Meet the men that sing to the King
To the King Male Chorus had its
inception in the home of Gerzinus and Jeannetta Hoekstra. Friends
would come together for singing and fellowship and in 1972 the
decision was made to form a men’s choir as well as a mixed
chorus. Originally named "Collegium Musicum", they performed
their first concert that year and they have been singing a
challenging selection of music from Gregorian chant, spirituals,
anthems and religious works to folksongs and operettas.
In 2011, Gerzinus handed the director's baton over to his son,
Mendelt. Jeannetta retired from her position as accompanist and
pianist Julie Hoff began accompanying the choir. In the spring of
2013, the choir became known as To the King Male Chorus,
marking the beginning of a new era after 40 rich years of music.
Every Monday evening, To the King meets in St. Catharines
to learn new music and rehearse. The choir, which has now grown
to 42 voices, is comprised of all ages of men from all over the
Niagara Peninsula. To learn more about the choir, or to find out
where they are performing next, connect
on Facebook.com/TotheKingMaleChorus
Recently, To the King has partnered with Tim’s Tribute.
Tim's Tribute is dedicated to providing assistance to the families
of innocent victims of homicide. It was founded by Sharlene Bosma
to honour the memory of her husband Tim Bosma, a victim of
homicide. A portion of
this season's proceeds will be donated to Tim’s Tribute, as well
as $2 for each CD sold. To learn more, go to timstribute.ca. |
Meet the Director that leads To the King |
Director Mendelt D. Hoekstra was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario. He has been performing for a wide array of audiences since he was six years old.
Mendelt studied Music and Theory at Redeemer College University in Ancaster, Ontario and Music Therapy at Capilano University in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Mendelt is the originator and facilitator of the Music Therapy program at Bethesda Community Services, an agency in the Niagara region supporting individuals with a developmental disability in the Spirit of Christ.
Mendelt is currently the director of To the King Male Chorus and the founder, Executive and Artistic Director of Momentum Choir, a highly successful regional choir in Niagara for adults with a disability. Mendelt was recently nominated for a City of St. Catharines Arts Award in the “Making a Difference” category, an honour for any Director.
Mendelt's enthusiasm for music and performing is infused in the choir's singing and it is his hope that the joy of
the music
offered is contagious for the listener. |
Meet the Pianist that accompanies To the King |
Pianist Julie Hoff keeps herself busy with a
boisterous three-year-old and a variety of jobs. She teaches
music lessons and works as a photographer. Making music is a
passion of hers because of how it has the ability to free us to
experience beauty in the midst of the mess of life. For nearly
four years now, she has enjoyed accompanying both To the King
and Momentum Choir. She has also enjoyed putting up with
the director of said choirs and takes great pleasure in spending
every Monday night with the banter, wit and talent of To the
King.
Julie’s passion for music flows through her fingers and into the
ears and hearts of the audience and the men of To the King
greatly appreciate her gifts and talents. |
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