The 2020 Choral Institute at Oxford

James Jordan and James Whitbourn, Co-Directors

July 7–16, 2020

with Steve Pilkington, Director of the Associate Conductor Program and Guest Artists, Corey Everly, Makoto Fujimura, and Jay Carter

The Eighth Year of the renowned Choral Institute at Oxford will continue in its tradition of the teaching and understanding of Choral Artistry under the direction of Co-Directors James Jordan and James Whitbourn. Once again, the Grammy-nominated Westminster Williamson Voices will be in residence. For the past seven years, more than 150 conductors have experienced the magic of Oxford and St. Stephen’s House. As with each year of CIO, in addition to our returning Oxford faculty, there are new approaches presented this year in addition to intensive conducting study and masterclasses. World-acclaimed artist and Culture Care advocate Makoto Fujimura returns again this year to CIO for his inspirational work with our conductors.



Makoto Fujimura at this year’s Sundance Festival

New Westminster faculty member, the renowned countertenor Jay Carter will present lectures along with the returning CIO esteemed faculty. The program for Associate Conductors will be guided by Steve Pilkington and Jason Vodicka.



Jay Carter, Countertenor

This year, conductors, associates and observers will gain insight into the sound of the Westminster Williamson Voices. The technicalities of how sound is built, along with interpretative and performance insights will be led by James Whitbourn, James Jordan, Steve Pilkington, Jason Vodicka and Corey Everly. Mr. Everly, singer, collaborative pianist and conductor has worked alongside Dr. Jordan since 2012 and is the Vocal Coach/Associate Artistic Director for The Same Stream Choir, a choir of Westminster Williamson Voices alumni that will have four CDs released by year’s end. Most of the applications will be drawn from The Anatomy of Tone of which Mr. Everely is one of the contributing authors. Dr. Vodicka is the author of texts applying not only Music Learning Theory to the Choral Rehearsal but aspects of Critical pedagogy into the rehearsal process.

This year, Composer James Whitbourn will provide insights into his work The Seven Heavens based upon the writings of C.S. Lewis, focusing on four of its movements, Moon, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. Read more.

Among the wide array of lectures for conductors, associates and observers will be lectures revolving around James Jordan’s newest book, The Musician’s Being, written in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of The Musician’s Soul. CIO participants will be the first to experience the new major ideas in this volume.

“I have attended virtually every program for conducting study in this country. The Choral Music Institute at Oxford is better than all of them combined! The experience of this place and this choir and this faculty has changed my life.”

Read more Testimonials to learn how others have been profoundly impacted by their experience at the Choral Institute at Oxford.

For information about registration contact Marci Risch [email protected]. For information about the program contact James Jordan at [email protected].