Masters of Harmony Update - Summer 2018
This is the title of the new Masters of HarmonyErin Howden to choreograph the song. Her performance package for the 2017 Las Vegas Chorus Contest was a major factor in the Masters win.
The Tony De Rosa Contribution
Almost a year before the 2017 contest, Alan Gordon began to work on changes designed to improve the Masters sound production. Tony De Rosa was brought in to move that process to even higher levels, and his work helped push the Masters sound quality to the level needed to win gold in Las Vegas. In preparation for the swan song set the Masters will deliver to the 2018 International Convention in Orlando this July, Tony is once again helping polish that sound so that its “wow” factor dovetails Erin Howden’s choreography. The Masters are so fortunate to be able to be able to draw on the talents of three uniquely qualified gold medalists – Erin, Tony, and Justin Miller. The 2018 swan song package they are creating promises to be spectacular.
MOH Presence at the Far Western District Spring Convention
In mid-March, the Southeastern-Southwestern Divisionals and International Preliminaries were held in a combined session at the Hilton Irvine. Eleven quartets competed for the right to represent the FWD in Orlando. Two quartets qualified for the Orlando contest–The Newfangled Four (Joey Buss, Jackson Niebrugge, Ryan Wisniewski, Jake Tickner) and current FWD champs Suit Up! (Justin Klemballa, R.J. Esquivias, Brent Graham, Rodney Armstrong) by finishing first and second, respectively. Moving on to the Far Western District contest in Fresno this fall are The Velvet Frogs (Craig Ewing, David Livingston, C.J. Sams, Bill Wilson) and Intonation (Les Dergan, Jeromy McMahon, Dan Ryan, Richard Muhn). Two choruses directed by former MOH members qualified for the Fresno contest–Mike McGee with Pacific Sound and Royce Ferguson with Pacific Coast Harmony. At least a dozen current or past MOH members competed as members of various choruses. Three MOH men were contest emcees-Brian Philbin (High School Contest), Craig Hughes (Show of Champions), and Bernard Priceman (Chorus Contest). MOH Director Justin Miller was the dedicatee of the convention.
Media Outreach Efforts
Even though the Masters are nine-time (and current) chorus champions and rehearse in one of the nations biggest markets, large audiences at MOH shows are not a given. For several years, John Loftus has successfully promoted member use of email and social media to attract the public to MOH shows. He has now passed that baton to Vice President-Marketing Robert Shelton who is urging members to share the show flyer though every means possible-email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Google Plus, etc. Sean Sherrodd added to the outreach possibilities by pointing out that MOH now has its own Masters of Harmony YouTube channel here.
Among the postings are these: a beautiful multimedia rendition of the Masters singing the National Anthem for Memorial Day 2016; the Masters singing the Finian’s Rainbow Medley to honor the passing of Gene Cokeroft, legendary tenor of the Suntones, 1961 International Quartet Champion; and the Masters responding to The Vocal Majority’s tag challenge in 2015. Please stop by and give us a look!
National Barbershop Quartet Day
On April 11, 1938, Rupert Hall and O.C. Cash helped organize a songfest with 24 of their friends. Four of those friends formed an impromptu quartet. S.M. Blevens sang lead, Donme O’Donovan added his tenor, O.C. Cash handled the baritone part, and Elmer Lawyer provided the bass notes as they sang “Down Mobile,” now considered the first song ever sung under Society auspices. Little did they know that their efforts would mushroom into a worldwide organization known for years as the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA), now as the Barbershop Harmony Society. The MOH took part in festivities honoring that memorable beginning by sending in a taped “Happy Birthday” to Society headquarters. On the actual date of the 80th anniversary, the Masters held a guest night with invitations to MOH alumni and members of other chapters not rehearsing that night to join the chorus in a night of celebration. Fittingly, one of the songs sang that night was “Down Mobile.” S.M., Donme, O.C. and Elmer, your dream is not only alive and well, it now circles the globe!
