Leadership
The Chorus of Westerly was founded in 1959 by George Kent. Kent has served as music and artistic director of the Chorus since its founding. Kent will step down and retire from his post on June 30, 2012.
In addition to his current position with the Chorus, current director George Kent is organist and choirmaster at Christ Episcopal Church, Westerly, RI, and Professor of Music at the University of Rhode Island. Previous posts include time as assistant music director and acting music director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic. Kent also toured extensively throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with acclaimed trumpet player Edward Tarr and recorded several albums with Tarr for trumpet (Tarr) and organ (Kent). Kent was the recipient of a Martha Baird Rockefeller Grant in 1968 which allowed him to study with Sir David Willcocks at King's College, Cambridge.
Kent's awards during his tenure with the Chorus include: Rhode Island's Governor's Arts Award (1988), the Award for Excellence in Music from the South County Center for the Arts (1998), the Lifetime Achievement Award from Choral Arts, New England (1999) and the History Maker’s Salute Award from the R.I. Historical Society (2001).More recently, Mr. Kent received the Arts & Business Council of Rhode Island’s Award for Individual Achievement (2004) and was named a distinguished alumni by New England Conservatory (2003). In May 2006, Mr. Kent received the prestigious Pell Award. The Pell Awards honor Senator Claiborne Pell and recognize artistic excellence both in Rhode Island and nationally. In 1996, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from New York’s General Theological Seminary for his outstanding contribution to church music in America.
In March 2012, after a national search, the Chorus appointed Andrew Howell as its second music director. Howell is a former child singer of the Chorus of Westerly and a current director of the University of Rhode Island Chorus. Howell begins his post as music director in July 2012.
Ryan Saunders, another former child singer of the Chorus, has served as the organization's managing executive director since July 2009.
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