Our History
In 1975, Tom Wilcox and Dave Grisafe, two key figures of the Lawrence Choral Union founded in the 1920s, joined forces to form the Lawrence Civic Choir, an adult chorus to perform choral masterworks.
Lawrence Civic Choir’s first performance was on April 6, 1975, at Haskell Indian Nations University, followed by a second, full house performance at the Carnegie Building. This successful debut marked the beginning of Lawrence Civic Choir's enduring role as an integral part of the Lawrence arts community.
Through the years, Lawrence Civic Choir has promoted cultural exchange by participating in multiple European tours and performances throughout the U.S. It was chosen to represent Kansas and perform at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. in 2001, and performed in Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2004 and 2019.
Recent collaborative performances include a 2025 performance of Brahms’ A German Requiem with Shawnee Choral Society and Lawrence Community Orchestra at Lied Center of Kansas, and 2026 concerts with William Baker Festival Singers in Topeka and Kansas City.
Artistic Directors
Leslie Adams, 1975
Lewis Tilford, 1975–76
Maribeth Kirchhoff Crawford, 1976-83
Leon Burke III, 1983–84
Patricia Boyd, 1983
George Lawner, 1984
Daniel Politoske, 1985
John Buehler, 1985–90
Joel Panciera, 1990–93
Robert Reid, 1993–2002
Steve Eubank, 2002–present
Accompanists
Winifred Gallup
Jan Bays
Tammy Lydon
Mike Boring
Dr. Geoffrey Wilcken, 2000–present
“…there is one thing that binds us together, and that is the joy of singing. And as our director often says, we are “intimate strangers.” We share the tenderest of emotions that we express when we sing together. There is truly nothing quite like singing. Our individual voices are the instruments coming together to create beauty. And in the singing together we become filled with joy.”
— Diana Ice, LCC member