Southern Utah Heritage Choir Open’s Concert Season With “Hymns of Praise”

Southern Utah Heritage Choir
Open’s Concert Season
With “Hymns of Praise”

The Southern Utah Heritage Choir (SUHC) begins its 28th season and a full slate of seasonal concerts with two inspirational performances at the St. George Tabernacle. Hymns of Praise will be performed on Friday, September 23, 2022, and Saturday, September 24, 2022, at 7 PM. Admission to the Tabernacle concerts is free to the public with open seating.

For southern Utah’s largest community choir, these concerts will showcase a variety of traditional and inspirational hymns arranged by various modern composers, including several from the Choir’s artistic director, Tami Creamer.

“One of the Choir’s most requested and signature songs, ‘How Great Thou Art,’ will be featured at these concerts,” said Choir President Geri Rhodes. Other songs include “The Lord is my Shepherd,” “Nearer My God to Thee,” “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” and “Let Me Hide Myself in Thee,” among others.

The concert’s guest artists are Dr. Ka-wai Yu, BJ Cox, Greg Knell, and Brock Jongeward.  Dr. Yu is an associate professor of music at Utah Tech University and a world-renowned cellist who has performed solos with orchestras throughout the U.S. and in Hong Kong. He recently returned from teaching at the Saarburg Music Festival in Germany.

BJ Cox is a practicing dentist in St. George who has sung and soloed with various Chamber groups, including the BYU Singers, Lexington Chamber Chorale, and the St. George Chamber Singers. He also has performed locally in numerous plays and, with his wife, Rachel, currently conducts the St. George Children’s Choir.

Greg Knell is a regular in local community theater with some of his favorite stage roles, including Percy in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Captain Phoebus in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Frankie in Forever Plaid.

Brock Jongeward recently moved to St. George from Washington State, where he was involved in various high school choirs. The Disney organization once selected him to sing a solo on their Circle of Life recordings

Next, after the September concerts, the Heritage Choir will perform two Christmas concerts, Home for the Holidays, with recording artists The Truman Brothers, on Friday, December 2, 2022, at 7:30 PM and Saturday, December 3, at 2 PM.   The Truman Brothers were raised in Nashville and are the sons of Dan Truman of Diamond Rio and Nashville Tribute Band fame. Music and the gospel are in their DNA, and they write their music with catchy choruses and melodies of modern pop music. Both concerts will be held at Crimson Cliffs High School concert auditorium. Tickets for the Christmas concerts will go on sale on October 1, 2022, on the Choir’s website at Heritagechoir.org.   A separate Christmas fireside sing-along by the Choir, Peace on Earth, is scheduled for December 11, 7 PM, at the St. George Tabernacle.

Then, mark your calendars for the Choirs Spring concert, Songs of Joy, on March 3, 2023, at 7:30 PM at Crimson Cliffs High School, and their Easter concerts, Hear Him, on April 7 and 8 at 7 PM at the St, George Tabernacle. The annual Flag Day concert, Let Freedom Ring, will be held June 9, 2023, at 7 PM at the St. George Tabernacle.

The Choir is under the direction of Principal Conductor Dr. Ken Peterson. The Choir’s Artistic Director and pianist is Tami Creamer, with Karen Kennedy at the organ. For more information, visit HeritageChoir.org, Facebook, YouTube, and  Instagram.