Masters of Harmony

The Masters of Harmony and Harborlites to Present a Sizzling Lineup of Holiday Music

Local men's and women's chorus to share the stage at CSULA

Dan Place, Sep 10, 2003

This year's Christmas show promises to be the most spectacular ever presented by the Masters of Harmony. The title of the program, "Together at Christmas," gives an indication of the show's content. Two great choruses, the Masters of Harmony and the Harborlites, will join together to make this a memorable event. The show will be presented on December 13 at the centrally located Harriet and Charles Luckman Fine Arts Complex on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles.

The Harborlites chorus, under the dynamic direction of Pam Pieson, has continued to raise its level of performance with each passing year. Last October the group reached a new pinnacle as when the chorus was awarded fourth place medals at the 2002 Sweet Adelines International competition in Nashville, Tennessee. In April of this year, the Harborlites brought home gold medals from the regional chorus competition in Phoenix, Arizona. Since its founding in 1960, the chorus has grown from a small group of singers to a competitive powerhouse. The chorus, based in Anaheim, is comprised of over 100 women who live in Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties.

Harborlites has been steadily building its reputation as a visually entertaining and vocally energetic show chorus. The motivating force behind the success of the chorus is director Pam Pieson. Pam has captivated audiences nationwide with her artistic interpretations and soulful expressions of song. Her exceptional solo voice is a regular feature on both Harborlites and Masters of Harmony shows. Her superb vocal artistry helped her quartet, Panache, win the coveted International quartet championship in 1990 and to be crowned Queens of Harmony. For the past 10 years, Pam has focused her passion and competitive drive into directing the Harborlites. The results have been spectacular.

The Luckman Theater is a new venue for the Masters of Harmony. Conveniently located at the juncture of the Long Beach (710) and the San Bernardino (10) freeways, the theater is easily accessible. Constructed in 1994, the 1,154-seat luxuriously appointed auditorium is the jewel of the university's fine arts complex. Luckman Partnership, Inc., the prestigious Los Angeles architectural firm responsible for such landmark structures as the Forum, Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles International Airport, designed the complex to reflect the beauty and strength of "old" California. Executive Director Clifford Harper states, "The Luckman stage is one of the largest in Los Angeles, measuring 48 feet wide by 52 feet deep and eight stories high, yet the theater still reserves a sense of intimacy between performers and audience. Convenient, well-lighted parking is available directly across from the theater."

Masters of Harmony Music Director Mark Hale and Production Director Doug Maddox are planning a spectacular show. Of course, the Masters will be singing many of their well-known holiday hits. The chorus will also introduce several new songs, including "Christmas Stays The Same" and a David Wright arrangement of "Carol Of The Bells." The Masters will join with the Harborlites to sing "Go Tell It On The Mountain" and a Val Hicks composition, "My Christmas Wish." Plans are still being formulated but possibilities for the show include both male and female quartets, and a VLQ (very large quartet) composed of members from both choruses. Pam Pieson will be singing a solo or two with the Masters, and there is a possibility that a soloist from the Masters will be performing with the Harborlites. The combined choruses will present a spirited rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah in the finale.

In recent years the Harborlites has presented its annual show in the fall, so the group has not had the opportunity to present a Christmas show of its own. The women of the Harborlites are looking forward to joining the men of the Masters for this holiday spectacular. With only 2,304 total seats available for the matinee (2 p.m.) and evening (8 p.m.) combined performances, it promises to be a sellout. Make sure that none of your friends and relatives miss this one.