Concordia Choir
Director: Alfred Kunz
The Concordia "Männerchor" (Male Choir) was founded in 1873. The mixed choir was not added until 1960, and in 1962 the children's choir was started. The conductor, Georg Christophek, attracted many singers and knew how to instill the enthusiasm for singing in the new arrivals of German immigrants after World War II. He helped add prestige and musical quality to the choir. Due to deteriorating health he had to vacate his post as conductor in 1968.
His successor, Alfred Kunz, through his superior abilities, propelled the choirs to the top performance calibre, not only at a local level, but as far afield as Germany, and both choirs found great acceptance. Alfred Kunz continued the great work started by his predecessors Zöllner and Pöhlmann, and also made a name for himself as a composer. More than 500 of his compositions have been published.
The choirs enjoyed and shared many travel adventures in order to participate in song festivals, competitions and
concerts. For the 100th anniversary of the German Choir Association, which was celebrated with an International
Song Festival in Essen, they travelled to Germany in 1962. This tour and the comraderie found with kindred spirits in the old country was appreciated so much that the choirs decided to participate in further international singing
festivals.
In 1968 a large delegation of the German-Canadian Choir Association travelled to Stuttgart. In 1976 it was Berlin, and many visited Hamburg in 1983. In 1989 a European Concert Tour was undertaken, which took the choirs to Austria, Hungary, Southern Tyrol, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, and Germany. They also travelled extensively within Canada, from the west coast for Expo 1986 in Vacouver, B.C., to Newfoundland and the east coast in 1997. They have performed at Expo '67 in Montreal. Between these engagements, many other choirs were visited throughout Ontario, from Windsor to Ottawa. In 1985 they travelled to Rochester N.Y. and in 1994 to Toledo, Ohio, in order to perform concerts.
The children and youth choirs came under the direction of Alfred Kunz, after he finished his studies in Germany, and later came under the direction of Carl Schropp, who also held the position of second choir master. In 1978 Danuta Grigatis took on the youth choirs. Both of these choir leaders were provided with the opportunity to take part in choir leader courses in Germany, sponsored by the "Deutsche Sängerbund" and the Concordia Club. In 1982 the youth choir accompanied the adult choirs on a trip to Windsor and in 1983 they went along to Ottawa.
From 1989 to 2005, Annemarie Krüger was the successful children's choir leader. Claudia Nieminen has been directing since 2005.
The Concordia Choirs have visited Ottawa and Quebec in 2004 and completed an Austria, Czech Republic and Germany concert tour in 2007. In 2008, Concordia Choirs visited Ottawa once more for the 50th Anniversary of the German Canadian Choir Association, along with choirs from Windsor to Montreal.
Check out when you can see them.