About Us
Little Traverse Choral Society
Board of Directors
2022-2023
Frank Nemecek
President
Petoskey
Drex George
Vice President
Burt Lake
Maureen Delaney-Lehman
Secretary
Petoskey
Bobbie Barger
Petoskey
Millie Janka
Boyne Falls
Ellen Kendall
Charlevoix
Ruth Music
Alanson
Scott Smith
Petoskey
Cheryl Staats
Petoskey
André Strydom
Music Director
Petoskey
Julie Falls
Executive Director
Petoskey
(989) 859-3350
Carol Bosché
Treasurer
Indian River
Carolyn Klender
Librarian
Charlevoix
André Strydom
Music Director
Born in South Africa, André began organ, composition, and vocal studies in high school. In 1982, he founded the Johannesburg Chamber Choir and Orchestra which he conducted for ten years. André was on the medical staff of Johannesburg General Hospital’s Department of Cardiology from 1985-1991, but left medicine to pursue a career in music. He received his Licentiate Diploma (LTCL) in piano teaching from Trinity College of Music (UK), then came to the US in 1992, where he obtained a Master of Music degree from the University of Central Arkansas.
André was selected to participate in the 1998 Karelia International Conducting Master Class in St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk, Russia. He returned to Russia the next three summers to continue conducting studies at the St. Petersburg Conservatory.
In 2002 André was appointed Minister of Music and Principal Organist at the First Presbyterian Church of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where he directed a diverse music program. He also conducted several musical theater performances, and was adjunct professor of music at the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff from 2007 to 2013.
In 2013, André became Director of Music and Organist at the First Presbyterian Church of Bentonville, Arkansas, where he also regularly performed as Principal Pianist with the Symphony Orchestra of Northwest Arkansas. In 2018, André became Organist and Director of Music Ministries at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Petoskey. He has performed at the Bay View Music Festival and became Chorusmaster of the GLCO in 2020, which he prepared for this year’s performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
Relationships with 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 Chorus.
The Little Traverse Choral Society is the only non-audition ensemble which performs classical music. LTCS has collaborated with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra before the GLCO Chamber Chorus was organized and many LTCS singers regularly sing in the above groups.
Performances & Collaborations
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 also collaborates with other music organizations from across the state.
Students
Students at Northern Central Michigan College may earn college credit by singing in the group. The LTCS has also developed a scholarship program with emphasis on sponsoring training for young vocalists.
Commissioned Work
My Father’s Love
The LTCS presented the world première of the choral and orchestral work entitled My Father’s Love on April 21 and 22, 2012 under the direction of Dr. Tim Hendrickson, Director of Choral Activities at Delta College.
The LTCS commissioned Wendel Werner, a nationally known jazz pianist, singer and composer, to compose the work. Wendel Werner is on the faculty at University of Tennessee as director of the Tennessee Singers Jazz Choir and at Walton State Community College where he directs the Women’s Ensemble and the Concert Choir. Werner is a church musician, a composer in several genres, and a renowned jazz pianist. His complete biographical information is online at: www.wendelwerner.com.
This photo represents one of the more than thirty mosaic marquetry panels created by the late Ed Lantzer which inspired the My Father's Love work.
The music was inspired by six of the more than thirty mosaic marquetry panels created by the late Ed Lantzer of Kalkaska. Lantzer created each of the amazing panels, some as large as 8 feet X 12 feet, by gluing thousands of diamond shaped wood tiles in contrasting natural shades to a plywood base. All are illustrations of Biblical themes. The large wood panels illustrate several biblical passages such as the Last Supper and the Crucifixion.
The six movements of My Father’s Love are entitled: “Creation,” “Adam and Eve,” “Moses,” “The Birth,” “This is His Son,” and “Crucifixion”. The LTCS was accompanied by pianist, Rita McIntyre, plus strings, and other instruments on some of the pieces. A PowerPoint presentation of photographs of the panels was shown during the concert. Rounding out this all Wendel Werner program was his lively spiritual, “My Mountain.” This song was written for Tim Hendrickson and donated by him to the Little Traverse Choral Society.
LTCS Christmas Concert, "Let There Be Light" under the direction of Interim Music Director, Jan Johnson, Ellen Kendall at the piano with flutist, Liz Fedewa, and Hanna Artfitch playing harp.