Charles City Singers to celebrate 50th season this weekend

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Singers will be celebrating their 50th season of performing with a special concert on Sunday, April 27.

In the fall of 1974, Chuck Ruzicka, then the high school choir director, got together with John Loftus, Max Johns, and Bob Hammer at the Elks Club and decided to put together a choral group.

“They decided they wanted to establish a singing group in Charles City,” said Susan Davis, an original charter member who still sings today.

Over the last five decades, the Charles City Singers have performed songs in concerts both near and far, from their biannual local concerts to performances as far as the Lincoln Center in New York.

The group has had as many members as it has had songs over the years, ranging from as few as 17 singers to more than 40 at different times as people join, leave, and rejoin.

Welcoming anybody with an interest in performing, the group has been a place where people of all experience and skill levels can come together.

“We’ve been very blessed that we’ve had a wide variety of people,” said Steve Heitbrink, who has been with the group on and off since 1977 and holds the longest span as the group’s director.

“I decided I would take over directing temporarily in ’86 and ended up doing it for 30 years,” he said.

The Charles City Singers has operated under the direction of seven people over the last 50 years. Along with Ruzicka and Heitbrink, directors were Gary Schwartzhoff, Mike Williams, Keith Kruen, Scott Blankenbaker, and currently, Tim Mitchell.

“We’re blessed with Tim,” said Heitbrink. “I think he does an outstanding job.”

Heitbrink, Schwartzhoff, and Blankenbaker will be each directing a song for this Sunday’s concert, which will celebrate the history of the group with a variety of music from spiritual classics to contemporary favorites.

“We’ll have music for all tastes,” said Heitbrink. “We’re doing a piece that I think is kind of neat with a fiddle player.”

The Charles City Singers will also get a bit of a break during the concert as The Bridge Praise Band will perform a selection of songs of its own.

Doors for the concert will open at 1:30 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church. Tickets can be purchased at the door, but with many former members expected to attend, Heitbrink and Davis recommend getting tickets early, either at the Charles City Arts Center, First Security Bank, First Citizens Bank, CUSB Bank, or from a Singers member.

“It’s going to be special,” said Heitbrink.

After the concert, a reception will be held where members and audience alike can meet up to share stories, reminisce about the last 50 years, and look toward the next.

“It’s really cool to have started with the group 50 years ago and still be singing,” said Davis. “I love to sing and I love to share my music with people.”