<p>“Question. For someone basically interested in church music, from Palestrina, Byrd to Bach, would there be anything at Williams? In Princeton there would be at least Westminster Choir College and perhaps Trinity Church but is there even a sacred space to sing at Williams and more importantly a group likely to share this spirituality without which of course there is no music–c’est le ton qui fait la musique and all that. Daughters chief aim in life seems to be to become a mathematics don and precentor at Christ Church. Too much Alice in Wonderland and Anglican hymnody I suppose.”</p>
<p>Williams has excellent sacred performance spaces in the Thompson Chapel. They have one terrific Renaissance music scholar (Jennifer Bloxsam - who used to homeschool her kids!), and a very fine choral conductor. </p>
<p>But to answer your question, no, if early church music is your d.'s thing, Williams would not be a prime choice. This is something we researched. The best, by some distance, would be Yale (if you could get in) with its Institute of Sacred Music and its Schola Cantorum. This is a place where you will really find a critical mass of folks with like-minded interests. I have also heard that Rice (through the Shepherd School of Music) offers quite a bit in this area, though we didn’t kick the tires. Harvard also has a student-led early opera group which is said to do wonderful work.</p>
<p>Among the LACs, St. Olaf’s has huge choral resources, much of it devoted to early music, and the opportunity to use it. My d. chose Smith partly because of the 5-College Early Music Program, which is headed by the founder of the Folger Consort. He is housed at Mt. Holyoke, but does the bulk of his work at Smith and U.Mass. My d. is his research assistant. There are two “ancient voices” music groups, one of which is all women (spent most of last term on Palestrina motets), one mixed chorus, devoted solely to this music. My d. has sung with them and says they are wonderful. She also does Baroque chamber music with a 5-college group every Friday, and there is instruction in viola de gamba, harpsichord, etc., for those who want it. My d’s job this year was to put together a singable edition of the first opera ever written by a woman - Francesca Caccini - in 1626, and it will be performed next year as part of the 5-College Opera Consortium. Williams just doesn’t have that level of resources, and, with its relative isolation, it is hard to reach out beyond, which is among the reasons she turned them down.</p>
<p>Don’t know if if it is a concern, but for folks very interested in early/Renaissance music, it is also worth checking whether the school has a good enough Italian department to support it.</p>
<p>I don’t know of any “high Anglican” colleges with compulsory chapel, and music resources to support it. You might check on colleges that sponsor “Evensong”. </p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>