Welcome to Masterworks

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.
     
  • 1983-1987: The choir sponsored the Indiana Renaissance Fair, a major project in outreach, promotion and fundraising.
     
  • 1986: The name of the choir was changed to Masterworks Chorale because it better advertised the intention of the corporation.
     
  • 1987-1988: A Chocolate Festival and Ye Spring Madrigal Feaste were developed, the latter continuing annually for seven years.
     
  • 1988: Dr. William Wakeland was appointed to direct the Chamber Choir, which continued to perform many extra concerts in the community for a number of years. Dr. Wakeland served as assistant director through the 2000-2001 season.
     
  • 1989-1994: After a season-long audition process of guest conductors, David Doyle of Rushville, Indiana, was selected as artistic director. In the five years that he led
    Masterworks, his innate musical sensitivity, his broad knowledge of vocal music and his skill in vocal development in individuals and groups resulted in Masterworks’ continued growth.
     
  • 1990: David Doyle led a choir of 40 from Masterworks Chorale to Carnegie Hall to sing in a performance of Dvorak’s Requiem.
     
  • 1994: After pre-season auditions, Eric Stark, who was a doctoral student at Indiana University, was selected as the new director. Part of his plan to improve performance quality was the initiation of singer auditions. He left the Chorale in 1997 to take a position at Butler University.
     
  • 1997: In July, 1997, Dr. Robert A. Kvam became the Chorale’s fifth director. Dr. Kvam is the Dean of the College of Fine Arts at Ball State University. Although he has had a 22-year career in music administration, he has regularly conducted a variety of community and academic choral ensembles. A 20-year Masterworks reunion concert was presented in October 1997. All former directors and former singers returned for this event.
     
  • 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.