Wishart Bryan Bell (born in Canada, currently living in South Bend, Indiana) is an American choral conductor, pianist, music educator, and musicologist. Since 1997, he has been a faculty member at Bethel College, Mishawaka, Indiana.
Bell founded Vesper Chorale in 1993, Vesper Chamber Orchestra in 1999, and the Children's Choir of Michiana in 2004. In 2010 Vesper Chorale Inc. re-organized as Musical Arts Indiana Inc., creating a new parent organization. Based in South Bend, Musical Arts Indiana sponsors Vesper Chorale, Vesper Chamber Orchestra, Consortia, and the Children's Choir of Michiana. Bell has served as artistic director of the organization and conductor since its inception.
How excellent is Thy name," Fantasy Sound, Kitchener, Ontario (1977) OCLC 55972752Emmanuel Chorale; Kenneth Smith, piano; Roger Charman, guitar; Wishart Bell, conductor
"How Can I Keep From Singing?", recording of hymns commissioned by Fine Arts Radio Station WAUS and the Howard Performing Arts Center, Andrews University September, 2007"Lo How a Rose" traditional and modern carols for Christmas, 2001, with Vesper Chorale. Includes settings by Britten, Jacques, Willcocks and others"The Light of the World," unaccompanied sacred choral works, summer 2000. Includes works by Distler, Duruflé, Poulenc, Rains, Shaw/Parker"Holocaust Cantata: Songs from the Camps," DVD recorded and broadcast by Public Television Station WNIT, 2010Mozart’s Requiem: A Guide to Performing Musicians, published in the Journal of the Conductors’ Guild, 2007What is a Church Choir? Article on philosophy of church choral singing, published in The American Organist, the journal of the American Guild of Organists, November 2006Faith as Expressed Through the Arts. Essay calling the modern church to understand the vital role arts can play in worship, published in the The American Organist, January 2007Trinity College, Deerfield, Illinois, 1971Master of Music, American Conservatory of Music, Chicago, 1974Doctor of Musical Arts, American Conservatory of Music, Chicago, 1997