The Little Traverse Choral Society (LTCS) began in 1986 as a group of sixteen vocalists singing around a piano in a private home. They called themselves the Little Traverse Chamber Singers. In March 1989 the group changed its name to the Little Traverse Choral Society and filed Articles of Incorporation as a non profit organization. The LTCS is recognized as a 501(c) (3) non profit organization by the Internal Revenue Service. The LTCS received its tax exempt status in February 1994.  

The LTCS began its tradition of community giving in 1986 by hosting the first “Messiah Sing”, a Messiah sing-a-long in which community members brought their musical scores and came to sing along with the LTCS. The LTCS provided the soloists, organist and on this occasion, the accompaniment of the Little Traverse Orchestra. This tradition continued through 2001. In 2002 the LTCS and the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra presented a performance of the Messiah.  

The LTCS is known for its performance of signature classical pieces. A sampling of selections the ensemble has performed includes Schubert’s Mass in G Major, Bach’s Magnificat, Haydn’s The Creation and The Seven Last Words of Christ, Poulenc’s Gloria, Mozart’s Requiem and the Bach Kantate 150. The LTCS has also performed the works of contemporary composers such as John Rutter, Aaron Copeland, Ralph Vaughan Williams and has premiered compositions by local artists: Thomas Woehrmann’s Chorale Prelude on St. Crispin and Jerry Westerman’s American Requiem based on letters and poems of servicemen during the Viet Nam War which were published in the book Dear America.

 The LTCS joined the Michigan Opera Theatre in the 1991 and 1993 Opera-In-Residence Tours.  The LTCS was the chorus for MOT’s Petoskey performances of Verdi’s La Traviata and Rossini’s La Cenerentola ( Cinderella). LTCS singers were rehearsed by MOT staff, and wore  professional costumes and stage make up for the productions.

On the lighter side, the LTCS has performed dinner theater at the Terrace Inn at Bay View and the Perry Hotel. Musical entertainment ranged from madrigals, opera choruses, and Broadway hits to Peter Schickele’s P.D.Q. Bach’s Oedipus Tex.

 The LTCS has been ably served by music directors Fran Tollas, Jerry Westerman, Jeffrey Bell-Hanson,
Gig Stewart, Katharine Trumble, Jim Owen, Bradley Moffatt, Dr. Tim Hendrickson and Julie Pierpont.
The group’s membership has also been fortunate to include well known area vocalists Mary D. Bowman, Eleanor and Greg Hill, Helene Kleymeer, Robin Kredell, Randy Marquardt, Heather Marvin, Mary Michelsen, Julie Pierpont, Peter Sims, Steve Spencer, and June Zoerhof.  All have contributed greatly to the performance of challenging classical compositions in Northern Michigan.
 

Mission

The purpose of the organization is to enhance the cultural life of northern lower Michigan by performing classical and contemporary choral works of distinction. Our goals are to inspire, educate, and expand the musical awareness and appreciation of both singers and audiences; and to promote lifelong involvement in choral music by encouraging the participation of singers of all ages. Our membership includes approximately 70 voices ranging in age from 14 to 80, representing communities from Cheboygan to East Jordan. Membership is open to all without audition. 

The LTCS also strives to pass the love of classical music on to the next generation. The LTCS has presented free children’s concerts to expose area students to quality choral music. Students from Boyne City Middle School, Concord Academy, Harbor Springs Shay Elementary School, Petoskey Central and Sheridan Elementary Schools, and St. Francis Xavier School have attended our children’s concerts. 

The LTCS has invited local children’s choirs to join us in performances. In the November 2004 concert, the Children’s Choir of Shay Elementary School sang two numbers with the adult ensemble. In the December 2007 concert, the Petoskey Public Schools Elementary Enrichment Chorus under the direction of Stephanie Asiala-Gross, performed a set of classical pieces and joined the adult choir for two songs. The Little Traverse Youth Choir under the direction of Heather Marvin, joined the LTCS for concerts in May and December 2010.

In addition, students at Northern Michigan Community College may earn Chorale 2 college credit by singing in the group. The LTCS has also developed a scholarship program with emphasis on sponsoring training for young vocalists.  

Performances and Collaboration

LTCS maintains an annual series of two choral concerts. All concerts are performed at two different locations to be accessible to the widest possible audience. The LTCS has had association with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra (GLCO) with collaborative performances at the 2004 Cross in the Woods 50^th Anniversary Celebration and at the February 2005 GLCO performance of the Faure’ Requiem. The LTCS performed with the GLCO as part of the Crooked Tree Arts Center’s 2005-2006 Virginia McCune Performing Arts Series. The LTCS has also collaborated with the Gaylord Chamber Orchestra. The LTCS joined by Dr. Hendrickson’s Delta College Chorale, performed the Vivaldi Gloria with the Gaylord Chamber Orchestra at their VivaldiFest in May 2008. The LTCS was invited to join the Madrigal Chorale of Southfield for a concert at Bay View’s John A. Hall Auditorium in June 2009.  

Relationship to Other Choral Groups

The LTCS is one of several choral ensembles in the tri-county area. Other groups which provide musical opportunities for vocalists are: The Northern Michigan Chorale, the Charlevoix Men’s Chorus, the Motley Madrigals, and the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra Choir. The Little Traverse Choral Society is the only non-audition ensemble which performs classical music. The LTCS has not officially collaborated for a concert with any of the above groups. However, many singers from the LTCS also sing in one or more of the groups. Several LTCS singers regularly perform in Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra Choir. Singers from several community groups participated in a fund raiser for the Association of Harbor Arts “Night of the Northern Stars” and the “Phantom of the Opera” which raised funds for the heating and air conditioning system for the Crooked Tree Arts Center. 

The Choral Society partnered with Voices Without Borders to bring fourteen youth choirs and dance companies from all over the world to Northern Michigan in July 2009. The choirs and dance ensembles 
joined the seventy-five member Voices Without Borders International Festival Choir to present the Children of the World in Harmony Festival on July 20 to August 5, 2009.

Current Project

My Father’s Love

The LTCS commissioned Wendel Werner, a nationally known jazz pianist, singer and composer, to compose a choral and orchestral work entitled My Father’s Love. The work is based on the marquetry panels created by Ed Lantzer which have been on display in the My Father’s Love Gallery in Petoskey. The large wood panels illustrate several biblical passages such as the Last Supper and the Crucifixion.  The LTCS will present the world première of that work on April 21 and 22, 2012.

Recipient of the 2010 eddi Award
for Arts and Cultural Organization.

This award is given to an organization
for outstanding contributions to arts and culture
for the benefit of the citizens of Charlevoix and Emmet counties.

The eddi Award recognizes excellence in the arts and service to the Northern Michigan Community. It was presented by the Crooked Tree Arts Center
and sponsored by the Bay View Association.

Roster of Directors, Accompanists and Charter Members 

Directors

Fran Tollas (Mother of LTCS)     1986
            Fran Tollas (Associate Director)  1987-1991
            Jerry Westerman                      1987
            Jeff  Bell-Hanson                      1988 -1990
            Fran Tollas                               1990 -1991
            Gig Stewart                              1991 -1992
            Katharine Trumble                    1992 -2000
            Jim Owen                                 2000 -2002
            Brad Moffatt                            2002 -2006
            Tim Hendrickson                      2006 -2010
            Julie Pierpont                            2010-2011
            Tim Hendrickon                        2012-present

Accompanists

Margaret Thomson                   1986-1987
            Don Niedert                             1988
            Gertrude Fairbairn                    1989-1992, 1994-1997, 1998-1999, 2002-2009
            Myriam Goodwin                     1989-1992
            Katherine Schanski                   1993
            Michelle Mitchum                     1998 (1/2 season)
            Elizabeth Von Nolting               2000 (1/2 season)
            Kristin Story                             2000-2002
            Howard Richards                     2009-2010
            Rita McIntyre                           2011-present
           

Charter Members*

Karen Bell-Hanson                  Dianna Heinzelman                   Karen Shoemaker
            Charlene Brown                       Helene Kleymeer                     Paul Stewart
            Audrey Collins                         Janis Ley                                  Lillian Swinton
            Joann Dannecker                      Heather Marvin                        Fran Tollas
            Fern Delaney                            Robert Munn                            Jeanette Tousain
            Florence Ellison                        Stephen Overton                      Thomas Walker
            Deborah Gelderblom                Karen Pickarski                        Jan Woehrmann
            Sabra Hayden                          Julie Pierpont                            Lugene York

*Members in March 1989.