History overview
75 Years of Memorable Moments
Swiss Chorus Edelweiss
1934-2009
November 30, 1934: The Swiss Chorus Edelweiss was founded at Salt Lake City with 28 singers, all Swiss immigrants. Julius Billeter was the first music director.
1935: Novelty numbers are added to the chorus’s repertoire: Fahneschwingen (flag throwing), Keulenschwingen (bowling pin drill), folk dances and short stage plays. They staged musicals around the northern Wasatch front from Logan to Montpelier, ID.
Early 1940’s: Chorus members would sponsor various social activities: frequent trips to Wasatch Hot Springs, Mirror Lake in the Uintahs (a 35-hour round-trip drive in those days), Brighton, Ensign Peak, Saratoga Springs, a hike up Mt. Timpanogos, etc.
Mid 1940’s: During WWII the chorus puts on concerts, serviceman farewell and homecoming celebrations, and patriotic services. Four members serve overseas.
1948: The chorus joins the United Swiss Singing Societies of the Pacific Coast (USSSPC). They participate in its first festival, performing in the Hollywood Bowl. That year alone the chorus also puts on 22 performances and sponsors 6 major social events.
1950: Charlie Krauser takes charge of the folk dance group. On June 5th, the glorious chorus flag was presented by Ed Gossner, the successful Swiss cheese manufacturer from Cache Valley whose generous participation largely financed the substantial cost. The chorus participates in the USSSPC festival in Tacoma; on the road trip they also perform in Boise and Tacoma.
1952: The chorus participates in the USSSPC festival in San Francisco, also giving concerts in San Francisco and San Mateo.
1954: The chorus participates in the USSSPC festival in Portland, OR, with four other special performances.
1957: The chorus hosts the USSSPC festival in Salt Lake; its ac-cordion group of 10 members provides entertainment.
1959: Celebrating its 25th jubilee, the chorus tours Switzerland during the summer, performing in Bern and Zurich. At their fall concert in Kingsbury Hall, they perform the Velo-Reigen, a syn-chronized bike rally (complete with jump ramps!) to Swiss music.
1960: The chorus participates in the USSSPC festival at Stockton, CA. Afterwards, during its annual summer vacation, it performs to an audience of over 1,000 people in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada and later puts on a spontaneous requested program at Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park.
August 14, 1965: The Swiss Garden, complete with a replica of the Matterhorn and a chalet, is dedicated at the International Peace Gardens. Chorus members were crucial in this monumental effort.
1968: The chorus sponsors a float in the Pioneer Days of ’47 parade, winning 3rd place. Three trailers (60 feet) long, it featured the children’s chorus, dancers, flag throwing, yodelers, animals, …
1969: At its fall concert, the chorus performs the “Bärtanz”, a dance featuring Fritz Balmer completely dressed in a real bear hide and tempted with a large carrot by Anna Rindlisbacher.
June 19-22, 1975: The chorus hosts the USSSPC festival in Salt Lake. Arthur Feurer was the Festival Director and Margrit Lohner was the Festival Musical Director.
1977: Arthur Feurer succeeds Margrit Lohner as music director.
October 3, 1978: For its annual fall concert, the chorus features special guests “Trio Eugster”, three brothers from Switzerland. Superbly decorated, the South High School auditorium is packed; about 100 Eugster fans travel from Switzerland for the event.
1986: The chorus publishes “A Bouquet of Memories”, a collection of memoirs, recollections, and testimonials.
August 1, 1988: The chorus is awarded the Utah Governor’s Cultural Heritage Award.
June 17-20, 1999: The chorus hosts the USSSPC festival in Salt Lake, complete with a concert in Abravanel Hall, a Swiss festival in Midway, and a special performance by visiting artists (the Rymann sisters) on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir TV show.
February 2002: The chorus plays an important role in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, performing at two exciting receptions. The alphorns and trio perform at 22 sporting events, 15 times at the Welcome the Nations show at the Conference Center (where chorus members were also Swiss flag carriers), and on the NBC Today Show. Other members served as multilingual hosts.
2002, 2005, 2008: The chorus participates in USSSPC festivals in Stockton, CA, Long Beach, CA, and Portland, OR.