The Singers of Summerville

The Singers of Summerville strive, through community outreach and local concerts, to provide performances of the very best sacred and secular music of the past five centuries for the enjoyment and musical education of the Greater Charleston community.

The Singers of Summerville are led by music director and conductor David A. Richardson, following the 2020 retirement of longtime beloved director Dr. Valerie Bullock. The ensemble was formed in August 2003 by the Greater Summerville Music Forum and founding director Paul Fletcher.

The ensemble rehearses at Bethany United Methodist Church, at 118 W. 3rd Street South in beautiful downtown Summerville. The ensemble comprises from thirty to forty-five musicians from the greater Charleston area, and entrance into the choir is gained through competitive audition.

Brief History of Dorchester County

Dorchester County was named for Dorchester, Massachusetts. In 1696, Congregationalists from that town moved south and established a new settlement called Dorchester. Although the town of Dorchester had been abandoned by 1788, the parish in which it was located continued to be referred to as St. George Dorchester. This name was subsequently adopted for the county when it was formed from parts of Colleton and Berkeley counties in 1897. The county seat is the town of St. George, which also took its name from the old parish.

The town of Summerville was settled in the late eighteenth century as a summer resort for planters who wished to escape the malaria prevalent on their rice plantations; the town later became a winter resort also. Middleton Place Gardens, the remains of an old rice plantation, are the oldest landscaped gardens in the country, having been laid out in 1741. Middleton Place was the home of Henry Middleton (1717–1784), president of the Continental Congress, his son Arthur Middleton (1742–1787), a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and his grandson Henry Middleton (1770–1846), a governor, United States Congressman, and ambassador to Russia.

Brief History of the City of Summerville

Summerville, South Carolina . . . a town where charm and southern hospitality blend gracefully with the twenty-first century. Summerville's lush public parks, friendly town square, and lovingly preserved historic homes and gardens reflect its reputation as a "Flowertown in the Pines." Here you'll find natural beauty, community spirit, history, a mild climate, and a special sense of civic pride. Most importantly, Summerville is a friendly town, and the qualities that drew Lowcountry planters to this "Pineland Village" in the early 1800s are still very much alive in Summerville today. A graceful balance between the old and the new is maintained, and, along with its picturesque history, Summerville offers its residents living communities, shopping centers, recreational activities, and excellent medical facilities.

The community still gathers at Town Square for fireworks on the Forth of July. Friday night high school football draws a spirited, overflowing crowd. In April of each year, thousands of visitors assemble in Azalea Park to view the blooming azaleas and camellias and enjoy the annual Flowertown Festival. In May, crowds come to Azalea Park for "Sculpture in the South," the Annual Exhibit and Sale where nationally known artists display fine art works of representational sculpture, creating an outdoor sculpture gallery. It's all in Summerville . . . beautiful residential areas, great restaurants, elegant shops, outdoor recreation, excellent medical facilities, and historic sites . . . the amenities are endless! In Summerville you will find a warm and welcoming community filled with a sense of undying respect for its past and a relentless commitment to its future.