Come, Experience the Arts…
At Westminster Presbyterian Church, we believe that artistic talents are sacred gifts, and that these gifts should be nurtured and shared with others. Our Fine Arts programs allow us to share our love of the arts with our neighbors by hosting music, drama, and dance performances, and visual art exhibits. Through the generosity of the Westminster Foundation and individual patrons, all of our events and concerts are completely free to the public; eliminating the cost-barrier that prevents many people in our community the ability to attend fine arts programming. Thank you for celebrating the arts with us. We invite you to join us for other opportunities when we seek to serve our community in love. If you have any questions please email Aaron Schultz, Director of Music and Arts, by clicking on the button below.
2023/24 Fine Arts Series
2023/24 Fine Arts Series
The Suffrage Project
The Visual Arts Committee presents The Suffrage Project – a series of paintings by Des Moines artist Mary Kline Misol. This body of work – a total of 20 paintings – will be on display in the Sanctuary and in the Gallery on the lower level of the church. The paintings honor the women who as Suffragists, organized a historic drive for civil rights, and won citizenship, political freedom and the right to vote for all women.
August 27 - October 15, 2023
Bluegrass Sunday
September 10, 2023 | 9:15am
Bluegrass Sunday features bluegrass standards, re-tuned hymns, and country classics played by a 5-piece band with rich vocal harmonies.
Te Deum in Concert
Te Deum was founded in Kansas City by Matthew Christopher Shepard in 2008 to fulfill an expressed need by both singers and audiences in the Kansas City area to present sacred choral music concerts of the highest quality. The chamber choir will be singing works by Britten, Burleigh, Parry, Paulus, Bruckner, Wolfe, and a world premiere by Te Deum’s new composer-in-residence, Anthony J. Maglione in an evening program titled "Truer Words".
September 23, 2023 | 7:00pm
Hoot N’ Howl: an organ extravaganza
This event is free and fun for the whole family. Join us in the Commons at 5:45 PM to start the night with games and registration for the costume contest. At 6 PM, organist Juli Bey will start the concert with 15 minutes of kid-friendly tunes and the costume parade. After the costume parade, kids are invited to go down to Westminster Hall for more games and activities. While the kids play, the concert continues in the Sanctuary with a selection of classical and popular organ music played by Juli and guest organists Paul Oftedahl and Stephen Smith from the Central Iowa American Guild of Organists.
October 21, 2023 | 6:00pm
Polaris Wind Quintet was formed in 2000 with members from four different universities and colleges and two major symphony orchestras in Iowa. Polaris has performed extensively across the Midwest and was the 2002 NFA Chamber Music Competition winner—performing in Washington DC. In 2010, Polaris commissioned two new works by the well-know composers Stacey Berk and William Dougherty which they premiered at the historic Salisbury House. Polaris Wind Quintet will be performing a concert titled, Starstruck.
Polaris Wind Quintet
November 5, 2023 | 3:00pm
Intergenerational Band in Worship
Westminster instrumentalists from all ages will lead sacred and patriotic music in this Veteran's Day celebration under the direction of Karla Killinger. This is a treasured annual tradition at the church! If you are interested in playing in the band for this occasion, contact Aaron Schultz, Director of Music and Arts, at aschultz@westpres.org
November 12, 2023 | 9:15am
Westminster Chorale Presents a Christmas Cantata
The Westminster Chorale and a chamber orchestra featuring professional local instrumentalists will lead a service of Advent and Christmas sacred song. They will present “Christmas Dreams” by Joseph M. Martin and Heather Sorenson and orchestration by Stan Pethel. This festive and joyful service is the perfect way to begin your Advent journey.
December 3, 2023 | 9:15am
Central College Candlelight Concert
Central College's A Cappella Choir and Chamber Singers will perform a Christmas Candlelight Concert under the direction of Mark Babcock, a 1991 Central graduate, professor of music and M. Joan Kuyper Farver Endowed Chair in Music. Tickets are free for Westminster Members and Fine Art Series Patrons. Call the church office at 515-274-1534 to reserve your tickets!
December 7, 2023 | 7:30pm
One of the most beloved services of the liturgical year, the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Westminster offers traditional Christmas carols and anthems by the Westminster Chorale and Handbell Choir accompanied by a professional string quartet. It concludes with the singing of Silent Night by candlelight. We hope you can make Westminster a part of your Christmas tradition!
Christmas Eve at Westminster
December 24, 2023 | 9:00pm
Juniper Trio is a flute, viola, and harp ensemble aiming to share the beauty of this instrumentation’s unique sound and repertoire. Drawing from their experience as soloists, chamber musicians, and members of the Des Moines Symphony, Hannah Peterson, Benjamin Burgdorf, and Erin Brooker-Miller bring lively musical dialogue into the chamber ensemble setting.
Juniper Trio in Concert
February 25, 2024 | 3:00pm
Easter Sunday is the pinnacle of the liturgical calendar and will be celebrated with joyous hymns, choral music, powerful selections on the organ, handbells, and a brass quintet. Join us as we announce Christ’s Resurrection!
Easter at Westminster
March 31, 2024 | 8:45 & 11:00am
Easter Sunday isn’t the end of the celebration. Westminster’s traditional Sunday-after-Easter Jazz service continues this Eastertide celebration. Jazz Sunday will feature the much-loved music of the Big Band era! This year, Karla Killinger will bring back musicians and music from her father’s Big Band.
Jazz Sunday
April 7, 2024 | 9:15am
Almost, Maine is a play by John Cariani, comprising nine short plays that explore love and loss in a remote, mythical almost-town called Almost, Maine. It premiered at the Portland Stage Company in Portland, Maine in 2004, where it broke box office records and garnered critical acclaim. This fully staged play will feature talent from the Chapel Theatre Guild and is directed by Christine Jensen.
Almost, Maine by John Cariani
April 25, 26, 27, 2024 | 7:00pm
This season's Spring Cantata, featuring music from the Westminster Chorale and chamber orchestra, will celebrate arrangements of hymnody that has shaped our faith over the years. Attendees will hear new arrangements from notable composers in sacred music, stories about how beloved hymns were composed, and opportunities to sing your favorite songs of the Christian church.
A Celebration of Hymnody
May 19, 2024 | 9:15am
The Church Year: Organ Music from Advent to Christ the King
Celebrate the seasons of the church year through song! Featuring Westminster's Dobson organ, Juli Bey will play music drawn from a variety of eras, nationalities, and contexts in order to highlight themes from major events in the liturgical calendar.
June 9, 2024 | 3:00pm
Become a Fine Arts Series Patron Today
The Fine Arts Series is brought to you through the generosity of the Westminster Foundation, individual patrons and corporate donations. This enables us to bring a variety of events and experiences to the community at no cost to the individual. During these uncertain economic times, you may not be in a position to give financially. And that is OK! You can become a patron of the arts by supporting artists through viewing the concerts and connecting with their work. If you are in a position to give financially, we do need your help to continue providing quality programming into the future. You can do so by one of the following options:
Give by Text
Simply text
WPCDSM to 73256
Give Online
To give online, click HERE and follow the link to complete your gift. Make sure to designate “Fine Arts” when making your donation
Give by Phone
To give by telephone or establish a monthly gift, call 515-274-1534
Give by Mail
To give by check, make check payable to "Westminster Fine Arts Series" and send to:
Westminster Presbyterian Church
4114 Allison Ave
Des Moines, IA 50310
Free Concerts On-Demand
During this time of quarantine and social distancing, our Fine Arts Series is taking a different shape this year. We still want to make high quality musical programming available to you this season. The Mini Concert Series will feature short and intimate virtual concerts; captured in spaces such as a living room, recording studio, or chapel. Westminster has a long history of supporting music and the arts, and during this time of cancelled concerts and lost gigs, we are excited to continue supporting musicians and artists during these uncertain times.
*Note: For the best viewing experience, play the videos in 1080p60HD and listen through quality headphones
Mini Concert # 9
40th Anniversary Organ Celebration
Juli Bey - Organ
Concert Order:
-Fanfare and Cortége - By: Michael McCabe (00:27)
-Sonata No. 5 in D Major Opus 65 - By: Felix Mendelssohn (04:52)
-Alma Redemptoris Mater, Opus 45, No. 5 - By: Marcel Dupré (13:44)
-Ave Verum Corpus, Opus 45, No. 6 - Marcel Dupré (16:35)
-Forget Me Not - By: J.S. Bach - featuring Aaron Schultz, tenor (19:14)
Mini Concert #8
Erin Brooker-Miller, harpist
Concert Order:
Preludes 1,5 and 10 from 12 Preludes for Harp by Jean-Michel Damase (1:28)
Andante from Violin Sonata no. 2 by J.S. Bach, trans. Marcel Grandjany (6:32)
Piece for Harp by Sergei Prokofiev (11:16)
Prelude in C, Op. 12 No. 7 by Sergei Prokofiev (14:23)
In A Landscape by John Cage (17:24)
Planxty Hewlett into Gan Ainm by Turlough O'Carolan, Traditional Irish Jig (26:49)
Loftus Jones by Turlough O'Carolan (29:37)
To connect with Erin’s work, visit her website at www.erinbrookermiller.com
Mini Concert # 7
Metro Brass Quintet
Concert Order:
-Gallito - By: Santiago Lope (00:39)
-What Saith My Dainty Darling - BY: Thomas Morley, Arr. John Sens (3:53)
-Flower Duet - By: Léo Delibes, Arr. Mervin Tay (5:12)
-Ave Verum Corpus - By: Mozart, Arr. Larry Mills-Gahl (7:56)
-Talking to the Moon - By: Bruno Mars, Arr. Melody Dawning (10:49)
-Don't Get Around Much Anymore - By: Duke Ellington, Arr. Jim Goodwin (14:28)
-The Music of George Gershwin - Arr. Zachary Smith (17:57)
-Sophisticated Lady - By: Duke Ellington (24:39)
-Captain of the Port - By: John Sens (27:02)
-I'll Fly Away with Do, Lord - Arr. Robert Tindle (29:42)
Metro Brass Quintet are:
Trumpet 1 - Doug Bown
Trumpet 2 - Ben McCartney
Horn - Joy Lucas
Tenor Trombone - Josh Deutmeyer
Bass Trombone - John Sens
Mini Concert #6
An Tran - Classical Guitarist
Concert Order:
J.S. Bach: Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1 (00:02)
Dang Ngoc Long: Remembrance (02:37)
Heitor Villa-Lobos: Prelude No. 3 (06:40)
Vietnamese Traditional (arr. Nguyen The An): Stay, My Beloved (09:34)
To connect with An Tran’s work, visit his website at www.antran.org
Mini Concert # 5
Kathy and Company - Local Des Moines String Quartet
Concert Order:
-Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor 2nd movement By J.S. Bach
-Interludium in Modo Antico By Alexander K Glazounow Revised by Alfred Pochon
-Ashokan Farewell By Jay Ungar Arranged by J. Nurse
-Concerto VIII Opus 6 By Arcangelo Corelli
Kathy and Company are:
Kathy Naja - Violin 1
Kris Shay - Violin 2
Brad Benson - Viola
Curtis Barr - Cello
Mini Concert # 4
Hoot N’ Howl: An Organ Extravaganza!
Featuring Westminster Organist Juli Bey
Concert Order:
-Grand Jeu avec le Tonnerre from Pièces pour l'orgue: Suite du II Ton by Michel Corrette le fils (1707-1795)
-Fugue No. 3 in G Minor from Six Fugues on the Name BACH Op. 60 by Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
-Funeral March of a Marionette by Charles Gounod (1818-1893)
-Prelude and Fugue in A Minor BWV 559 by J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
-Toccata in B Minor from 10 Pièces pour orgue by Eugène Gigout (1844-1925)
Mini Concert #3
ClearJoy Music - Anna and Elaina Steenon
Concert Order:
-Foggy Dew/Morrison’s Jig/The Butterfly (0:16) Arr. Elaina and Anna Steenson
-Josephin’s Waltz (3:40) Arr. Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas
-Calliope House (9:43) Arr. Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas
-The Parting Glass (17:05) Arr. Elaina and Anna Steeson
To connect with ClearJoy Music’s work, visit their website at www.clearjoymusic.com
Mini Concert #2
Juli Bey - Westminster Organist
Concert Order: Maestoso from 4 Osterpraeludien (Easter Preludes) by Robert Führer
Larghetto by Charles Wesley
Three Interludes by Starling Goodwin
Les Cloches III by Ad Wammes
Mini Concert #1
Natalie Sherer - Concert Pianist
Concert Order:
-Nocturne, Op. 54, No 4 by Edvard Grieg
-Nocturne in C-sharp minor by Frédéric Chopin.
-Prelude in D major, Op 23 No 4 by Sergei Rachmaninoff
To connect with Natalie’s work, visit her website at www.nataliesherer.com
A Time to Rejoin and Rejoice
The Visual Arts Committee presents their second online art exhibit, “A Time to Rejoice and Rejoice.” The committee invited Westminster artists to share their artistic endeavors during the pandemic, and submissions were received from 10 artists in preparation for the church’s reopening after over a year of virtual-only worship and ministries. Artists were invited to create works that would express the joy of being together, their hopes for a brighter future, and their gratitude for God’s grace and presence through the pandemic journey.
Pandemic Expressions
The Visual Arts Committee presents our church’s first-ever online art exhibit, “Pandemic Expressions.” The committee invited Westminster artists to share their artistic endeavors during the pandemic, and submissions were received from 15 individuals representing a broad range of ages. The works reflect the artists’ thoughts and feelings during this unprecedented time in history. A wide variety of art is included – paintings, drawings, fabric art, mixed media, photography, and more.
Director of Music and Art
Aaron Schultz
Aaron Schultz joined Westminster’s staff in 2019. He has a BM-Music in Worship from North Park University in Chicago, IL and a MA in Music Ministry from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. Aaron is particularly interested in how liturgy and worship music respects and reflects Christianity’s rich history while also speaking truth into our particularity and ecumenical sharing of experiencing God. To learn more about Aaron’s work, you can visit his website Liturgy of Being by clicking on the button below.
More Arts at Westminster
The Anchor Coffee House is a relaxed, family-friendly venue featuring local, regional and nationally known folk, bluegrass, and blues artists.
Free child care is provided at each performance. For tickets, info, and list of artists, click HERE.
Westminster also is home to a Visual Arts Gallery space and showcases new monthly exhibits on the lower level of the church.