Our Mission
Heart of the Valley Children’s Choir exists to give each child the opportunity to find the artist within. Through the study and performance of a wide variety of excellent musical literature, our singers get the chance to learn, share, and enjoy.
about history and cultures through music.
discipline and self-management through participation in choir.
that musicality is an important part of the learning process.
to appreciate excellent musical literature.
their unique individuality with each other, which contributes to the success of the whole choir.
the highest level of excellence in public and recorded performances.
and contribute to the cultural life of Corvallis, Oregon, the Nation and the World.
a choir that maintains a climate of warmth and valuing people.
themselves and personal expression when they feel positive about their experiences.
participating.
evaluation and competition as part of the growth process when they recognize the primary area of competition is within their own potential.
singing for its own sake.
In 1984, after attending an Education Through Music (ETM) conference, two music teachers from Corvallis and Salem decided to start a children’s choir. They planned a choir that would be more than a place for already trained voices; it would also be a place for children of many ages to learn and appreciate music. The two music educators had identified children in the Corvallis and Salem schools who had beautiful voices but would probably not receive any musical training outside of the public school setting.
During the first season, 100 children signed up for the choir. The choir consisted of 4th, 5th and 6th graders from Corvallis, Albany, Philomath, and Salem. Singers from the first choir are still involved in music: teaching music and singing in choirs.
Today, the choir supports the music education and personal growth of over 300 children from Benton, Linn and Marion Counties from 2nd through 12th grades. This extended music supports, and is in partnership with, the music education of the local public school districts.
For over 30 years, Heart of the Valley Children’s Choir has had the opportunity to sing in many wonderful places throughout the world, perform with other talented choirs and singers, and be educated and directed by some amazing directors.
It is through the support of our local community, parents, families, alumni, and singers that we are able to do what we love to do; MUSIC.
Carol Nelson, Founder
Carol is the Founder of Heart of the Valley Children’s Choir. She holds both a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Oregon. Carol has directed choral festivals at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon and at the University of Oregon. She is on the staff of Music EdVentures, a music education research group, and also holds a certificate from the VoiceCare Network. Carol was a music specialist in the Corvallis Public School District from 1971-2007. Carol was a Finalist for the Oregon Symphony Patty Verneer Music Educator of the Year (2004) and was selected for the 2004 Honored Public Servant Award given by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She was also given the Meritorious Service Award for 2004 by the Benton County Foundation. She was invited by the Chinese National Choral Director’s Convention to give workshops in choral rehearsal techniques at Tianjin University, Tianjin, China in the summers of 2005 and 2007 and has recently given workshops for Oregon Music Educator’s Association and Music EdVentures with the help of the Festival Choir. Carol retired from directing at HVCC in 2022.