Verne Windham

Verne Windham was always destined to be part of a church choir.  He joined the First Lutheran choir in Moscow (conducted by his father) as a boy soprano.  As his voice changed he moved to alto, then tenor until he landed on bass. As a senior in high school his dad moved aside and let Verne try it.  After all, he had been conducting the pep band all through high school.   When Verne arrived at the Eastman School of Music as a freshman he answered an ad and spent his college time conducting the First Lutheran Church choir in Rochester. An add-on during this time was his final year there conducting the Rochester Liederkranz Society Men's Choir.  That was every Thursday night balancing Limburger cheese, beer, and singing. 

When he served in the army band in NY, he spent most Sundays attending the church on Central Park West which offered a Bach Cantata each week. After returning to the west to play Principal Horn with the Spokane Symphony he eventually found a great singer, Susan, to marry. With her they spent a year in Iowa where he conducted the First Presbyterian Choir.  When they returned in 1986, Margie May Ott drew him to Westminster UCC as choir director. After 12 years he took a break for his intense love affair conducting the Spokane Youth Orchestra.  He couldn't stay away from choir directing and was pleased to return To Westminster. Even though he has just retired from his other career with Spokane Public Radio, he is really happy and fulfilled making music with the wonderful people at Westminster.