Mercer County’s second-oldest arts organization, the Central Jersey Choral Society (CJCS), has been a pillar of the local arts scene since 1949, bringing classical choral music to communities across the region.
Throughout its history, the CJCS has enjoyed periods of success, but it has also faced challenges, including declining membership and the need for rebuilding. Now, as the organization celebrates its 75th anniversary, it is once again flourishing.
Formerly known by several names—the Trenton Community Chorus, Mercer County Chorus, and the Greater Trenton Choral Society—the CJCS has evolved over time. Today, the name reflects its diverse membership of 60 to 65 singers from Mercer, Bucks and Burlington counties. While the group currently thrives, its journey has been marked by fluctuations in membership, a reminder of the ebbs and flows that many arts organizations experience.
Headquartered in Ewing Township, the CJCS performs most of its concerts at Ewing Covenant Presbyterian Church on Scotch Road. In an effort to continue its legacy, the group is actively recruiting new members from across the Mercer County area. To kick off its 75th anniversary season, the CJCS recently hosted two welcoming nights for prospective singers, a move that signals the organization’s commitment to growth and community engagement.
The road to this milestone was not without obstacles. Just before its 60th anniversary, the CJCS faced a daunting challenge: membership had dwindled to just 14 people, and the organization’s future was uncertain.
However, thanks to the perseverance of its dedicated members, a determined board, and the vision of artistic director Christopher Loeffler, the choir made an impressive comeback. Loeffler’s leadership and the collective passion of the group helped breathe new life into the organization, ensuring that the CJCS could continue its mission of bringing high-quality choral music to the region.
“The trick to 75 years is just making a commitment to revitalizing,” said Loeffler in an interview with the Ewing Observer.
The artistic director joined the organization in 2008 when membership had reached its lowest point, and financial hardships were a major concern. The organization was so threatened by these issues that the board at the time had a meeting where they decided that their options were to either close the CJCS or hire Loeffler. When he was hired, Loeffler stepped up to become the organization’s fifth artistic director.
Through his roles as a high school chorus teacher, vocalist, performing arts facilitator and director of multiple choirs, Loeffler is connected with many artists in Central Jersey. When he became artistic director of the CJCS, the first thing Loeffler did was bring in four friends who had the ability to musically strengthen the choir. From there, the organization began recruiting anyone who had an interest in singing.
“I strongly believe that anybody can sing, and if you want to learn how, it’s a skill,” said Loeffler.
The artistic director believed that if the CJCS had a few strong voices that could carry parts, then he could surround the strong voices with those who are more timid.
A joint effort between the organization’s members to expand the CJCS resulted in an increase of more than 500% in membership, and more financial security. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a drop in membership, the organization reached 85 members.
Some long-time members remember when the CJCS had more than 100 people at once, according to Caroline Steward, who has been a member since the 1970s.
The organization’s founder, Harry Mulder, who passed away in December 2011, brought in hundreds of members during his over 30 years of directorship. Mulder was a music teacher at Trenton Central High School and recruited many of his students to join the organization.
Mulder was “legendary,” said Steward, a resident of Ewing who joined the organization when she was in high school. She became a member after being encouraged by her church’s choir director, Deidre Hindley, who is also a long-time member of the CJCS. At the time, people were required to audition to join. Steward’s audition went well, and she became an active member until she took a temporary break to raise her children.
Hindley, another Ewing resident, also left the organization for some time. During their time away, Steward and Hindley were still connected through their church, and when Hindley decided to rejoin the CJCS in the early 2000’s, she, once again, convinced Steward to come along. This time, Steward brought her daughter, Sarah Steward, with her.
Sarah, who is also a Ewing resident and serves as a member of the Ewing Township Council, would go on to become president of the organization in 2013. She served in that role until 2022 when she stepped down and became a non-board member. Leanne Sine, who was the CJCS’s secretary, assumed the presidency and has held the position since.
Over the years the CJCS has stayed true to its mission, which according to Sarah Steward is, “creating high quality classical choral music in our community.”
For its 75th season performances, Loeffler is taking inspiration from the CJCS’s passion for classical choral music and its history to organize performances that depict the heart of the organization.
Long-time members often look back on the 1970s “glory days” of the organization, according to Loeffler. The reminiscing inspired the artistic director to make a historical musical connection.
“That’s exactly what they were doing in the Renaissance,” said Loeffler. “Looking back to Classical Greece and Rome.”
Incorporating history lessons into performances is something that the artistic director is known for, both in practice and on stage.
“The choir often jokes that I don’t turn my teacher off,” said Loeffler. “I love to tell them the history of the piece, of the composer, of the time period, of all of those things.”
This season, Loeffler is using his knowledge of history to curate a concert that tells the organization’s story from its successful past, through its comeback after facing hardships, to its embracement of the present and optimism for the future.
“My goal for this year was to finally acknowledge all that we were and help it inform who we are,” said Loeffler. “I just don’t want the choir to think that our glory days are behind us. We are doing great stuff right now and the glory days can be ahead of us.”
The concert that Loeffler has put together for the 75th season is chronological, and travels from the beginning of the Renaissance period until the end. The performance will feature works by Guillaume Du Fay, a composer from the early Renaissance, and Claudio Monteverdi, a composer from the later Renaissance.
Also on the 75-year anniversary performance agendas are Felix Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” and George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah.” Both of these works are staples of the CJCS.
“Messiah” has been performed by the organization since 1953, according to Caroline Steward. Although they do not perform the piece every year, many members—whether they sang in the CJCS decades ago or more recently—have memories of singing “Messiah.”
“It’s our big piece that everybody knows,” said Caroline Steward. “It’s a big sing along.”
The organization will be performing “Messiah” to commemorate the piece’s significance in its history. Sine and the rest of the CJCS Board are hoping that past members will rejoin and participate in what Caroline Steward describes as “a big sing along.”
“I hope that [the concerts] bring people back to the choir, whether it’s this choir or another one right like it,” said Sine.
An open house on Monday, Sept. 9, kicked off the 75-year anniversary season. Members will now spend this season preparing for its two main performances in January and June 2025. Exact dates, times and locations are still to be determined.
While 75 years is a milestone, both Caroline and Sarah Steward said that they would like to see the organization make it to its 100-year anniversary.
“I think there are more people out there that we could reach either in terms of singers or community and that’s really our mission is to reach folks,” said Sarah Steward. “It just brings people joy to see their community members do this.”
Anyone interested in joining the CJCS or who has questions can e-mail Vice President Dana Maiuro at membership@cjchoralsociety.org or contact them through our site at cjchoralsociety.org/contact.html.
Regular rehearsals are on Monday evenings from 7-9 p.m. at Ewing Presbyterian Church, 100 Scotch Road, Ewing Township.
