Submitted Photo The Heritage Singers of Minot, a group organized 50 years ago, perform globally. This is a photograph from a 2017 performance in Spain.

This year marks 50 years for the Heritage Singers of Minot.

While at Minot State, Joseph Hegstad, director of choral activities and later Division of Music chairman, founded and directed the Heritage Singers.

In October 1974, five men, Alf Aanstad, Ted Sitz, Lyle Hanson, Brad Botz and Hegstad met to organize the group to sing classical male chorus literature with emphasis on patriotic, spiritual and early sacred music and to provide music for various local and state functions, according to the Oct. 11, 1975, edition of The Minot Daily News.

“An objective is to foster and give impetus to male choral singing. Public school choral organizations have suffered from a lack of male singers in recent years and it is hoped that this organization can help to create more interest among the men in singing,” Hegstad said at the time.

The early semi-professional singing group consisted of local singers, Minot State graduates, several of Hegstad’s former private students and singers from the local region of Minot.

A Nov. 18, 1978, story in The Minot Daily News reported in addition to being honored in 1976 as the Governor’s Musical Ambassadors, the group was lauded by such persons as the late Sen. Barry Goldwater, who heard the group perform at Minot Air Force Base. The group also has sung at governor’s inaugurals, state conventions and numerous other functions.

Hegstad died in 2017.

“The Heritage Singers bring great joy in sharing their love of men’s chorale singing not only to Minot and the surrounding area but also internationally with performances having been held in Norway, Ireland,Italy, Spain and this year they will travel to France,” said Steve Beaudoin of the Heritage Singers.

This group is raising funds for its upcoming trip to France, where members will sing at the American cemetery and at the landing beach in Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

The group presents an annual variety show, with this year’s show being held through Saturday and March 7-9.

The group’s head director is Dave Jensen, and Jared Olson, Wayne Schemp and Ken Bowles co-direct.

The group also provides scholarships to vocal music students at Minot State University every year. After the 2011 flood, the group donated $20,000 to Erik Ramstad Middle School to assist with replacing items lost in the flood.