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The Heart of Illinois Chorus is
a women-only group affiliated
with Sweet Adelines Internation-
al, which has more than 25,000
members worldwide performing
in female choruses.
The group, which calls itself
“the Hearts” for short, was char-
tered in January, 1982, and has
about 60 members as young as
14 who sing four-part harmony
a cappella, arranged in a barber-
shop style. This is a group that
enjoys competition; it has won
four Sweet Adelines regional
championships and has compet-
ed on international stages.
Like the Orpheus
Club men, the Heart of
Illinois Chorus finds its
membership from among
women who love to sing.
It has an open invitation
to join it in rehearsals on
Tuesday nights in the
Performing Arts Center
at Illinois Center College.
The group is currently
looking for a new direc-
tor as its annual fall show
approaches in October,
according to its website,
but is still available to be
booked to perform.
There are several
mixed choral groups in
the Peoria region, as well.
The largest is the Peoria
Civic Chorale, which is
celebrating its 30th sea-
son this year. It has grown from a
small ensemble when it started in
1982 to a group of more than 90
singers from towns throughout
the region.
Under the direction of David
German the Peoria Civic Chorale
performs a wide variety of music,
“from Renaissance to contem-
porary, art music to folk and
pop, and Broadway to jazz,” its
website says.
The group’s mission statement
reads:
“To develop, create, produce
and perform a diverse repertoire
of the highest quality presented
in the most professional manner
for the enjoyment, entertainment,
aesthetic enrichment and educa-
tion of its members, its audiences,
and those who live in the com-
munities it serves.”
The Pekin Civic Chorus has
been entertaining audiences for
more than 50 years with bi-
annual concerts of music and
song largely devoted to musical
theatre.
The Pekin Civic Chorus was
formed in 1953 as part of the Pe-
kin Orchestra and Choral Society
by it first director, Harry Langley.
That year the chorus gave its
first performance with the Pekin
Symphony Orchestra, when they
presented “The Messiah.”
Proceeds from Pekin Civic
Chorus concerts are used to
fund the Norma I. Yock Annual
Scholarship, which was started in
1987 and is given to a Pekin Com-
munity High School outstand-
ing music student who plans to
pursue a career in music.
In addition to the scholarship,
more than $186,000 has been
give to many community groups
and the chorus has also donated
much of its sheet music to the
Pekin High School music depart-
ment.
The Morton Civic Cho-
rus doesn’t require its
members to audition and
welcomes new members
each January, when it
starts rehearsing for its
main show in late May.
Proceeds from the
show, which includes
multiple performances,
benefit the Central Il-
linois Memorial Kidney
Fund and have done
so since the group was
founded in 1972.
The group, which has
nearly 60 members, is
directed by Denise Adams. She
has been with the Morton Civic
Chorus for 28 years.
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thePeorian.com
The Present