Music note surrounding the Cannon Beach Chorus logoMusic note surrounding the Cannon Beach Chorus logoCannon Beach Chorus logo, featuring Haystack RockMusic note surrounding the Cannon Beach Chorus logoMusic note surrounding the Cannon Beach Chorus logo

About the Chorus

Our Mission Statement

The Cannon Beach Chorus is a north Oregon coast Community Chorus,
offering the gift of vocal music to delight our audiences,
providing joy and challenge for participants,
and expanding awareness and appreciation of the choral arts.

History of the Chorus

The Cannon Beach Chorus was founded in 1988 under the direction of Danny Lawson, owner of New Star Recording Studio.  Mr. Lawson was the director from 1988-1991.  The first performance was in August, 1988, featuring popular tunes from 60s and 70s with the Coast Youth Electric Symphony.  The IRS granted not-for-profit status to the Chorus on October 16, 1990. In 1992 Chuck Hamilton, Seaside High School teacher and choir director became our second director.  From the fall of 1992-2010 Dorene Horn (Dunlap) was our third director. From 2010-2022, Dr. John Buehler was the fourth conductor of the Chorus. In the Fall of 2022, Roy Sieber took over the baton.

Pianists accompanying the chorus have been Marguerite Ely, BJ Phillips, Adriene Lorraine, David Carlson, Paula Kliewer, Dr. Susan Buehler, and Barbara Richmond.

The Chorus has performed along the coast from Oysterville, WA to Tillamook, OR.  In 2000 the Chorus traveled to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall.  Significant choral classics such as Vivaldi’s Gloria, Rutter’s Requiem and Magnificat, Handel’s Messiah, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, Saint Saën’s Christmas Oratorio, and Faure’s Requiem are among our repertoire, in addition to a wide variety of classical choral masterpieces and choral arrangements of popular, folk and show tunes.

In 2003, the Chorus established and began awarding the Carol Homme Memorial Scholarship, named after a deceased longtime member.  It is offered to promising young voice students for advanced choral study.  Since its founding, the Cannon Beach Chorus has shared a love of music and a commitment to excellence in choral singing.

Cannon Beach Chorus Board of Directors, 2023-2024

Carol Baker
Su Coddington
Ginger Keller
Jane Knapp
Marcie Laudani
Helen O’Connor
Tena Seeborg
Dr. John M. Buehler
,
artistic director
The conductor of the Cannon Beach Chorus, Dr. John Buehler, is the former director of Choral Studies at Baker University where he held the Youse-Rice Chair in Choral Music and was also Chairman of the Department of Music. He is now Professor Emeritus of Music.

He earned degrees in music education and choral conducting from Fort Hays State University, Wichita State University, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. For twenty-five years, Dr. Buehler directed Baker University choirs in concert tours across the United States, and in Europe and Asia. He has been a guest conductor for numerous choirs from middle school groups to adult professional choirs. Prior to joining the Baker University faculty in 1984, Dr. Buehler taught choral music in the high schools of Kansas and he continues an active schedule of school choral clinics and adjudication assignments.

Dr. Buehler was the Chancel Choir Director at Baldwin City First United Methodist Church for nearly 20 years and is active nationally as a church choral clinician. Dr. Buehler currently serves OR ACDA as the R&R Chair for Community Choirs and also for Lifelong Music.
Dr. Susan Buehler
,
pianist
Prior to moving to Cannon Beach, Dr. Buehler was a member of the voice faculty and was the choral department accompanist at Baker University, Baldwin City, KS. Currently Dr. Buehler maintains Music Lasts A Lifetime Studio where she teaches weekly voice and piano lessons and also offers a bi-monthly evening adult voice class. Additionally, she is an organist at Cannon Beach Community Church and Seaside Calvary Episcopal Church.

Dr. Buehler earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS; a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music; a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance from University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music.

We'd love to hear from you.

Contact