The Morton Community Chorus, of Morton, IL, has been performing Handel's Messiah annually for many, many years.  The pictures above are from the November 2025 performance.  Although, "Morton" is in the name, it is perhaps a misnomer, as people from all over the Midwest, including Iowa and Wisconsin, regularly participate in the choir and orchestra. See our Memories of 2025 page for more pictures and a video of our 2025 performance.  We are looking forward to presenting this masterwork again on November 22, 2026.

​Phil Witzig, conductor of the Morton Community Chorus, told about his life and music in an interviewed on the Instruments of Worship podcast in advance of the 2025 concert.  Listen here.

WBNH Radio, also interviewed Phil Witzig for the Kingdom Happenings podcast.  Like and share our Facebook page!  Follow us on Instagram.  To receive an email reminder about our upcoming concerts, email [email protected]. 

Stay tuned for information about our distinguished 2026 Soloists

Peter Wykert, Organ:  Peter Wykert, Piano/Organ: Peter is Cantor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Peoria. As Cantor, he serves as organist, conducts the adult choir, youth choir, handbells, and brass, and plans all worship services. He also composes and arranges music for Trinity’s ensembles and coordinates the livestream worship services. Outside of Trinity, he serves Concordia Lutheran School as accompanist, directs the German American Central Society Choirs, and freelances as organist, most recently with ISU’s Wind Symphony and Concert Choir. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Concordia University Chicago and has earned certificates in the curriculums First Steps in Music and Conversational Solfège. 

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Help Support our Choir

Our annual concerts are held at Grace Church in Morton.  Although Grace Church graciously allows us to use their beautiful sanctuary, our annual productions of Messiah are community events, performed by the Morton Community Choir and Orchestra.  The concerts are free, and no tickets are required.  Our support is received from a free-will offering at the doors of our concert, and from business and individual sponsors who have a passion to help this kind of event continue.  Consider making a donation using the Donate button above.  Money received throughout the year is put toward the following year's concert.  (Online donations are handled for us through the Morton Fine Arts Association who directs 100% of your donations to us.) Our business and individual sponsors:​

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Individual Sponsors:
  - Scott & Dorine Aberle
  - John & Sheila Dreyer
  - Mike & Mary Jane Johnson
  - Michael & Michele Kuhl

Interested in Singing With Us?

There is nothing quite as thrilling as singing this masterpiece of music literature in a wonderful space with full choir, orchestra, and organ. If you have interest in this type of music, and the voice and talent to sing it, contact us at [email protected] to discuss the possibility of joining us!

From Morton to Carnegie Hall

​2023 was a special year for the Morton Community Chorus!  We were invited to participate in the Carnegie Hall Messiah concert on Sunday, November 26, 2023 in New York City!  On Thanksgiving day, 30 members of our choir flew to New York City to rehearse with and perform Messiah on one of world's most famous concert halls.  We were vetted through a confidential audition process in which the organizers reviewed past videos of us posted online.  We joined others from around the world in a choir of 200 singing Messiah on the stage of historic Carnegie Hall! It was certainly a memorable trip.