Our group owes its existence to our founder, Denise Rae Zellner. While a member of the Ypsilanti Players (a local theater group) in the early 1980s, she recognized a need for a community choral group. At the encouragement of friends she took the lead and organized what became the Ypsilanti Community Choir in the spring of 1983.

Denise earned degrees in music education and arts management from Eastern Michigan University and a degree in conducting from the University of Michigan, and taught for about 30 years in the Woodhaven, Milan and Hamtramck public school systems.

Denise continued to live in Ypsilanti following her graduation, married twice and raised a daughter. She also was director of the adult choir at Emmanuel Lutheran Church from 1985 thru 1995, and sang with the Choral Union of the University Musical Society from 1994 thru 2005.

Denise continued to lead our group even after she was diagnosed with cancer in 2003. The last concert she directed was our Christmas concert in December of 2005 concert (most of the pictures on this web site were taken at that performance). Denise passed away in July of 2006.