In January 1973 a community leader, Ken Lackey, suggested to the Tryon Rotary Club Board of Directors that they sponsor a spring "Festival of Music". His concept included three objectives: (1) to provide opportunities for persons interested in music to perform publicly, (2) to provide entertainment and promote music appreciation in the community, and (3) to use the net proceeds for local and Rotary Foundation scholarships.

Finding support for his recommendation, Lackey recruited a mixed chorus of thirty-five singers as the centerpiece of this show under the direction of Tom Grenfell. Public response to the spring program was enthusiastic and the Tryon Rotary Club then decided to sponsor a chorus for the Christmas season. Although the early Christmas concerts were presented as a gift to the community, ticket sales became necessary to cover expenses and provide funds for scholarships. Thus, a pattern was established, and the chorus became a continuing, semi-annual project of the Tryon Rotary Club.

The chorus gradually grew in size under Tom Grenfell with Anton Cedervall, Inky Cloud and Mary Ann Kilver serving as subsequent directors. It was in 1977, however, that the chorus began to assume new dimensions.

Joseph Erwin, a professional musician and chorus director, had moved to the Tryon area and was soon enlisted to conduct the chorus. He promptly introduced his philosophy of pursuing truth and beauty through the music of the world's great composers and the composition of the Christmas concerts always reflected his high standards. The community, with its varying artistic tastes, was consequently able to enjoy music symbolic of the spiritual quality of Christmas in addition to the light, colorful and popular nature of the spring concert.

Betty Brewer, another fine musician, agreed to conduct the spring concerts and, together with George Finnie as production manager, developed a pattern of incorporating variety specialties along with show tunes and familiar music. The result has been fun-filled, hearty entertainment.

For the next nine years, with the exception of two concerts, the director of the chorus was Janice Impey, who brought her high standards of quality music and exciting director style to the chorus. For the two concerts while Jan was absent Lesley Bush directed the chorus. Following Jan's retirement, the chorus was led by Crys Armbrust for the Spring 2008 concert. Richard L Kennedy directed our 2008 Christmas Concert and also will direct our 2009 Sping Concert. Cys Arrmbust is scheduled to direct our Christmas 2009 and our Spring 2010 concerts.

The Community Chorus is now an organization with an average membership of about seventy-five singers. It is an autonomous non-profit corporation with thirteen directors, seven of whom are elected by the Tryon Rotary Club and six by the Community Chorus membership. All ticket sales go directly to the scholarship fund of Tryon Rotary while volunteer contributions support the expenses of putting on concerts.