Celebrating McDonough Choral Society’s 20-year Anniversary

The Western Illinois Museum, in partnership with the McDonough Choral Society, are joining together to celebrate the Choral Society’s 20 years of bringing fine choral music to west central Illinois.  The community is invited to a reception on Sunday, September 18, 2022, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.  A brief program, emceed by Mark Merrill, will begin at 3:00 pm where guests can share their memories about the Choral Society. The reception will offer a chance for the community to learn more about the Society’s history, hear recordings of past performances, and view oral and written histories of members.  Refreshments will be served and the event is free and open to the public. 

In 2021, the McDonough Choral Society approached the Museum with questions on how to preserve its materials as it reaches its 20th year. Together they have begun a process to archive programs, promotional materials, and recordings of performances, as well as collecting oral and written histories from members. The story of the Society begins with strong leaders, Susan and John Shoemaker, Steve Workman, Bruce Gardner, and Chris Myers, who shared their knowledge and skill in choral music to foster an appreciation for classical choral music. From its inception, it has inspired both participants and audiences. To this day, members share a desire to learn and excel in performance capabilities which is apparent in their choices of pieces they perform as well as their interpretation of these musical works. The group has strong participation from the community and typically performs to a full house. Archival materials from the Choral Society are being preserved in the Western Illinois Museum’s Collection.

The reception will be held at the Western Illinois Museum located at 201 S Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square. The building is handicap accessible and there is free parking. For more information contact the Museum by phone at 309.837.2750 or text at 309.837.2613, or email at info@wimuseum.org. Visit the Museum’s website and social media channels for updates about the celebration.