The River City Chorale started in 2009 and was founded by artistic director Andrew Haase. In 2022, the 140+ voice choir included singers from the St. Croix River Valley and beyond.
The mission of The River City Chorale is to educate and enrich the lives of both singers and audience members through exceptional performances of high-quality choral literature.
The River City Chorale is committed to:
Performing music that challenges and inspires both singers and audience members
Maintaining a high standard of musical artistry
Fostering musical relationships with people of all ages to nurture lifelong choral singing and civic engagement
Reaching out to the community to attract singers, volunteers and audience members
Providing exceptional musical experiences to our audience members at affordable prices
Current Artistic Staff
Andrew Haase
Founding Artistic Director/Conductor
Since 2022, Andrew Haase has served as the Music Director for St. Andrews Church in Mahtomedi, Minnesota. Prior to that he spent 20 years as the Director of Choral Activities at Hudson High School in Hudson, WI, where he led the Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Exultate, Men’s Ensemble and served as Music Director for the annual musical. Additionally, Haase served as Artistic Director for Home for the Holidays, Hudson High School Choral Department’s annual holiday concert combined with The River City Symphony Orchestra. Home for the Holidays is one of the most popular concerts in the St. Croix Valley, attracting over 2,800 audience members annually.
In the spring of 2018, while on sabbatical, Haase served as the Interim Music Director and Conductor of the Reading Festival Choir, Reading, United Kingdom.
Haase received his Bachelor of Arts degree in vocal music education from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and a Master of Music degree in Conducting and Choral Literature from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ. Conducting mentors include: Dr. Timothy Peter, Dr. Sandra Peter, Dr. Edith Copley and Weston Noble. Choirs under the direction of Haase have appeared at various state music educator conferences and have toured internationally to Costa Rica, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Italy, Spain, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Gretchen Perkins
Pianist
Gretchen joined the River City Chorale in 2022. She is an active collaborative pianist in the Twin
Cities and owner of Yellow House Studio, where she teaches and coaches students age 6 to 85.
Gretchen has worked with Trinity Lutheran Church, the Valley Chamber Chorale, Minnehaha
Academy Upper School Music Department, and is currently the pianist for the Stillwater Area
High School Choirs. She collaborates with the St. Croix Valley Opera, including serving as a
faculty member for their Summer Vocal Institute.
She is a piano performance graduate of Augustana University in Sioux Falls, where she studied
with J. Earl Lee, and is currently a student in the piano pedagogy masters program at the
University of St. Thomas, where she is a student of Vanessa Cornett.
Gretchen lives with her husband Mike in Stillwater, and they are the parents of two fabulous
sons and a daughter-in-law.
Current Board of Directors
The River City Chorale is a non-profit vocal organization. A Board of Directors governs the operation and growth of the organization as well a helping maintain the mission.
Craig Collins, President
Tom Oscanyan, Vice President
Christy Volk, Treasurer
Deb Campbell, Secretary
Peter Eisch
Joe Paulson
Susan Whitten
Andrew Haase, Ex officio Member
The River City Chorale At a Glance
April 2009 – Andy Haase, director of Choral Activities at Hudson (WI) High School starts a new community choir for anyone who wants to sing. The response is overwhelming, and the choir performed two concerts that summer.
April 2012 – Sixteen volunteers form the first Board of Directors of The River City Chorale.
February 2013 – The Board of Directors adopts by-laws, and The River City Chorale is incorporated in the State of Wisconsin as a tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) organization.
March 2013 – The River City Chorale’s Youth Choir welcomes 37 local elementary students to sing in the choir – a first of its kind in the area.
September 2013 – The River City Chorale hosts its first Gala fundraiser.
March 2014 – The River City Chorale formed The Ensemble Singers, for more skilled adult singers. Twenty-two men and women gave two concerts in 2014.
September 2014 – Christmas with The River City Chorale started a new holiday tradition with two sold out shows in December 2014.
May 2015 – The summer choir performs its first concert outside of Hudson, WI, in front of a few hundred guests at a July concert at Como Park in St Paul, Minnesota.