(OCEAN CITY, NJ) -- The Masterworks Choir presents "Singing Hearts," featuring works by Rutter, Chilcott, Consolacion, Nestor, Vaughan Williams, Bernstein, Copland and more, with a special performance by The Masterworks Summer Bell Choir, on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church. Showtime is 7:30pm.
Masterworks Choir was formed in 1970 as the vision of Esther Weil and the Ocean City Arts Center as a group of community singers that gathered once a year to sing George Handel’s Messiah. Over the past 55 years, Masterworks has remained primarily an oratorio chorus performing classical works by composers such as Mendelssohn, Mozart, Bach, Brahams and Haydn.
In recent years, the choir has expanded the repertoire to include contemporary works such as Rishel’s Mass of the Children, written after the Oklahoma bombing, Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass and works by John Rutter. The choir remains a group of volunteer singers from Cape May and Atlantic Counties, of varied ethnic and professional backgrounds, of varied musical abilities. The choir rehearses and performs at St Peter’s United Methodist Church under the direction of Musical Director and Conductor John Bate. Organist and Accompanist is Glenn Kinckner. The Masterworks Bell Choir is under the direction of Kathy Heller.
St Peter’s sanctuary is the favored venue because of its size and acoustics, accommodating the choir and orchestra, as well as the quality of the pipe organ. Today, the choir presents two concerts a year. During the holiday season the choir ventures into the community to perform at smaller venues such as senior and community centers in Ocean City.
The church is located at 501 E. 8th Street (8th Street and Central Avenues) in Ocean City, New Jersey. A freewill offering will be accepted. Handicapped parking and an accessible entrance is available from the rear parking lot. For more information, please call 609-399-2988.
Masterworks Choir was formed in 1970 as the vision of Esther Weil and the Ocean City Arts Center as a group of community singers that gathered once a year to sing George Handel’s MESSIAH at a local church. Over the past 50 years, Masterworks has remained primarily an oratorio chorus performing classical works by composers such as Mendelssohn, Mozart, Bach, Brahams and Haydn.
In recent years, the Choir has expanded the repertoire to include contemporary works such as Rishel’s Mass of the Children, written after the Oklahoma bombing, Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass and works by John Rutter. The Choir remains a group of volunteer singers from Cape May and Atlantic Counties, of varied ethnic and professional backgrounds, of varied musical abilities. The Choir rehearses and performs at St Peter’s United Methodist Church in Ocean City, NJ.
St Peter’s sanctuary is the favored venue because of its size and acoustics, accommodating the Choir and Orchestra, as well as the quality of the pipe organ. Today, the Choir presents two concerts a year. During the Holiday season they venture into the community to perform at smaller venues such as Senior and community centers in Ocean City.
Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts of the Department of State, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the Cape May County Department of Tourism, Publich Information and Cultural Heritage.
