More than 300 people gathered at Plymouth Congregational Church in downtown Fort Wayne July 23 for a special concert led by Maestro Robert Nance celebrating the music of Cole Porter and revisiting a historic 1923 Paris program.

Maestro Robert Nance was honored with the Mu Phi Epsilon Presidential Award of Excellence during the international professional music fraternity’s recent convention held in Fort Wayne.

Twenty-eight years might sound like a long run, but the work is not over yet for Robert Nance, even as he steps back as president and artistic director of Heartland Sings.

On Sunday, June 8, Heartland Sings present A Choral Testament: Celebrating the Legacy of Founder Maestro Robert Nance, marking 28 years of the group. 

Heartland Sings is a nonprofit vocal music production company based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Founded in 1997 by Maestro Robert Nance, Heartland Sings creates a variety of vocal music productions and educational outreach programs.

Throughout Bishop Rhoades’ recent presentations on the Holy Eucharist, he has repeatedly emphasized the importance of encountering beautiful Sacred Music to deepen one’s devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

Robert Nance, a multi-talented musician from Fort Wayne, Ind., maintains a lively schedule as a conductor, keyboardist, teacher, composer, and arts advocate. Maestro Nance, founder of Heartland Productions, will (at last) bring his talents to our community, presenting a concert of music for the holidays at Union City’s Arts Depot on Thursday, Dec. 1 in the second of Darke County Center for the Arts’ Coffee House Series shows.

He knew very well the life of a singer. Nomadic. Living out of a suitcase. Sometimes barely enough money to live. Definitely not enough money to pay a mortgage, raise a family and maybe put down roots in one place. You had to hustle – go where the work was and someone would throw you a few bucks.