About Heritage Chorale Oak Park

About Heritage Chorale Oak Park

Founded in 1984, Heritage Chorale has been privileged to share a wide range of magnificent music with its community for more than 40 years. The chorale’s founding director was Robert Fuller, esteemed director of music at Oak Park and River Forest High School, who provided the driving force and artistic vision that guided the choir through the first five seasons.

Today, the Chorale’s repertoire encompasses works by composers across the globe, from many periods and cultures, and in many styles. The chorus has performed such classics as Mozart’s Requiem, Brahms’s Liebeslieder waltzes, Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil, and Fauré’s Requiem, as well as such modern compositions as Ariel Ramírez’s Misa Criolla, Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass with jazz ensemble, and a program of Chilean protest songs accompanied by native South American instruments.

Heritage Chorale has been pleased to perform a commissioned piece in its annual programs and since 2011 has offered a scholarship for a high-school-age vocal artist.

Board of Directors 2025–2026

Board of Directors 2025–2026

Tim Divis, President

Mary Rogan, Vice President

Barbara Hofmaier, Secretary

Sam Hohmann, Treasurer

Rebecca McLane, Chorus Representative

Cathy Bachman, Alternate Chorus Representative

Heather Comiskey

Ted Reichardt

Tim Divis, President

Mary Rogan, Vice President

Barbara Hofmaier, Secretary

Sam Hohmann, Treasurer

Rebecca McLane, Chorus Representative

Cathy Bachman, Alternate Chorus Representative

Heather Comiskey

Ted Reichardt

Our Artistic Director

Wen Chin Liu-Young, appointed artistic director of Heritage Chorale in June 2022, is also lecturer at Benedictine University in Lisle, director of choirs at Harper College in Palatine, and music coordinator at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Arlington Heights. She received her doctor of musical arts degree in choral conducting and pedagogy from the University of Iowa, where she studied with Timothy Stalter and David Puderbaugh.

Wen Chin began her music education in her native Malaysia with piano lessons at the age of seven. She graduated as a piano major from University College Sedaya International in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in classical music. At that time she also obtained her Trinity College Piano Licentiate in Music Diploma and Trinity Guildhalls Vocal Performance Certificate, both with distinction. In 2009, she came to the United States to pursue her master’s degree in choral conducting at Bowling Green State University, graduating in 2011.

Wen Chin is an active performer. From 2005 to 2009 she sang in choirs that won international choral competitions in Asia. She has sung with Bach Festival Malaysia, performing the Mass in B Minor, the Passion According to St. Matthew, and several cantatas. In 2017–2020 she sang in Canticum Novum’s recording project on the music of Horatio Parker and performed with the University of Iowa’s Kantorei. Among other musical engagements, she served as the collaborative pianist for the Downers Grove Choral Society in the 2021–2022 season.

Wen Chin began her career as a music educator in 2005 at the Young Choral Academy in Malaysia, where she served as choir director, director of musicals, pianist, and vocal tutor. As a graduate assistant at Bowling Green State University, she conducted the women’s ensemble Fermatas for two years. From 2011 to 2015, she was the music director at St. Ursula Academy (Toledo, Ohio). During the summers of 2017–2019, she was guest conductor for the Malaysia Institute of Arts choruses in performances that included Haydn’s Missa Brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo and Vivaldi’s Gloria. In 2021–2024 she directed the Take Note ensemble in Lisle, Illinois. She has also frequently led choral workshops and served as juror for choral competitions in Malaysia. In May 2025, Wen Chin made her Carnegie Hall debut, conducting Heritage Chorale, together with Ebell of Los Angeles and Waukesha Choral Union, in Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de Confessore (K. 339).

Our Accompanist

Tehra Hiolski has served as accompanist for the Heritage Chorale since 1990. She taught general music in Oak Park’s elementary school district for 24 years and accompanies many area musicians in both recital and competition. She taught piano privately for 16 years, has worked with the Merit music program in Chicago, and has served as organist and pianist at Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Oak Park. A native of Oak Park, she received her bachelor’s degree in music education from Michigan State University and her master’s degree in music education from VanderCook College in Chicago.

Meet the Chorale

Since its founding in 1984, the Heritage Chorale has been home to a diverse group of dedicated singers. We are always looking for new singers!

Soprano

​Cathy Bachman​

Emily Cortez

​Margaret Espinoza​

Linda Fehr

Kirsten Glinke
​Sarah Gruendler-Ladner

Barbara Hofmaier
Lillian Hohmann​​

​Lorene Lambert

​Gerry Langgut

Ana Marroquin

Chris McCarthy
Rebecca McLane
Diane Minarik

​​Lola Perez

Raina Polivka

Anna Richards

​​Izzy Ruggless
Eleanor Sharpe​
Beth Zeiter

Alto

Jennifer Bauer​​

Claire Borowski

Sarah Campbell

Emily Cole

​Claudia Divis

Jenny Earlandson

​Krista Foster​​

Jess Green

​Martha Houston

Amy Kinney

​Andrea McGlynn

​Nani Perez

​​Tiffany Roberts

Mary Rogan​​​

​​Jeanette Simon

Jeanette Tobin

Alexis Turim

Desi Vasquez

Kathryn Viola​

Tenor​​

Miguel DeLeón

John Hillman​

​Jay Kessen

​Marc Linne

Geoffrey Roupas
John Slauson

Bass

Mark Allen
Richard Ball

David Griffin

Sam Hohmann​

​Jacob McDermott

Arif Negiz​

​Ted Reichardt

​Larry Ritsert

Ron Ritsert

Keaton Roberts

Jon Ruggless

Our Sponsors

Heritage Chorale is partially funded by a grant from the Oak Park Area Arts Council—in partnership with the Village of Oak Park and the Illinois Arts Council—and by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

Our Sponsors

Heritage Chorale is partially funded by a grant from the Oak Park Area Arts Council—in partnership with the Village of Oak Park and the Illinois Arts Council—and by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

Our Sponsors

Heritage Chorale is partially funded by a grant from the Oak Park Area Arts Council—in partnership with the Village of Oak Park and the Illinois Arts Council—and by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.