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The performing Choirs of Central Bucks High School-West, from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, comprise one of the most respected choral programs in the nation. Having presented close to three hundred world premieres of North American composers in the last fourteen years, West choirs have served as a pioneer of and advocate for contemporary composition. Their unparalleled accomplishments and unique programming have inspired choirs, conductors, and composers around the country. The choirs continuously enjoy collaborations with some of the world’s most important composers and conductors. The 2006-2007 school year included residencies with composers Stephen Hatfield from Newfoundland, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi from Finland, Stephen Paulus from Minnesota, and conductor Charles Bruffy from Phoenix and Kansas City.

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 John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Cathedral, Pentagon, Washington Temple, and 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, Tremont Temple, and Trinity Church. The choir has performed on numerous occasions in New York City, at Columbia Artists Management Hall (CAMI), Carnegie Hall, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity Church-Wall Street, and the United Nations. The choir has also performed in Philadelphia at the Academy of Music, Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, Citizens Bank Park, Mann Music Center, and Veterans Stadium. West Choir has also held performances at Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and has had the honor of singing the music of Maurice Duruflé at his home church, St. Etiènne du Mont. The choir has sung at Toronto’s Sky Dome and has traveled to California, performing in major venues in Pasadena, San Diego and at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. The choir has 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 2006 Niagara/Toronto tour featured performances at Casa Loma, St. James Anglican Cathedral, Metropolitan United Church, St. Michael’s Cathedral, and the Toronto Centre for the Arts. In the springof 2007 the choir performed at Harvard, Brown, Yale, and Princeton Universities and toured to Baltimore and Washington, DC performing at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Lincoln Monument. The choir recently presented two memorial performances: one for Daniel Pinkham in Boston in February, 2007, and the first memorial to Mislav Rostropovich in April (only hours after his death), on the Concert Hall stage at the Kennedy Center where he conducted the National Symphony for many years.

West Choirs have worked under the batons of world famous conductors such as Frank Albinder, Charles Bruffy, Joseph Flummerfelt, Dennis Keene, Bobby McFerrin, Weston Noble, John Rutter, and Dale Warland. The choir has performed in collaboration with actors F. Murray Abrahams, Leonard Nimoy, 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, and Philadelphia Youth 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. The Chamber Choir recently performed at the 2007 Music Educators National Conference Biennial Conference in Hartford, Connecticut. The choir presented a program of the music of John Cage and seventeen new compositions at the National Gallery of Art in reflection of the art of Robert Rauschenberg in January of 2008 as part of the Robert Rauschenberg Retrospective.

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, and three times for President Clinton. Millions have seen the choirs in televised performances singing major production numbers in Boscov’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Philadelphia Fourth of July Parade, and the Electric River Spectacular.