MARQUETTE — Dawn Betts received the 2023 Upper Peninsula Choral Leadership Award, presented by the Marquette Choral Society.

Betts was honored at the MCS spring concerts, April 29 and 30, in Marquette. The U.P. Choral Leadership Award is presented annually to a group or individual in the Upper Peninsula who has supported or encouraged choral music in their community.

Betts has done that in the Marquette area academically, in church, and in local ensembles, for more than 50 years.

For her ninth birthday, Miles and Alice Betts gave their daughter, Dawn Marie, her first music lesson with revered piano teacher Memo Beyers. Dawn was in the fourth grade and had shown her vocal talent on stage in a recent Marquette Community Theatre production of “The Sound of Music.” Under Mrs. Beyers’s guidance, Dawn progressed rapidly.

At age 11, Dawn was asked to play daily masses at St. Peter Cathedral when choir director Ellen Clement recognized Dawn’s ability. Using the basic hymnal found in the pews (she didn’t know about an accompanist’s copy), Dawn created chords to support the singers. She continued her involvement in the Cathedral’s music program, becoming choir director while in high school. Starting with only seven singers, Dawn built the choir’s membership, and she founded an acclaimed folk group. She ended her work at St. Peter in December of 1988 after 20 years.

Several congregations asked her to accompany their choirs. Dawn was on staff at St. Michael Parish, helped out at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and substituted for two years at First Presbyterian Church.

Starting in 1990, she began playing at Redeemer Lutheran Church where she is now choir director and organist.

Throughout her long career, Dawn has played and sung countless weddings and funerals. She accompanied Northern Michigan University vocal students in recitals for decades. As a member of the NMU Arts Chorale, she toured Finland. Later she accompanied MSHS Redman Chorale in London, Paris and Rome.

Dawn has been the piano accompanist for other vocal groups including the Sweet Adelines, the Marquette Male Chorus, and the Marquette Chamber Chorale.

And Dec. 25, 2019, marked the 50th consecutive year Dawn accompanied choirs in Christmas services.