"The South Huron Community Choirs are comprised of people who love to sing and share the gift of music with the community"
Rehearsals this Fall 2023.....
KidsChoir - start Thurs Sept 7, 6-7pm
Handbells - start Tues Sept 12, 6-7pm
Adult Choir - start Tues Sept 12, 7-9pm
Interested in joining the choir?
email southhuronchoirs@gmail.com
or call
Jean 519-235-0629 or Carol 519-235-0759
Welcome back Dr. Richard Heinzle (Artistic Director)
and Lori Danylchuk (Accompanist) ....
go to tab (up above) 'Staff & Directors' to see bios!
Rehearsals Tuesday nights - starts September 12, 2023!!
6 - 7pm Handbells
7 - 9pm Adult Choir
Everyone welcome !!!
What a Wonderful World"
Concert April 28, 2023
Thank you to Bonnie Sitter for taking the photos
Presentation to Anne Spivey....
Anne retired after many years
of being the accompanist for the choir
"What a Wonderful World Concert"
Photo credit to Agnes Quinn, taken at the concert on
April 28, 2023 at Exeter United Church
- Thanks Agnes!!!
What a 'Wonderful' two evenings of music!!!!
Thank You Thank You Thank You !!!!!
So many people to thank, I hope no one is missed....
To the audience at both concerts, thank you for coming and participating in singing not just the 'Sing Alongs' but all the other songs. so wonderful to see we weren't the only ones singing !!!
A huge 'Thank you' to out supporting Merchants for selling tickets:
In Exeter - Hansen's Independent Grocers, The Jewellery Box, Exeter United Church, Exeter Animal Hospital, South Huron Welcome Centre...... In Grand Bend - Pinedale Motor Inn, The Garden Gate Gifts and Floral.
To Pinedale Motor Inn "Thank you" for letting the choirs (be the first after the pandemic) use your facilities for their 'social time' after the Saturday night's concert !!!!
To our continuous sponsors your wonderful support is greatly appreciated - Office Solutions, myFM 90.5 Radio (Exeter), Municipality of South Huron and The Lakeshore Times Advance.
To Huron Shores United Church, Grand Bend we were excited to be able to sing again in your beautiful facilities. Thank You !!!!!
We also wish to 'Thank' Trivitt Memorial Anglican Church.
Our heartful "Thank You" to Exeter United Church for letting us use your facilities not only for concerts but also for our weekly rehearsals. We appreciate being part of your 'Outreach Program".
We always enjoy having an orchestra. "Thanks" to those in the orchestra for making our concert complete!!!
To the Soloists, "Thank You" Estel Brown, Marlene Thornton and Allan Baxter. So proud to have singers from our own Adult Choir share their music talent.
To both the Adult Choir and Handbell Choir we did it, two nights in a row. Thanks for being part the South Huron Community Choirs family !!!!
A concert can not come together without two special people....
Dr. Richard Heinzle (Artisitc Director) and Lori Danylcuk (Accompanist). Richard you always amaze us how you put a concert together with the music you choose and the arrangements you create, we appreciate you long drives to get to Exeter.
Lori your energy, enthusiasm and always up to a new challenge is so rewarding for the choir. Your piano solo was so wonderful, the comments are sure buzzing around Exeter.
Richard and Lori, "Thank You" for all you do for the choirs, your talent does not go unnoticed.
The choir is not finished yet for the summer - we will be singing at the opening ceremony for the "150th Celebration for Exeter" on Thursday June 29th..... be sure to mark that on your calendar.
Thank you to Exeter Lakeshore Times-Advance, Dan Rolph for interviewing Dr. Richard Heinzle and writing this wonderful article. Your support to the South Huron Community Choirs over the years is greatly appreciated.
Exeter Lakeshore Times-Advance
South Huron Community Choirs prepare for holidays
Author of the article:Dan Rolph
Publishing date:Oct 27, 2022 • 2 minute read
Artistic director Dr. Richard Heinzle
EXETER – The South Huron Community Choirs will be back on the stage this holiday season.
The choir and handbell groups held their first rehearsals earlier this month as they began preparing for their upcoming Dec. 7 Community Christmas Concert at Exeter United Church. The Christmas concert will mark the first time the groups hold a public concert since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We had a fairly good turnout,” said artistic director Richard Heinzle of the first rehearsals. “We’re still not where we were before COVID, but we’re getting there.”
“We had a good number of people, and everybody is excited.”
Heinzle said this year’s concert will include a performance which will be split into two parts, the first of which is being called “Holde-Tyme Christmas” which will include classic holiday favourites, some of which the crowd will be invited to join in on as well. The second half will bring Handel’s Messiah back to the stage.
“Three years ago, we did the whole concert as Handel’s Messiah, and that was our most successful concert so far,” said Heinzle. “People just enjoy singing Handel’s Messiah, so we thought we would come back with that. That will be our big finale … and of course we’ll end with the Hallelujah chorus.”
The path to finally stepping back onto the stage has been filled with challenges for the choirs. Heinzle said there were hopes of a 2021 get-together, though the spread of the omicron variant made that impossible. He said the groups eventually were able to meet starting in April 2022 to practice for a possible June concert, but COVID concerns and a lack of turnout put an end to those plans as well.
“It didn’t quite come together at that point, but now we’re getting a good number of people coming back,” said Heinzle. “People are just getting excited. There’s a real buzz when we come together … For your average choir member, it’s a highlight every week to go to choir practice and sing with a group with people, meet and chat. That was something we missed a lot.”
In addition to the Christmas concert, the choirs will also be holding two spring concerts. The first concert will be April 28 at Exeter United Church, while the second show will be April 29 at Huron Shores United Church in Grand Bend.
Heinzle said both the choir and handbell groups always welcome new people who are interested in joining. Those interested can stop by rehearsals on Tuesday nights, which run from 6-7 p.m. for handbells and 7-9 p.m. for the choir at Exeter United Church.
The 5th traditional Christmas Poinsettia Fundraiser is also being organized alongside Huron Ridge Greenhouses in support of the choirs. Those interested in buying poinsettias can do so through choir members or by calling Ruth Petersen at 519-235-1778. For more information about the South Huron Community Choirs, visit www.southhuronchoirs.com.
Exciting News !!!
Welcome Lori to the South Huron Community Choirs
Lori Danylchuk Accompanist
Lori has been accompanying choirs since the age of twelve. She studied music at The University of Western Ontario (B.Mus.Ed.),B. of Ed., as well as earning Associate in Piano Performance from The Western Conservatory of Music.
Lori was an elementary music educator in Waterloo Region for 31 years and was the accompanist of Schneider Male Chorus for 22 years. For 5 years, she was the accompanist of the Kodaly Choral Festival, a two night event in which over 1000 students from Grades 4 to 6 performed on stage at The Centre in the Square in Kitchener.
Since moving to Exeter in 2020, Lori has been busy setting up an online studio for all ages, using a recreational approach to the piano.
Lori is very excited to be a part of this community and to share her love of music with this choir.
