The choir was founded in 1883 as the Berlin (Ontario) Philharmonic and Orchestral Society.
In 1922, after a hiatus, the choir re-organized itself and changed its name to the Kitchener Waterloo Philharmonic Choir, since the city of Berlin, Ontario had changed its name to Kitchener during World War I.
The choir's current conductor is Mark Vuorinen, who holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Toronto.
[1] A wide variety of internationally renowned soloists have sung with the choir over the years.
The adult choir often sings three major concerts a year: Handel's Messiah in December,[2] a concert that includes a major oratorio and some contemporary repertoire in February,[3] and a Bach oratorio on Good Friday,[4] typically the St Matthew Passion, St John Passion or Mass in B minor.