About the Westford Chorus

Bringing choral music to Westford and beyond

Since its founding in 1983, the Westford Chorus has transcended the boundaries of community chorus by performing diverse and challenging works ranging from Mozart's Requiem to P.D.Q. Bach's The Seasonings, from Renaissance polyphony to Spanish Christmas carols, from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana to 1940s swing, to costumed productions of favorites such as Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, and Bizet's Carmen. The Chorus has sung with orchestral backup, 18-piece swing bands, and eclectic world music groups such as Urban Myth.

Westford Chorus is supported in part by grants from the Westford Cultural Council and Chelmsford Cultural Council, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. The Westford Cultural Council presented a 2019 Certificate of Recognition(opens in new tab) to the Chorus "In Recognition of excellence in the arts and community service".

Westford Chorus is a member of the

• Central Massachusetts Choral Consortium www.MassChoral.org(opens in new tab)
  and
• Greater Boston Choral Consortium www.bostonsings.org(opens in new tab)

Leading the chorus

Leah Bergquist, Interim Director

She currently serves as the music department head and middle school choir director at Trinity Christian School. She also teaches private flute and piano lessons through Trinity Music Academy in Concord, NH. Her passion for choral music extends beyond the classroom; she has directed church choirs since 2015 and currently serves as the choir director at The Church of the Open Bible in Burlington, MA

A lifelong musician, Leah enjoys continuing to grow both as a performer and conductor. She regularly attends and participates in a variety of musical performances and looks forward to participating in a choral event at Carnegie Hall in New York City this coming June.

Outside of her professional musical pursuits, she enjoys finding creative ways to relax—often with music nearby—and is an avid knitter whose skills continue to grow. She and her husband have the privilege of raising their two boys in Windham, NH

Terry Halco, Assistant Director

Terry is an active accompanist, vocal coach, organist and singer in the Boston area. Originally from Ohio, he received his musical training at Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio and at the New England Conservatory of Music.

In addition to Westford Chorus, Mr. Halco is the accompanist and assistant conductor for Musica Sacra (Cambridge), and accompanist for Chorus pro Musica (Boston) and the choruses of the University of Massachusetts in Boston.  He also serves as the Music Director at Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church in Cambridge.  He has been the accompanist for the Polymnia Choral Society in Melrose, the Emerson College Chorale, and the Simmons College Chorale.

Terry has arranged music for the Chorus, including "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" by George and Ira Gershwin, and the old Appalachian Carol "Jesus, Jesus Rest your Head." As a singer, he has performed with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and the vocal ensemble Capella Alamire.  His recordings include Kurt Weill's Johnny Johnson, directed by Joel Cohen on the Erato label, and The Early Josquin, directed by Peter Urquhart on the Dorian label.

James Barkovic, Music Director Emeritus

Jim lead the Westford Chorus as Music Director from 2009 until he retired in 2026.  Jim was enthusiastically received by all the singers for his conducting, teaching, and playing skills and his engaging and humorous personality that embraced all members of the chorus.  We are very fortunate to have had such a talented leader for so long.

In addition to directing the Westford Chorus, he was the Music Director at West Concord Union Church and Holy Family Parish, both in Concord MA. He also served as the Assistant Conductor and Accompanist for the Spectrum Singers, Chapel Organist and Instructor of Organ at Middlesex School, and Choir Director at Congregation B’nai Shalom in Westborough.

Mr. Barkovic received his Master of Music in Piano Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Stephen Drury, performed in master classes for Leonard Shure and Veronica Jochum, and studied organ improvisation with William Porter. A native of Minnesota, he received his undergraduate diploma from St. Olaf College, with concentrations in music theory and history.