Our History:

1978: East Central Indiana Community Singers, (ECICS) was founded by four members of the Muncie Matinee Musicale: Carol Lyon, Tommye Beavers, Pat Brunette, and Bert Lyon. We now fondly refer to them as our founding mothers.

1978-1979: ECICS sang its first concert. Larry Boye prepared the chorus to sing Berlioz’s L’enfance du Christ. It was performed with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra.

1979-1980: The ECICS hired Dr. Virginia Whitehurst in a dual capacity as Artistic Director and also as the organization’s chief administrator. Each year a series of three or four concerts was performed. Dr. Whitehurst Continued to shape the corporation through 1988, when she resigned to accept a position in North Carolina. She was largely responsible for the strength and success of the program.

2003: For 26 seasons the group has continued to present a subscription series of three or more concerts and maintain a high quality of repertoire. This past year was just as successful with guest artists such as Marvin Chandler, the Muncie Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Craig Priebe, Kathleen Maurer, Jennifer Cooper-Kauffman, and Daniel Doty.

2005: This season was special in many ways. The chorale performed in Sursa Hall in the new music building on the Ball State campus. Elijah was chosen as our debut work which was performed with members of the Ball State Chamber Choir and the Muncie Symphony Orchestra. Guest conductor Don Neuen held the baton. There were two performances and Mary Jane Sursa spoke to the audience on opening night.

2007: After a ten-year tenure, Dr. Robert A. Kvam resigned as Artistic Director of Masterworks Chorale. Daniel C. Blosser, Adjunct Professor of Voice at the University of Indianapolis, was hired as the new Artistic Director during this 30th anniversary season. Under Mr. Blosser’s direction, the chorale combined with Muncie Symphony Orchestra for a second consecutive year in a stunning performance of Gustav Mahler’s Symphonie No. 2 in C Minor.