Masters of Harmony

The 2012 holiday season marked Justin Miller’s debut as director of the Masters of Harmony. It quickly became apparent that the baton had been passed to someone of uncommon musical leadership qualities. When the curtain opened at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach for a show titled “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” it was if Justin had been out front for years! Show Producer Gary Stone and his team created nonstop, high-energy entertainment that kept afternoon and evening audiences enthralled from start to finish. Featured guest soloist Megan Lyne sang a beautiful rendition of “Merry Christmas, Darling.” She also sang “Santa Baby” so flirtingly to Santa, played by Les Weiser, that he told the audience “I hope Mrs. Claus isn’t watching!” One week later, the Masters took this performance package to the Fox Theater in Riverside for their third annual holiday performance at the Fox. The guest performers included a mixed quartet named Ready, Willing & Mabel and, once again, soloist Megan Lyne. Some of the biggest rounds of applause came for songs performed by Les Weiser and his band. Approximately 200 members of the packed house were first timers to a Masters of Harmony performance.

In early December, the chorus gave something back to the City of Santa Fe Springs for its generosity in making its Town Center Hall available for weekly rehearsals. The Masters sang holiday repertoire at the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, an event that also features local musical talent. Then, over the next two weeks, Masters quartets took part in Santa Fe Springs Christmas Float program, a unique activity that brings Christmas cheer to adults and children throughout the city. Each night’s quartet sang well-known holiday season songs on a float that precedes the Santa Claus float. At one point, children from the audience come up on the float stage and sing with the quartet while doting parents snap pictures of, who knows, possible future talent show participants! Over the nine nights of the Float program, 30 different singers took part, some on multiple nights, and some on multiple parts. Chapter quartet Songworks (Kirt Thiesmeyer, Les Weiser, Dan Barling, Cory Brendel) spent an evening entertaining the Santa Fe Springs City Council with Christmas classics.

In January, the Masters family assembled at Khoury’s Restaurant in Long Beach for the annual Awards Banquet and Installation of Officers. Les Weiser served as Master of Ceremonies and his quartet, Songworks, provided entertainment. Outgoing President Bill Rosica handed the gavel of chapter leadership to Ron Andreas, who reminded attendees that our purpose as a musical organization is to change people’s lives through our musical excellence. Joe D’Amore was named Barbershopper of the Year and Masterpiece received the chapter’s Quartet of the Year award. Featured speaker Sharon Miller, Justin’s mom and board member of Harmony Foundation International, spoke about the great work this organization is doing to raise the funds that help support music education and the growing number of youth choruses and quartets being developed around the country. Sharon does more than just talk about the need to raise funds to take our beloved but aging hobby to the youth of America. At the Portland International Convention last summer, Sharon, along with her husband John Miller (Justin’s dad), helped raise over $200,000 for Harmony Foundation supporting activities. Thank you for your great work, Sharon and John!

After her inspirational call to action on behalf of our art form, Sharon proceeded to install the officers who will lead the Masters of Harmony for the next year. They are as follows: President-Ron Andreas; Secretary-Maurice Freleaux; Treasurer-Jussi Ratsula; VP Chapter Development-Ray Johnson; VP Marketing-Bill Power; VP Music & Performance-Joe D’Amore; VP Operations-Tom Christman; VP Public Relations-Gary Stone; and Board Members-at-Large Amnon Avidor, Jim Ernsberger, Rich Owen, and Phil Wolf.

Since the last edition of Westunes, Brent Schultz (bass) and Ryan Wisniewski (bari) were welcomed into membership.