decades of collaboration
Over the decades, FDCS has established an impressive library of choral music. Although music has been borrowed through the years in order to hold down expenses, money has always been budgeted for purchase of quality music. Numerous area schools and churches have benefitted from using Choral Society’s library, which includes more than 500 works.
Choral Society is always looking to collaborate with rising vocal and instrumental talent to perform as well as compositional talent to commission−we encourage all of those who feel so moved to contact us!
our people
Greta Nelson, artistic director, 2023-2025
While serving as the choral director at Webster City High School in Webster City, Iowa, Greta accepted the Interim Conductor position for FDCS in July 2023. She planned and began the 2023-24 season. In December 2023, Greta was appointed as Artistic Director and served as the Artistic Director from then to May 2025. Her artistry and musicality helped FDCS grow and flourish over the two seasons she was with us. And she will be much missed, as an artist and as a friend to the whole group.
Now Greta is moving to a new teaching position with the Waverly/Shell Rock schools, near to her dear alma mater, Wartburg College. We wish her ALL the best the future has to hold.
Jeanette Hinkeldey, collaborative pianist
Jeanette Hinkeldey, a classically-trained pianist and organist, performs throughout Iowa as an organ recitalist and pianist for musical theater productions and vocal/instrumentalist soloists. When accompanying the Buena Vista University Choir on their European tour, Jeanette performed in Paris at the world-renowned Notre-Dame Cathedral, as well as The American Cathedral (The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity). Currently, Jeanette accompanies the Storm Lake High School and Middle School Choirs and is the Director of Music at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aurelia. She also maintains a private piano and organ studio and is involved in the Iowa Music Teachers Association as the Theory Chair and in the Iowa Federation of Music Teachers as the Recording Secretary.
Jeanette received her Master's degree in Music at Drake University and her Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of South Dakota. Throughout her years of study, she worked with Dr. Carl Staplin, Dr. Larry Scully, Dr. Jeannine Jordan, and Dr. Robert Delcamp.
She and her husband, Mark, reside on the Hinkeldey Family Farm south of Alta. They have two grown children, Renae and Marcus, who are also involved in the agricultural business. When not in the music scene, Jeanette enjoys traveling, reading novels, and watching cooking shows, knowing full well she will never have time to make any of the recipes.
in memory of Bruce Perry (June 1956-June 2023), conductor
Please visit the Farber & Otteman Funeral Homes website of Sac City, IA, to read the obituary of our previous long-time director: Bruce Perry. From 1993 to 2023, Bruce served as our conductor and solidified Fort Dodge Choral Society's place in the artistic community of Fort Dodge.
Join Us
help our cause
your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and fund our mission.