Masters of Harmony

From St. Nicholas to St. Valentine

Year-end forecasts and reports from the risers

Kirt Thiesmeyer, Dec 19, 2003

The glorious Christmas show by the Masters of Harmony has passed into history, with vows by one and all that the enrichment provided by our sisters from Anaheim's Harborlites Chorus will not be a one-time thing; we sound too good together. For now, we hunker down into "contest mode" as we continue our preparations for the long trek to Salt Lake City in 2005 and the rigors of a divisional competition in May. To assist us, new members Tim Boeck, Bob Cossentine, John Francis, Zach Materne, Luis Padilla and Sam Wang have recently been welcomed to the risers.

Each year, the bar seems to be raised by innovative and highly competitive choruses. We have been privileged to set it ourselves five times, but the redefinition of excellence continues unabated, most recently by the New Tradition Chorus from Northbrook, Illinois, and the ten-time champions from Dallas, The Vocal Majority, while Toronto's Northern Lights presses them both. We know what a signal challenge it is to remain in that company. And they are not the only wonderful choruses turning heads and raising eyebrows around the world. Our discipline and dedication will be repeatedly tested in the months ahead.

In addition to the Christmas show, the MOH sang for the Santa Fe Springs Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in early December and then fielded eight quartets to man the Santa Claus Christmas floats touring the city each evening over a two-week period, giving back to our very supportive community - and enjoying it, too. Meanwhile, four chapter quartets, O.C. Times, Top-Notch, Fuzzy Logic and 4th Row, shared entertainment duties aboard the Metrolink rail line, as it ran the Holiday Toy Express Train to some forty-six stops in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange and San Bernardino counties over a month of weekends, together with brass bands, assorted elves and Old Whiskers himself. 4th Row kept hearing comments like "dude, those great-looking guys with the smooth blend were, like, totally awesome; when are they coming back?" Unfortunately, Top-Notch had other commitments.

Our own homegrown Professor Ken Custer has just completed a multi-week series of MOH lectures on music fundamentals for barbershoppers, everything from basic orientation around the Grand Staff to intervals and accidentals, with an emphasis on learning to sight sing. Comments from the well-attended sessions include: "Astounding!"; "stupendous!" and "before I took Mr. Custer's course, I was lost and lonely; now I am the most popular guy in my section." Prof. Custer is a welcome addition to the faculty of Masters University, our periodic MOH boot camp for the new and unvoweled.

The MOH's Annual Awards and Installation Banquet has been set for January 10, 2004 (no, we can't invite you all), when the president-elect, the aforementioned Ken Custer, will formally usher in a new administration for our approaching third decade. The other coveted board positions will assure a smooth supporting organization in furtherance of our primary goal: a brotherhood of singers and performers at the highest level we can attain. We should have some exhortatory remarks from our music director, Mark Hale, as well as entertainment from divers chapter quartets and a performance by Westminster's Harmony Showcase Chorus, the Far Western District's best hope for the Louisville International Chorus Contest in 2004.

Long-time bass and former chapter president Dan Fullerton was recently inducted into the Masters of Harmony Hall of Fame, along with five-time medal-winning baritone, charter member and chorus choreographer Wayne Mendes, both of whose enormous contributions have been integral to the success of the chorus. In its 18-year history, MOH has recognized only four others with this honor. Dan has found a new challenge enhancing the ranks of The Vocal Majority, while Wayne will be running a pub in Cheshire, England, and no doubt singing with BABS. There is life after MOH.

Looking forward, we are carrying over the Christmas quartet experiences to our Singing Valentines program in February, with a new coordinator, Jennifer Lorton, a Sweet Adeline and member of Harborlites. On February 21 the MOH will host its Fourth Annual Young Men's Harmony Festival at Orange Coast College, guaranteed to be the smashing success of prior years. There is something about climbing on the risers with those fresh young voices at the end of a wonderful day of barbershopping lore and learning, in a joint performance for their parents, friends and choral directors, that tells us the future of our Society is well tended.