News & Events

How busy we at this time of the year and owners of cozy Carolina mountain properties. Attending parties with work associates or with friends, shopping in our spare time, wrapping presents when our lists are all taken care of, and decorating our homes with strings of light and boughs of evergreen.  How fortunate we are to have so many things to do in Hickory NC that not only help us relax but also give us the cherished opportunity to spend quality time with friends and family.  

Music is one of holiday’s necessities, filling our hearts and homes with melodies and carols we’ve carried with us since childhood.  The Hickory Choral Society of Catawba Valley, a funded affiliate of the United Arts Council of Catawba County, is proudly celebrating its thirty-ninth year.  This year’s Holiday Concert will be a combination of traditional works as well as new and exciting arrangements. 

The HCS is located at 243 3^rd Avenue NE #2N, Hickory, NC 28601; phone–828-322-2210; office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 am to 3 pm.  There is such a strong cultural environment that is accessible to the retirement communities in Asheville NC, and the HCS plays a vibrant role.  In 1978, the Society began spreading its love of song and music.  The Society has grown in both membership and devoted followers who gather for concerts throughout the year.  There are approximately 100 singers who harmonize today, celebrating their belief “that each person, regardless of station, should be allowed to share the divine, universal gift of music and its immeasurable rewards.” 

For those of you who would like to sing with HCS, there is a new singer audition held in May on the third Monday, and a second audition possibly in August.   Volunteer singers come from nine counties: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, and McDowell.   As Tracy Hamlin, former singer of the Society said, “once you are a member, you are always a member. It’s in your heart, your blood, your soul.”  Auditions are judged by the HCS conductor and two assistants, who also select the audition music.  Please be able to sight read choral music.   Every three years each section is re-auditioned.  Annual dues are $50.00.  Performance attire for men is traditional tuxedo, and for women dress ordered through the HCS office. 

Recent Hickory Choral Society Christmas Concerts:

• Friday, December 2, 2016, 8 pm

• Saturday, December 3, 2016, 11 am *Cookies & Carols Children’s Concert*

• Saturday, December 3, 2016, 3 pm

• Saturday, December 3, 2016, 8 pm

• Sunday, December 4, 2016, 3 pm

Mark your calendar for upcoming  Hickory Choral Society Spring Concert

• Sunday, March 26, 2017, 3 pm

First Baptist Church, Hickory

“This was the very first Cookies and Carols occasion, kicking off a new holiday tradition for the whole family.  Join the Hickory Choral Society and orchestra members whose rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas always delivers the joy of the season.  Children are invited to sing up front with the Choral Society.  And this year there will be  some very special guests—Santa and the Grinch!  Children will be love their sweet cookie and cherish the ornament they can take home for the tree.

The cultural diversity and richness in Hickory is just one of the draws of the area for those who have chosen the retirement communities in Asheville NC.  No matter whether we are fully retired, semi-retired, or still working, there’s nothing better than discovering the variety of things to do in Hickory NC.  There’s often a misconception when we leave the metropolitan setting behind, that we won’t find the same cultural opportunities, whether it’s hearing an amazing concert, taking in a museum, or finding an unusually fine restaurant.  Fortunately, this is not the case for those of us who own Carolina mountain properties. 

The Asheville region is such a vibrant community.  The Coves Mountain River Club is located in the suburbs and is a friendly neighborhood you should explore when you enjoying things to do in Hickory NC while deciding to make this area your future home.  We are extremely blessed to have such a healthy and booming cultural arts scene in this region.   For those who visit longing to own one of the scenic Carolina mountain properties,  our inspiring mountain community is exactly the environment we dream about. Amenities include five miles of frontage on the Johns River, more than 39 miles of hiking and horse trails, a full service equestrian center, community gardens, parks and waterfalls in addition to the mountaintop Pisgah Mountain Lodge with an infinity-view swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center and entertainment great room. 

The Coves Mountain River Club is a pleasant drive of only a little more than an hour from Asheville off Interstate 40, and affords those who choose to live on a serene property, the opportunity to take part in the foothills culture.  Our region is known for its exemplary arts-affiliated organizations that continue to blossom from year to year and provide entertainment, education and community to all those who live in The Coves as well as the retirement communities of Asheville NC.

It’s fair to say, the hills are alive with the sound of music in Western North Carolina.

If you’re exploring the area for the first time, ask for our 70 page complimentary Western North Carolina Visitor’s Guide which provides more information about living in the foothills.