Northwestern Choir


We seek to glorify, unify, and inspire through our choral music.

Northwestern Choir students singing

Conducted by Timothy Sawyer, the Northwestern Choir is an auditioned mixed ensemble of 50–75 upper division student voices. The choir performs primarily sacred a cappella music of all style periods and occasionally presents major choral works with the UNW Orchestra.

Devoted to the highest level of choral performance, Northwestern Choir seeks to sing from the heart and to glorify God in every aspect of their music and life together in Christian community. Our mission is to bring the light of Christ through God-honoring, dynamic, choral music. Our performances span cozy hometown venues to the greatest cathedrals in Europe.

Choral Music from the Heart

Glorification • Unification • Inspiration

In the Northwestern choral program, we believe we are called to glorify God, to be united in the love of Christ, and to live by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we sing, we seek to grow together unified in song, ultimately impacting our community and world.

“. . . that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ.”
– Colossians 2:2

We believe our music-making is an act of relational stewardship:

To God Himself – an Audience of One
Therefore, I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.
– II Samuel 22:50

To one another
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
– Ephesians 5:19-20

To music and the artistic process
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. . . . Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
– Galatians 5:22-26

To our audiences
Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.
– Psalm 102:18

For the building of the Kingdom of God
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.
– Matthew 6:33 Soli Deo gloria (To the glory of God alone)

Northwestern Choir Recent Tours


2019 South Dakota
2018 Europe: Baltic States
2017 Florida
2016 Minn., North Dakota, South Dakota
2015 Wisconsin
2014 Czech Republic and Hungary