A Week at Westminster Choir College in Princeton
One day, in the mid-1970’s, a friend of mine, who sang in a church choir, spoke highly of the conductor, Donald Mathis. She suggested I meet with him. When I did, I found myself in a very warm and wonderful relationship that lasted until his passing in 2013.
Don was the music minister at the Second Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale. Early in his career, he served on the faculty of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. Don was a voice teacher with a national reputation as a choral conductor. At the church in Fort Lauderdale, he founded the “Singing Sons Boychoir” and presented many programs.
Don, his wife Joan, Joanne and I, saw one another regularly over the years. Eventually, we presented a concert at his church in 1978 entitled, “Two Gefilte Fish and a Ham” which was quite successful and mentioned in detail in the short story section of this book. Don asked me if I would like to join him in enrolling in a one-week seminar course to be given during the summer at Westminster College. He thought I would find it informative and challenging. We could also room together. I was very interested in a choral conducting course that was being offered and agreed. At the last minute, something came up and Don couldn’t make it. He urged me to take the course. And so, I did.
I arrived at Westminster Choir College and checked in. The college, one of the largest Protestant music colleges in the country, was quite impressive. Truly, it was a wonderful training school for vocalists, pianists, instrumentalists, musicians, composers, and conductors. This was an unforgettable week for me.
My roommate for the week turned out to be a Benedictine Monk. When he found out that I was a Jewish Cantor, the shock we both felt was truly complete. What does a Protestant college do when a Benedictine Monk and Jewish Cantor enroll in a seminar during the same week? Of course! They put them together and hope for an ecumenical success.
My room-mate’s name was Father Gregory Pilcher. He was just ordained and wore a beautiful flowing brown robe with sandals. He was in his early 30’s and lived in a monastery in Subiaco, Arkansas, where he taught music. Gregory was enrolled in a two-week course of elementary and advanced Gregorian chant.
When I met Gregory, I didn’t ask him what life was like at the Abbey. Instead, I focused on the courses he was taking. We talked about the Jewish roots in the chants of the early church fathers. It was the cantillation modes where the Bible was read in public in a chantlike manner that could be traced to early Christian times. When the early Christians began their worship, they brought with them the chants they sang at the temple and in the early synagogues of ancient Israel.
The meals at the college were very much to my liking - healthy and wholesome. And the conducting seminar that I took was quite stimulating and highly professional. The high quality and caliber of the 40 men and women in my class was clearly impressive.
In the next few days, Gregory and I ate together, sang baritone and bass in the four-part chorus evening programs that were organized at the college, and got to know and appreciate each other.
At the end of the third day, we took the short walk into town, visited the popular local tavern and emptied two large pitchers of beer. We took the long way back to the college, arm in arm, and I think we were singing something resembling “You are My Sunshine.”
We became good friends and corresponded with each other for some time.
Below is a letter that I received from Father Gregory Pilcher:
Meeting Other Conductors
One of the pleasures of being a choir conductor is calling up another conductor and meeting in person. I heard about the work that the Nova University Community Singers was doing in the Fort Lauderdale area, and I called up its conductor, Peggy Barber. The personable and spirited conductor and I met for a wonderful lunch where we enjoyed each other’s company and were on the same page in terms of musical challenge.
I asked Ms. Barber if her chorus of 120 singers would join our 41-voice choir in a presentation of the Bloch “Sacred Service” to our congregation.