Westminster Choir College Presents An Evening with John Bell

Westminster Choir College of Rider University will present John Bell, one of the world’s leading exponents of congregational song, on Tuesday, October 12 at 8 p.m. in Bristol Chapel on the Westminster campus in Princeton.

He will lead an inspiring session of repertoire from the developing world.

John Bell was born in and resides in the Isle of Iona off the western coast of Scotland.  He has long been associated with the Iona Community, an international, ecumenical Christian community of men and women with headquarters in Glasgow, Scotland. It maintains several residential centers, including Iona Abbey, on the Scottish island of Iona, which the community restored early in its history. First established in the 5th century, the original Iona Abbey may have been the birthplace of the famous "Book of Kells" illuminated manuscript. The Iona Community draws its membership from many different Christian groups and from all walks of life. It is especially well known for its commitments to peace and justice issues and for its innovative approaches to Christian worship.

Mr. Bell is a liturgical composer who writes co-operatively with colleagues in Glasgow. He has a deep interest in music from non-European cultures. With his colleagues, he has produced over 15 collections of songs and octavos, and a wide range of liturgical materials, particularly for use by lay people. He has also written a number of collections of sermons and mediations, and he is an occasional broadcaster on radio and television.

This event, which is part of Westminster’s Sacred Music colloquium series, is open to the public at no charge. Westminster Choir College is located at 101 Walnut Lane in Princeton, NJ. For updates visit www.rider.edu/arts.