Free and Open to the Public. Donations accepted at the door.

Founded in 2012 by Dr. Catherine Roma, the World House Choir is a diverse, multi-cultural, mixed-voice choir of 80-90 active citizen singers. The choir’s repertoire is drawn from the music of peace and justice struggles worldwide, representing different traditions including classical, global folk music, spirituals, and gospel.

Our name is inspired by the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, who wrote, “We have inherited a large house, a great world house in which we have to learn to live together in peace.” The name refers to the choice each person must make – to live in community or chaos, particularly in a nation where racial stereotypes remain strong and multiculturalism a work-in-progress.

The Rev. Derrick Weston and Dr. Catherine Roma met in the summer of 2012. They were encouraged to meet one another because people felt they had the same focus about creating a peace and justice choir. Rev. Weston was Director of the Coretta Scott King [CSK] Center and minister of the Presbyterian church in Yellow Springs, Ohio. In September 2012, they worked together to form an embryonic choir that sang for world peace day celebration at the Presbyterian Church.

After that successful effort, a mission statement was created: “To perform music that motivates and inspires our communities toward justice, diversity and equality as we strive for peace and to create our web of mutuality.” Rev. Weston and Dr. Roma wanted the choir to be associated with the Coretta Scott King Center at Antioch College and embarked on a collaboration.

The choir grew throughout 2013. The first major collaboration was for the CSK birthday celebration at the CSK Center at Antioch College in April 2013. This was considered the “official” launch of the choir and the beginning of the public phase of our collaboration. From the beginning, Antioch College has graciously provided practice space first in the CSK Center and, as our numbers grew, in the Foundry Theater. Today, the World House Choir is proud to be one of the Artist-in-Resident companies activating the Foundry Theater and its mission.