Music & the Arts at Westminster

We believe that worship of God is central to life and that the music we sing, as an expression of our faith, is both a gift from God and an offering to God. Through our disciplined commitment and dedication to excellence, we will share this gift with our congregation, as a contribution to corporate worship, in order to reinforce and heighten the meaning of Scripture and the spoken word.
—from the mission statement of the Westminster Choir.

Spring 2012 Choir rehearsals
Adult Choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 6:30pm.
Youth Choirs rehearse on Wednesdays. See schedule.

Town Hall Forum Concerts
The music begins one half-hour before each Forum. For more information about the Forums, please click here.   

Also of Interest
Read stories from the 2010 Christmas Dinners, Bringing Christmas Home
Read more about the 2008 Dobson Opus 86 Organ in our Chapel 
Read more about the Westminster Gallery

 


Music Ensembles 

Adult Choirs:
The Westminster Choir rehearses Wednesday evenings, 6:30 - 8:30pm and sings every Sunday in worship. This choir sings the great sacred repertoire from all musical periods and enjoys the musical development, social outlet, and spiritual growth of their time together. Reading skills and previous musical experience are helpful.

The Chamber Ensemble is an auditioned smaller ensemble which rehearses and performs on a periodic basis for services and special events such as the annual Christmas Dinners.  Contact Barbara Prince for more information.

The world of song is as broad as the world of our faith! With the Global Music Choir, Westminster explores an immense landscape of sacred music from all over the world. The group practices after church the week before singing at the 8:30 service once each month. All are invited to participate, regardless of age or experience. This group is for anyone who wants to add a new adventure to their musical quest! Contact Melanie Ohnstad or Jere Lantz for more information.

For Children and Youth
Westminster's program involves children ages three to seventeen. The children's music program runs in tandem with education to nurture a lifelong desire to participate in worship and a faith community. Through the choir experience children learn commitment, attachment, the content of the creeds and the fun of singing. The choirs give children a garden in which to grow and successfully express their praise. Being in choir pulls a young person into the immediacy of the worship situation and gives her/him an active role in that drama. Development of musical skills contributes to self-esteem and a fuller life experience.  See the listing below for the appropriate choir for your child.

Handbells
Led by Nancy Carter, Westminster members and friends of all ages now have an opportunity to experience music through the playing of handbells and choirchimes. This includes an adult program centered around music appropriate for inclusion in the worship services, an introductory handbell and choirchime program for children and youth, and outreach opportunities for our neighbors here in the community.

Choir Rehearsal Schedule

Adult Handbells Tuesdays       6:00 - 7:00pm
   
Cherub Choir: (3-year-olds - kindergarten) Wednesdays 6:00 - 6:25pm
Seraphim Choir (grades 1-3) Wednesdays 6:25 - 6:55pm
Choristers Choir (grades 4-5) Wednesdays 6:55 - 7:30pm
Adult Choir Wednesdays 6:30 - 8:30pm
Youth Handbells Wednesdays 6:00 - 6:45pm
Youth Choir (grades 7-12) Wednesdays 6:45 - 7:30pm
 

 


Music Staff
Music is an integral part of worship at Westminster. It is through a rich worship experience, filled with diverse artistic expression, that we sustain ourselves as individuals and as a congregation. Our music program is poised to expand the opportunities for even greater congregational participation and growth in music and the arts.  We invite you to join our choirs. We welcome bell ringers and instrumentalists to join our ensembles. There is joy to be shared!  Email the music department or call them at 612.332.3421 for more information on all choir opportunities at Westminster. Scroll down on this page to "meet" our music staff.

   

OhnstadMelanieMelanie Ohnstad
Minister of Music & the Arts/Organist
Email Melanie

Melanie has served Westminster as organist since November 1995. In addition to her position as organist, she also serves as Minister of Music and the Arts. Melanie received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota in June 1999. She earned the Master of Music in Organ Performance from Arizona State University and the Bachelor of Music from St. Olaf College. Prior to coming to Westminster, Melanie was the Assistant Organist at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Minneapolis. While there she made three compact discs with the Cathedral Choir. Melanie has also served Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix as Organist-Choirmaster and St. Stephen Lutheran, Wausau, as Director of Music and Youth. Her current area of interest is integrating theology and the arts.  Her assistant is Barbara Prince

 

LantzJereJere Lantz
Director of Westminster Choir
Email Jere

Jere Lantz is the Director of the Westminster Choir. He holds masters and doctorate degrees from Yale in conducting. For twenty years he has been the Music Director of the Rochester Orchestra and Chorale. In addition, he directs the Minnetonka Choral Society and serenades Lake Harriet audiences on weekend evenings each summer directing the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra. He has conducted most of Minnesota’s major choruses, including the Minnesota Chorale, Bach Society, Minnesota Center Chorale, Oratorio Society, Winona Symphonic Choir and Soul Liberation Choir. In 1996, he served four months as Interim Director of Music at St. Mark’s Cathedral. Jere has been active in the community serving as an advisory panelist for the Minnesota State Arts Board, as a board member of the American Composers Forum and on the Citizens’ Advisory Committee of Minnesota Public Radio.  His assistant is Barbara Prince

 

CarterNancyNancy Carter
Director of Westminster Handbell Choirs
Email Nancy

Nancy is responsible for forming and maintaining a Handbell program that enables members of all ages to experience music through handbells and choirchimes. Prior to her work here, she served as director of other handbell programs and children’s music programs, as well as participating in choirs and small ensembles. Nancy has a bachelor’s degree from the College of Saint Catherine. She and husband Jim have been married 35 years and have two children who grew up at Westminster.

 

OllmannBradBrad Ollmann
Director of Early and Middle Childhood Music
Email Brad

Brad began directing choirs at Westminster in 2006. He currently directs Choristers (Grades 4-6), Seraphim (Grades 1-3), and Cherubs (3 year olds – Kindergarteners). During the day, he teaches general and vocal music at St. Anthony Park Elementary (St. Paul Public Schools). Brad spends his summers in Mexico and Guatemala studying Spanish and collecting folk songs, lullabies, singing games, and instrumental folk music. His two areas of expertise are in-tune singing in children and Mexican and Guatemalan music. He is a frequent presenter at the state, local, and national levels, and, in 2001, was recognized as one of fifty distinguished music educators by Yale University.
 
Here at Westminster, Brad’s commitment is to provide an extraordinary choral music experience where children grow in faith as well as musicianship. Wednesday evening rehearsals are a time of joyful music making where children learn quality repertoire they proudly share in worship services.
 
Degrees:  Bachelor of Music Education (University of Minnesota, 1999)
                   Master of Music Education (University of St. Thomas, 2006)

 

Wanyama_Shekela3Shekela Wanyama
Director of Youth Music
Email Shekela

 

Headshot2Barbara Prince
Program Assistant for Music and the Arts
Email Barbara

In addition to her role as Program Assistant, Barbara is a section leader in the Westminster Choir, the director of the Chamber Ensemble, and a professional singer and teacher of singing.

Degrees:  Bachelor of Music Education (East Carolina University)
                   Masters of Music Education (University of North Texas)