News & Events

Community Choir Fall Festival:

September 15-16, 2012
Festival of Community Choirs and others from surrouning areas, great music, great fun, Decorah

Home for Christmas Concert:

Is scheduled for December 2, 2012 at 7:00 PM.
Come enjoy the beginning of this wonderful season with us.

Christmas with the Winona Hims:

To be held in Winona, MN on December 9, 2012 at 1:30 PM.
Put this on your schedule now, it will be worth the drive.

Community Choir Fall Festival Information

On September 15-16, 2012, the Decorah Chorale will host a "fall festival of community choirs", a choral music festival event that will include performances by four of the finest community choirs in the Midwest; the Ames Choral Society, the Milwaukee Choristers, Sing Omaha, and the Decorah Chorale. Guest conductors for the festival will include Weston Noble, Dr. Allen Hightower (Luther College), Dr. James Kinchen (University of Wisconsin Parkside), Steve Hoifeldt (Ames), and Matt Hill (Omaha).

The two day event will culminate on Sunday afternoon with a grand festival concert at 1:30 pm, at the First Lutheran Church In Decorah. Each choir will perform separately, then sing in mass, selections of inspirational choral literature especially chosen for this event. Prior to the Sunday afternoon concert, the choirs will participate in several morning church services in the Decorah area.

Selections for the 180 voice mass choir will include "Lamentations of Jeremiah" by Stroope, "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross" by Gilbert Martin, and "O Lord God" by Tchesnokov. Festival accompanist will by Clara Byom; festival organist is Dietrich Jessen.

Questions or more information about the festival may be addressed to Julie Vulk............ Decorah Chorale festival coordinator.

Welcome to the 2012-13 Season of Decorah Chorale

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The Decorah Chorale, founded and directed by John Bay, is a group of community members who love to sing. Our community currently includes Northeast Iowa and Southeast Minnesota. We practice each Sunday evening during the fall, winter, and spring seasons. The director and all members volunteer our time and energy for the group. Our performances are for community and charitable benefit.

If you need an evening of wonderful music, please attend our concert.

If you love to sing, please come and check us out. Talk to any current Decorah Chorale member, contact John Bay, or email the webmaster.

Future of Our Chorale

The Decorah Chorale looks forward to special guest conductors and workshops with new musicians and old friends, and continue to invite guests to help the Chorale to expand its musical abilities and knowledge. Past Guests include Mr. Weston Noble, Dr. James Kinchen, Z. Randall Stroope, Dr. Allen Hightower of Luther College, Mr. Bob Chilcott of The King's Singers and others. The Chorale also seeks to find other locations for performances, and has been invited to future performances overseas.

Founder and Music Director of the Decorah Chorale is Mr. John Bay

Recent Performances

Our Spring Concert was held at St. Benedicts Church in Decorah on May 6th. This year the Chorale was joined by two great groups. First, the Wynona Hims, a wonderful all men's gospel singing group from Wynona, MN. Also performing were "Two Toes and a Thumb", a wonderful string trio of middle school age girls, Katie Parez and Carina Yee on Violin and Katelyn Yee on Cello, who all play like masters! We all enjoyed presenting this variety of music, and received many wonderful complements.

On Sunday, April. 22, 2012 the Chorale was honored to present a concert at Hardies Creek Lutheran Church, Ettrick, Wisconsin. It is a small country church, but a wonderful place to perform and an even more wonderful and appreciative audience. We enjoyed treats and conversation afterward with the people of this community.

The Chorale had their annual Home for Christmas concert on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011 at Decorah Lutheran Church. Guest performers were Husband and wife pianists Du Huang and Xiao Hu who have performed in concert halls in Europe, Asia, and the United States. They are universally acclaimed as one of the finest piano duos ever heard. Also performing with us was the The Vivo String Quintet made up of local talent: Jonathon Winter - violin, Aubrey Ellickson - violin, Emma Breitenstein - viola, Rebecca Alcock - cello, Erica Bjelland - bass. The comment was made that this was one of the best concerts yet!