Ball State University Singers to Perform in Syracuse: A Musical Event You Won’t Want to Miss!

Chautauqua-Wawasee’s 2025 Spring Musical Program is set to delight audiences with a performance by the renowned Ball State University Singers. Known as an elite musical show choir, this group of talented students—singers, dancers, instrumentalists, and sound technicians—will bring their extraordinary energy to Syracuse in an unforgettable 90-minute performance.

The show will take place at the Wawasee High School Auditorium and promises to feature an exciting mix of popular hit songs and musical theater favorites. Under the expert direction of Jodi Cotton-Street, the performance will celebrate timeless themes of faith, hope, laughter, and love, all brought to life through uplifting and inspiring music. Many choir members hail from local and regional high schools, making this performance a special homecoming for these talented and accomplished artists. For more insights into the event, read Devin Van Lue’s article here.

Ball State University Singers Syracuse Performance


Event Details:

  • When: February 16, 2025, from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM (Doors open at 3:00 PM)
  • Where: Wawasee High School Auditorium, 1 Warrior Path, Syracuse, Indiana
  • Tickets:
    • General Admission: $10
    • VIP Section: $20
      Tickets can be purchased HERE.

*You may also purchase your tickets at the door!*


About the Program and Chautauqua-Wawasee

Our mission at Chautauqua-Wawasee is to provide life-enriching experiences through the arts, education, faith, and recreation. Sponsored by the Chautauqua-Wawasee Oakwood Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, this program reflects our commitment to supporting the arts and creating meaningful events that bring the community together.

For more information about the program, visit Chautauqua-Wawasee’s website or follow them on the Chautauqua-Wawasee Facebook page.


Contact Information:

  • Questions? Contact us at info@chautauquawawasee.org or call 703-489-7124.
  • Photo Credit: Doug Clements

Don’t miss this incredible performance by the Ball State University Singers—an evening of joy, inspiration, and musical brilliance awaits! Reserve your tickets now for this unforgettable experience.

Devin Van Lue-Reflections by a Ball State Singer

Reflections as a Ball State Singer By Devin Van Lue, WHS Graduate

Gratitude for the Journey

As I reflect on my time with the Ball State Singers, I am filled with gratitude for the ways this experience has shaped me—not only as a musician but also as a leader and as a person. From the first rehearsal to this final performance, the Ball State Singers have been a place of faith, hope, laughter, and love, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been a part of this group.


More Than Just Music

A Community of Support

When I first joined the Singers, I came with a deep love for music, but I quickly learned that this group was much more than a place to sing—it was a community. Each member brings something unique. Over time, I realized that the Ball State Singers were about more than just rehearsals and performances; they were about building relationships and supporting one another, both on and off the stage. We laughed together, faced challenges together, and celebrated each other’s successes.

It’s a place where faith in one another’s abilities and a shared sense of hope in our goals allowed us to achieve far more than we ever could alone.


Growing Through Leadership Roles

Through my time with the Singers, I’ve had the privilege of growing into leadership roles that have helped shape who I am today. Starting as Outreach Coordinator, I learned to organize, communicate, and build connections. This role helped me see the importance of bridging the gap between the group and the community.

I transitioned into the role of Assistant Company Manager, where I gained more responsibility and a deeper understanding of what it takes to keep everything running smoothly. Now, as Company Manager, I’ve had the honor of working closely with the team, making sure everything from rehearsals to performances is executed flawlessly.

These leadership opportunities have pushed me to grow, and I am forever grateful for the trust and confidence my fellow Singers have shown me.


Living by Faith, Hope, and Love

In addition to leadership, the values of faith, hope, and love have been central to my journey. I’ve learned that leadership is about inspiring others and creating an environment where everyone feels supported and valued. There is a deep faith and hope that every performance will reflect our collective effort, and a love for the music and the people we share it with.

These values have guided me through every challenge and triumph, both in the group and in my own life.


A Meaningful Final Performance

This year holds special meaning for me, as it marks one of my final performances with the Ball State Singers at my alma mater, Wawasee High School. Performing here, where my love for music began, is a full-circle moment I’ll treasure. It reminds me of how far I’ve come and the powerful impact that music, community, and leadership have had on me.


Carrying the Memories Forward

As I take the stage one last time, I’ll carry with me all the lessons, memories, and relationships I’ve gained through the Ball State Singers. The laughter, faith, hope, and love we’ve shared will stay with me long after my final performance. I’ll forever be grateful.

Chautauqua-Wawasee presents the Ball State Singers
Sunday, Feb. 16, 3:30 – 5 PM at Wawasee High School.
For complete details and tickets, click HERE.

(For your convenience, you may also purchase tickets at the door on the afternoon of the performance!)

Exciting News: Chautauqua-Wawasee’s 2025 Calendar of Events is Here!

We are thrilled to unveil our incredible lineup of programs for 2025! This year, Chautauqua-Wawasee has a mix of cherished favorites and exciting new events to engage, inspire, and bring our community together. From arts and culture to history and nature, there’s something for everyone!

Highlights of 2025

  • New programs like the Old-Fashioned Hymn Sing (April 13), Stained Glass Workshop (September 4, 11, 18), and the Syracuse Ghost Tour (October 18) are sure to become instant favorites!
  • Beloved classics such as the Wawasee Fine Arts Festival (May 24), Taps Across the Water (May 25), and the Old-Fashioned Christmas (November 29) are back to bring joy and tradition.
  • Family-friendly events like the Pawawsee Dog Parade (June 7) and the Patriotic Speakers-Teddy and Edith Roosevelt (June 29) promise fun for all ages.

🗓️ Mark your calendars now and plan to join us in Syracuse, Indiana, for these unforgettable experiences!

We cannot wait to see everyone again and create lasting memories together. Be sure to check out the full calendar above for all dates, times, and program details. Let’s make 2025 a year to remember!

Follow us on Facebook or call 574-377-7543 for more information.

Ball State Singers Return to Syracuse in 2025 – Don’t Miss This Unforgettable Performance!


The Ball State Singers are back in Syracuse, Indiana, for a highly anticipated performance on Sunday, February 16th, 2025, at 3:30 PM. Presented by Chautauqua-Wawasee, this exciting event will be held at the Wawasee High School Auditorium.

This talented musical ensemble offers a diverse and dynamic repertoire, including gospel, vocal jazz, swing, contemporary hits, romantic ballads, classical choral selections, barbershop, folk, patriotic standards, opera choruses, country, and novelty tunes. With a blend of small group performances, incredible soloists, and lively choreography, the Ball State Singers will deliver a 90-minute musical experience that you won’t forget.

Celebrate the return of Wawasee High School alum, Devin Van Lue, as part of this one-of-a-kind performance!

Devin Van Lue-Ball State University Singers

 

Event Details:

  • Date: Sunday, February 16th, 2025
  • Time: 3:30 PM (Doors open at 3:00 PM)
  • Location: Wawasee High School Auditorium, Syracuse, IN

Ticket Prices:

  • VIP Tickets: $20
  • General Admission: $10

The Ball State Singers are Indiana’s official goodwill ambassadors and have been recognized since 1964 as one of America’s top collegiate entertainment groups. Whether you’re a fan of jazz, classical, pop, or patriotic music, this performance offers something for everyone. Don’t miss this special opportunity to see one of the nation’s most acclaimed university ensembles right here in Syracuse.

Plan Your Visit:

Arrive early to explore local dining options before the show or enjoy a bite to eat afterward. Check out our calendar for more exciting Chautauqua Wawasee events – 2025 promises to be our best year yet!

Get Your Tickets Now!

Click HERE to purchase tickets on Eventbrite.

Make plans to join us for an afternoon of incredible music and entertainment with the Ball State Singers at Wawasee High School!

A Heartfelt Thank You to Our 2024 Chautauqua Wawasee Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration Sponsors

As the 2024 Chautauqua Wawasee Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration draws near, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to the incredible sponsors who make this cherished community event possible. Their support helps bring the magic of the holiday season to life in our beautiful lakeside town, and we are so grateful for their generosity.

A big thank you to:

  • Bass Audiology
  • Beyond Landscaping, Inc.
  • Crossroads Bank
  • Dockside Gifts & Apparel
  • Harkless Foundation
  • Jasper Plastics
  • Jeff & Carrie Herdrich
  • Kiwanis Club of Wawasee
  • Kiyomi Japanese restaurant
  • Lakeland Youth Center
  • Leading Edge Countertops
  • Main Channel Marina
  • Myra & Howard Brembeck Foundation
  • Oakwood Resort
  • Pat’s Chicago Dogs
  • Sands Accounting Inc.
  • Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce
  • Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum
  • Teghtmeyer Ace Hardware
  • The Papers, Inc.
  • Town of Syracuse (Parks Dept)
  • Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation
  • Wawasee Boat Company
  • Woman of Today
  • WPOA

Your support, whether through financial contributions, resources, or volunteer efforts, helps create a warm and festive atmosphere that brings our community together. Thanks to your involvement, the Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration will continue to be a beloved tradition for years to come—one that families and friends of all ages can enjoy.

As we prepare for the season’s festivities, we are reminded of the power of community. You are all essential in making this event a success, and we truly couldn’t do it without you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping us celebrate this magical time of year!

Wishing you all a joyful and blessed holiday season. We look forward to celebrating with you at the 2024 Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration! 🎄✨

With gratitude,
The Chautauqua Wawasee Team

Experience the Magic of the Old Fashioned Christmas! 

Are you looking for a unique, fun-filled family activity to kick off the holiday season? Look no further than Chautauqua Wawasee’s Old-Fashioned Christmas! This beloved annual event in Syracuse is back and bigger than ever in 2024, offering even more family-friendly activities.

Highlights of the Celebration

  • Meet Santa and His Reindeer: Kids can enjoy a special moment with Santa and even pet his live reindeer!
  • Live Nativity: Experience the true meaning of Christmas with our live nativity scene.
  • Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides: Take a cozy ride through the festive grounds.
  • Enjoy a special reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”: by one of Santa’s very own Elves!
  • Big Tree Lighting: Witness the magical lighting of our 50-foot Christmas tree, a highlight of the evening.
  • Reading of the Christmas Story: Join us at the historic Oakwood Chapel for a heartfelt reading of the Christmas story from the Bible, keeping Christ in Christmas.
  • Christmas Photo Booth: Capture the perfect family moment with our festive photo booth, complete with props and your phone’s camera.
  • Holiday Characters: Keep an eye out for Frosty, the Grinch, Rudolph, Buddy the Elf, the Toy Soldier, and the Gingerbread Man, who will be roaming the park for fun and photo opportunities.
  • Fun Holiday Games for Kids: Keep the kiddos entertained with fun games!

Event Details

  • When: November 30, 5:30 – 8:00 PM (Music starts at 5:30 PM- Activities start at 6 PM)
  • Where: Oakwood Resort,(outdoor event, so dress for the weather)-702 E. Lake View Road, Syracuse, IN
  • Cost: Free and open to the public!

Join us for an evening filled with joy, laughter, and holiday spirit! For updates and more details, check our Facebook page HERE. We look forward to celebrating with you!

Note: We hope for a bit of snow to enhance the festive atmosphere, but in case of severe weather, please check our Facebook page for updates.

Chautauqua Wawasee Old Fashioned Christmas

Volunteers Needed for Chautauqua Wawasee Old Fashioned Christmas 2024

Old Fashioned Christmas Seeking Volunteers

Chautauqua’s annual Old Fashioned Christmas will return bigger than ever on November 30, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

This extravagant event features Santa, 50-foot tree lighting, musical groups, caroling, live reindeer, a horse-drawn wagon ride, a family photo booth, six live characters such as Frosty, Grinch, Gingerbread Man, all done with the goal of keeping Christ in Christmas with a reading from Luke at the historic chapel, live nativity…and much more! Last
year, more than 1000 people attended this free community event! Read more about it HERE.

Sixty volunteers and performers are needed to make this event the best of its kind in all of northern Indiana.

Due to its growth in 2024, Chautauqua is looking for volunteers who want to join in the fun of putting on this community program. This year’s event starts at 5:30 with Christmas music prior to the tree lighting at 6:00 and ends at 8:00. Help is needed for decorating trees, staffing booths, welcoming guests, handing out free gifts, directing cars for parking and more.

If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities, please contact Kip Schumm at 574-518-0678.

Humble Gumption: Cam Shriver’s Insight on Myaamia Survival and History
By: Dave Berry, Chautauqua Wawasee

Survival of the Myaamia-Cam Shriver

On a brisk September morning, about 40 people attended Cam Shriver’s presentation on the survival of the Myaamia people, hosted by Chautauqua Wawasee.

Cam Shriver is a Senior Research Associate in the Myaamia Center at Miami University in Ohio. His research focuses on Indigenous history, with a particular emphasis on the Myaamia experience across the last four centuries.

1846 as a turning point

Cam’s discussion began by establishing the year 1846 as a reference point. In 1846, 350 tribal members were removed from Indiana to Kansas. Part of the talk focused on the tactics used by the U.S. government to coerce members of the Myaamia nation into ceding most of their land in Indiana to the United States, both before and after 1846.

Participant questions and discussion highlights

The conversation then moved into participant questions, including:

  • Myaamia farming practices

  • Miami University’s role in supporting the Miami Tribe’s work to re awaken the dormant Myaamia language

  • Stories of tribal leaders Peepakicia (Papakeechie) and Waawiyaasita (Wawasee), along with their descendants

“Nothing about us, without us” and community engaged scholarship

Given the history of non Native people pursuing research detached from living Native Americans, some Myaamia officials have adopted the phrase: “Nothing about us, without us.”

In this spirit, Cam summarized his approach to community engaged scholarship as “humble gumption.” As a non Myaamia person, he aims to remain humble enough to understand that Myaamia leaders have their own priorities, that the nation has limited resources, and that he is only one of many well meaning people who request Myaamia perspectives. Yet, he still has the gumption to develop long term relationships that enable collaboration and allyship with the ongoing Myaamia cultural renaissance.

Learn more

Cam suggests perusing the Myaamia community blog, Aacimotaatiiyankwi, as a strong starting point for learning more about Myaamia history, culture, ecological perspectives, and events:
https://aacimotaatiiyankwi.org/

Looking ahead

Chautauqua Wawasee will host Logan York, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, at the WACF Ruddell Pavilion on September 6, 2025.

And for those of you who cannot get enough history

Take a look at this. Our three day Digging Through History Series starts tomorrow. Get the full details here: [LINK HERE]

 

Digging Through History 2024

Annual Three-Day Native American “Digging Through History” Program

Chautauqua-Wawasee and Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum are collaborating to offer the fourth annual series of programs that explore the local history of northeastern Indiana. The series offers three FREE programs, September 12-14. The September 12 and 13 programs are being hosted at the Syracuse Community Center, while the September 14th program will be outdoors at WACF’s Ruddell Pavilion. Each program features presenters with expert knowledge and provides an interactive environment for discussion and hands-on examination of artifacts.

Trevor Tipton presented here in 2021, and returns on Thursday, September 12, to discuss “Tools and Weapons of the Indigenous Peoples.” (6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Syracuse Community Center)

Have you ever wondered how mankind survived thousands of years ago? What animals did they hunt? How did they kill their prey? What tools were used by prehistoric man? This will be the focus of Trevor Tipton’s presentation. His artifact collection, found mostly in Noble County, will be on display. Attendees will be able to handle weapons from centuries ago.

Then, on Friday, Dr. Mark Schurr, a professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Notre Dame, will speak on the topic “Archaeology of the French in Northern Indiana – Does it Exist?” (6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Syracuse Community Center)

The first historical record of the French presence in northern Indiana dates to 1679 when Réné Robert Cavalier, Sieur de Lasalle traveled along what is now the St. Joseph River to the Kankakee River using the portage in South Bend. However, the French established only one permanent settlement in the northern
Indiana (Fort Miami in what is now Ft. Wayne). Very little archaeological evidence is available about the French presence in the region. Historic records and a few site investigations show what kind of evidence we should look for if we want to document evidence of French activities in northern Indiana, including in
places like Kosciusko County.

On Saturday, September 14, seven individual activities and experts share information on what life was like back in the 1800s. (10:00 a.m. – Noon, WACF’s Ruddell Pavillion)

These include a demonstration of the Atlatl tool, flint knapping, and presentations by a 1754 French Marine, Indiana Department of Natural Resources Archaeological Division, metal detecting, and others.  With so much to see and do, this Saturday program has been incredibly popular with children and families.

Due to last year’s overwhelming response, Chautauqua Wawasee is offering a second program to learn more about the Myaamia people and culture.  The Myaamia community is much more than just street names and artifacts. They are a vibrant contemporary people whose history has shaped many of our lives here in Indiana. Historian Cam Shriver will talk about the fight against the Myaamia nation’s removal from their Indiana homelands, and what it was like for the many families who remained in the state.

Shriver, Senior Research Associate in the Myaamia Center, works on Indigenous history, with a particular emphasis on the Myaamia experience of the last four centuries. Most recently, his research has investigated histories of colonial and Native American education and the legal and social history of Myaamia allotments.

Shriver’s scholarly research emerged from ongoing conversations with the community and the Miami Tribe’s Cultural Resources Office. In addition to various courses in early American history, Shriver frequently teaches “Introduction to the Miami Tribe” at Miami University, and he will be sharing his knowledge with us this coming September!

This Saturday program runs from 10:00 am until noon outdoors at WACF’s Ruddell Pavilion south of Syracuse at 11586 N. SR 13.  This is a FREE Event.

WHEN: Sept. 7th – 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: WACF Ruddell Pavilion – 11586 N. State Road 13, Syracuse

COST: FREE TO ATTEND!

Follow us on Facebook, or call us at 574-377-7543 for more information!