Clausen, Simon Carrington, Joseph Flummerfelt, Dennis Keene, Bobby McFerrin, Weston Noble, John Rutter, and Dale Warland. The choirs have performed in collaboration with actors F. Murray Abrahams, Leonard Nimoy, Micah Sloat, Alan Thicke, and many Broadway stars. West Choirs have collaborated for frequent orchestra appearances with the Annapolis Chamber Orchestra, Bucks County Symphony, Musica 2000, New England Symphonic Ensemble, Philadelphia Orchestra, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and the West Island Youth Symphony Orchestra. Choirs at West are past recipients of the highest distinctions in choral music; they have been chosen to perform at state, regional, and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, at the Music Educators National Conference Biennial Conference and the Intercollegiate Male Chorus National Conference. West Choirs hold a special relationship with National Gallery of Art performing at major retrospectives and openings. West Choirs have performed for many world leaders including: Presidents DeKlerk and Mandela of South Africa, President Havel of the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Peres of Israel, President Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and President and Mrs. West Chamber Choir was featured on a broadcast of the BBC featuring the world’s greatest youth choirs in 2012. Millions have seen the choirs in televised performances singing major production numbers in the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Philadelphia Fourth of July Parade, and the Electric River Spectacular. Alumni of the West choral program include superstar P!nk, as well amateur and professional musicians across the country. These include published composers, performers in national tour companies, rock musicians, opera singers, contemporary performing artists, music teachers at schools and universities, and students pursuing or who have earned doctoral degrees in choral music.
