MELODY  MAKERS OF INDIANA

Making Music for Many Years

 

 

   The State Chorus may not be as large as it was when Dr. Stewart started back in 1934, but many counties throughout Indiana still have a chorus.  One overall set of music is chosen for the State Chorus at a Workshop held each summer at Purdue.  While the Director or a Choral Representative from each county must attend, the Workshop is open to all choral members of the Melody Makers of Indiana.  The music to be used for the following year is chosen at this time. 

 Workshop is fun and yet intensely focused on music.  It is definitely structured only for those who love to sing or accompany choral groups.  We sing a wide variety or genre of music, most arranged for SSA.

To contact us send e-mail to:  info@melodymakersofindiana.com

The MELODY MAKERS OF INDIANA aka Indiana Extension Chorus was started by Dr. Albert P. Stewart, also the founder of the Purdue Musical Organizations in 1934. 

This started with a small group of women from Tippecanoe County who sang for a radio show on WBAA at Purdue.  Everyone involved had such a good time that they asked Dr. Stewart to continue this endeavor. 

Dr. Stewart expanded the choral program and formed choirs in most of the 92 Indiana counties.  At one time there were 2000+ women in the chorus.  The program continues today as a part of the Indiana Extension Homemakers Association, an affiliate of the Purdue Extension Service.

 

Working Hard at Workshop

Making Music at Workshop

During the year each county chorus or choir has its own practice schedule as well as individual name such as the Pulaski County Extension Chords, the Starke County Choralaires or the Porter/Jasper Choraliers.  Each County Chorus also has a different performance schedule through the year.  Some choirs  sing at their County Fair, or many of us attend the Indiana State Fair to perform in the Farm Bureau Building.  Many entertain at Nursing Homes, Senior Citizen functions or for county or private organizations.  Some give one big dinner and/or music function each year, while others give large concerts until we all come together in June.

Throughout the Year

MMIA singers at the Indiana General Assembly—2009

Greeting Good Friends at Festival Day

Photo courtesy of

 Walter Vincent

SEE THE MMIA THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.  CLICK HERE (this is a large file but so very worth your time!)

There are so many people and organizations who helped with our presentation.  We’d have to have another webpage just to thank them.  We are grateful to our County choruses, our MMIA Board, 75th Anniversary Committee:  Jane Massey, Sue Schrope, Brandy Pitstick, Sonya Stewart Eddy, Anne Hatton and Elaine McVay.  Jon Ranard and Purdue Musical Organizations.  Thanks to any we may have missed in our acknowledgments.  The size of the involvement shows the amount of people that care about music in Indiana!

Coming to 2010 Workshop?

 Click Here.