Westminster Choir Director Spends Week Conducting in Ecuador

Sharon Rotuna, director of the Westminster College Women's Choir, spent last week (Nov. 13-19) conducting Coro Latinoamericano, Pittsburgh's Latin America Choir, in Quito, Equador, as part of Cantapueblo, an annual music festival which features choirs from around the world.

Rotuna took on the role of conductor of this unique group of 20 members in July when she heard they needed someone to help prepare this group for the festival. In addition to her duties with this group and at Westminster, she is also an assistant conductor of the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh and a music teacher at Aquinas Academy in Wildwood.

"As the first multi-national folk choir from the United States to participate in Cantapueblo, Coro Latinoamericano is both honored and proud," said Rotuna. "We're a group with diverse backgrounds. Many of us were born in Latin America, and others in the United States. We united in culture and song, and now we have a chance to vocalize our pride in America, as well as help shape harmony and good will worldwide."

The program presented in Ecuador included many songs from Venezuela, Argentina, Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador, and Boliva, as well as an African-American spiritual and a tribute to Pittsburgh-born composer Stephen Foster.

For more information, contact Rotuna at (724) 946-7275 or e-mail rotunas@westminster.edu.