Eleanor Culling was the founder and first director of the Village Voices. After twenty years of teaching choral music in Michigan, she moved to Leavenworth in February of 1982. Soon after opening a retail business in town, Eleanor became the choir director of the Community Methodist Church. She and Diane Norman decided there was a need for a community chorus in Leavenworth. Members of several church choirs in the area formed the core of the chorus. These choirs included the Leavenworth Community Methodist Church, Faith Lutheran, Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church and Cashmere United Methodist Church. Other members were recruited from the community, wherever willing singers could be found.

Finding enough men for the group was always the biggest challenge. Eleanor tells a story about hearing a marvelous bass voice singing in the hallway outside her shop. She dashed out and "snagged him for the choir. He had no chance!" And so Jack Wedeberg became one of the early members. Keeping the membership up required constant attention, making phone calls, sending out letters, newsletters (no e-mail at that time!), talking it up, etc. At the first Christmas Concert in December, 1982 there were 46 members on stage at the Camp Field Chapel, now a part of Sleeping Lady. Choral selections for the Voices were Mary's Little Boy Child, Baby, What you Goin' To Be, Christmas Calypso, and If Christmas Isn't Love. The Marlin Handbell Ringers joined them for How Brightly Shines the Morning Star, Oh To Have Been, Echo Carol, Ding Dong Merrily On High and Bells, Bells, Christmas Bells.

Founding members of the Village Voices who are currently singing with the chorus are: Diane Norman, Patricia Stoudt and Martha Jensen, The first accompanist was Georgette Fuller, well known Leavenworth pianist, and former director of the Marlin Handbells. Leah Moats became the accompanist in 1983, continued through 1986, and thereafter for various years to 1999. In addition to being the musical director of the Village Voices, Eleanor also directed the Marlin Handbell Ringers for ten years.

Eleanor tells about a special year with the Village Voices. In June 1986 they performed on two days at "Expo" in Vancouver, BC. Also, in the spring of that year, the group sang for the first time at the International Choral Festival in Penticton, hosted by the Naramata Community Choir. Songs performed were A Jubilant Song, An American Trilogy, and Simple Gifts. The Village Voices have participated annually in that event ever since, along with several choirs from Washington State and British Columbia. Four of these festivals, in 1987, 1993 , 1999 and 2005 were hosted by the Village Voices in Leavenworth. The highlight of the International Choral Festival is the massed choir performance in which all of the choirs perform on stage together, often making up a chorus of over 250 men and women singing four part harmony together.

Larry Henderson, the current director, is in his sixth year directing the Voices. He is also an active member of the Wenatchee Apollo Club where is is often a featured tenor soloist. The accompanist is Judy Parker, a gifted pianist.

The Leavenworth Village Voices look forward to learning new songs and reviving old favorites as they begin their rehearsals for their annual "Christmas in the Mountains" Concert, International Choral Festival and various other singing engagements throughout the year.