The music program at Westminster is an integral part of the total church program which seeks to express the love and the glory of God. Its primary purpose is to enhance the worship experiences through inspiring and artistic expression of service and praise to God. There is a rich tradition and heritage of musical excellence at Westminster upon which the current program is building.

In 1920 the Westminster Choir was organized under the direction of John Finley Williamson. By 1926 the choir had toured the United States and Europe and Dr. Williamson had established a Choir School which rapidly outgrew the church facilities and was moved to the Conservatory at Ithaca, New York. A few years later it moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where it exists today as the Westminster Choir College.

The church choirs include the Westminster Choir which sings for the Sunday worship service, and for most of the special services surrounding the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. In addition, the Westminster Choir presents major choral literature, frequently with instrumental accompaniment. The Choir has performed with the Dayton Philharmonic and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Choirs for children and youth include the Knox Choir (Grades 7-12), the Calvin Choir (Grades 4,5,6), the Cherub Choir (Grades 1-3), the Kinder Choir (Kindergarten) and the Genesis Singers (4 and 5 year olds). These groups regularly provide musical leadership for services of worship and present special programs throughout the year. In addition to the singing choirs there are three handbell choirs which ring a two octave set of Dutch bells and a five octave set of English bells.

Of particular interest is the Casavant Organ located in the Sanctuary. Dedicated to the Glory of God on January 20, 1963, it is one of the largest pipe organs in the midwest. The organ is really two organs - a Chancel Organ at the front of the Sanctuary and a Gallery Organ located in the balcony. Each has its own console. Both can be played from the four-manual Chancel Organ console. Together these organs have over 7000 pipes arranged in 122 ranks.   Numerous additions and upgrades have taken place over the 39-year history of the instrument. Lawrence Stofer is responsible for extensive renovations including new pipework and revoicing. Most recently the R. A. Colby Company of Johnson City, Tennessee, custom built and installed a new console, which includes state of the art technology.  To learn more about Casavant Organ, click here.

Westminster believes that it has a unique opportunity to enrich the cultural offering of the greater Dayton Community, and seeks to do this primarily through a year-round musical series which is well attended by church members and others from the community, both as an aid to worship and as a tool of spiritual growth.