How it all began

The First Idea (1996)

Our choir traces its beginnings to 1996, when Henk Huizenga brought together a small group of Dutch men who shared a love of singing and a pride in their heritage.

The group was originally formed to support Ottawa’s “Friendship Windmill” project, an initiative to build a traditional Dutch windmill in the city. The windmill was intended as a symbol of friendship and gratitude for Canada's role in the liberation of the Netherlands during the Second World War.

To help promote the project and celebrate Dutch culture, Henk created a small singing group called “Dutch Treat.”

The First Performances

The newly formed group prepared a lively program of about 15 songs, including:

Dutch folk songs
English selections
One French song

Their first major performance took place at the Ottawa Exhibition (the “Ex”) in August 1996, in the International Village.

To make the performances even more memorable, the singers embraced Dutch-inspired costumes. Members were encouraged to wear:

Black caps (“petjes”)
White shirts
Red handkerchiefs
Black pants
Wooden shoes

These performances were meant to promote Dutch culture while entertaining visitors at the exhibition.

Early planning notes for Dutch Treat's first performance at the Ottawa Exhibition in 1996.

A Small Group Begins to Grow (1997)

1997 letter from Henk Huizenga describing the purpose and vision for the new choir.

What began as a small cultural project quickly revealed something more: a shared love of singing together.

By 1997, Henk invited more singers to join and began shaping a vision for a new male choir that would sing music from many parts of the world.

The goal was simple:

To sing in harmony and enjoy the beautiful sound of traditional male choir music.

The choir’s repertoire would include both a cappella singing and music accompanied by instruments, creating a unique and varied musical style.

Two Traditions: Dutch Treat and the Choir

The original Dutch-themed ensemble continued performing as Dutch Treat, especially when singing Dutch repertoire and appearing in traditional costume.

At the same time, the growing group of singers began developing into a larger male choir, expanding its repertoire and planning regular concerts.

By early 1998, rehearsals, dress codes, and concert planning were already underway, showing that the small group formed just two years earlier had become something much more.

The Beginning of a Musical Community

From these humble beginnings—organized by Henk Huizenga and a handful of enthusiastic singers—the choir gradually grew into a vibrant musical community.

What started as a cultural celebration and a small performance group soon developed into a lasting tradition of friendship, harmony, and song.

And it all began with one simple idea: bringing people together through music.