Outstanding talent displayed at Harmony Explosion!
| Type of post: | Chorus news item |
| Sub-type: | No sub-type |
| Posted By: | John Braden |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Mon, Mar 2 2026 |
By Jerry Meier
Folks - Harmony Explosion! 2026 was another smashing success! Man, there were some outstanding student quartet performances!
We had 104 students from 10 schools singing in 28 quartets on Feb. 21 at Grace United Methodist Church in Olathe. Many of them were veterans coming back for their second or third year. We handed out Gold Medals to 75 percent of the quartets that performed on stage.
One quartet -- Full Volume -- from Blue Valley High School received the highest score of the day. Their performance was tremendous. This was the first time in many years where students from Blue Valley High School participated in Harmony Explosion. We are glad to have them back!
The Chordettes -- the outstanding sophomore quartet from Olathe Northwest High School -- received the second highest score of the day. We cannot wait to hear them sing again next year!
And one brave 8th grade quartet -- The Songbirds from Harmony Middle School -- received a Gold Medal for their performance as well.
Nick Franssen from Augusta High School brought 20 students that sang in six quartets. Mike Mays from Wichita Northwest High School was also represented very well by his 19 students singing in five quartets. And Robin Christie from Bishop Miege High School brought 17 students that also sang in five quartets -- record participation by the Stags!
Special Thanks!! to Shaun Whisler for going the extra mile to 1) sponsor and coach the Tuning Forks quartet from St. James Academy, 2) fill in for the missing bass of the PsychoAcoustics quartet from Wichita Northwest, and 3) fill in for the missing lead of the Tuning Forks during their encore "Parade of Quartets" performance. Way to go, Shaun!
Special Thanks!! to the members of our Central States District Quartet Champion, Gateway quartet: Rob Abbott, Stephen Reynolds, Cole Williamson and Johnny Padigos, for entertaining the audience all day. We wish them Good Luck as they prepare to compete this summer in the BHS NextGen Varsity Quartet Competition.
Finally, a big Shout Out to Michelle Hunget, Susanna McBride and Angie Machado from the Kansas City Chorus of Sweet Adelines and to Heart of America Barbershop Chorus members in attendance: Carter and Jeffi Combs, Kevin Tritsch, Tom Hadley, Tom Riedel, Roger Hart, Oly Oldehoeft, Tony O'Brien, Mike and Linda Schumacher, Steve Keisker, Chris Walker and his grandson.
Medals were awarded to the following quartets:
8th Grade: GOLD Medal - The Songbirds (Harmony MS, Blue Valley)
10th Grade: GOLD Medal - The Chordettes (Olathe Northwest HS)
10th Grade: GOLD Medal - Syncronauts (Wichita Northwest HS)
10th Grade: GOLD Medal - Stag Salon (Bishop Miege HS)
10th Grade: GOLD Medal - Sing-A Ladies (Bishop Miege HS)
10th Grade: GOLD Medal - Trebellas (Olathe Northwest HS)
10th Grade: SILVER Medal - Shoebox Quartet (Gardner Edgerton HS)
10th Grade: SILVER Medal - Pitch Pearls (Bishop Miege HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Full Volume (Blue Valley HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Singing Sigmas (Gardner Edgerton HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Serenade (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Kansas Fourcast (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Crosswind (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Tuning Forks (St. James / Corpus Christi)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Pitch Please (Wichita Northwest HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - PsychoAcoustics (Wichita Northwest HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Something Old, Something New (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - The Harmaniacs (Olathe Northwest HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Vector (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Clef Hangers (St. James Academy)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Thorns and Roses (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Carleigh and the Shooby Dudes (Bishop Miege HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - MeLady's (Olathe Northwest HS)
12th Grade: SILVER Medal - Once Upon a Chord (St. James Academy)
12th Grade: SILVER Medal - Spinal Chords (Wichita Northwest HS)
12th Grade: SILVER Medal - The Kitchenettes (Lawrence HS)
12th Grade: SILVER Medal - PINQUENCIES (Wichita Northwest HS)
12th Grade: SILVER Medal - Foreshadowed (Bishop Miege HS)
Time to reload and prepare for next year! SAVE THE DATE -- Harmony Explosion! 2027 will be held on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2027!
Folks - Harmony Explosion! 2026 was another smashing success! Man, there were some outstanding student quartet performances!
We had 104 students from 10 schools singing in 28 quartets on Feb. 21 at Grace United Methodist Church in Olathe. Many of them were veterans coming back for their second or third year. We handed out Gold Medals to 75 percent of the quartets that performed on stage.
One quartet -- Full Volume -- from Blue Valley High School received the highest score of the day. Their performance was tremendous. This was the first time in many years where students from Blue Valley High School participated in Harmony Explosion. We are glad to have them back!The Chordettes -- the outstanding sophomore quartet from Olathe Northwest High School -- received the second highest score of the day. We cannot wait to hear them sing again next year!
And one brave 8th grade quartet -- The Songbirds from Harmony Middle School -- received a Gold Medal for their performance as well.
Nick Franssen from Augusta High School brought 20 students that sang in six quartets. Mike Mays from Wichita Northwest High School was also represented very well by his 19 students singing in five quartets. And Robin Christie from Bishop Miege High School brought 17 students that also sang in five quartets -- record participation by the Stags!
Special Thanks!! to Shaun Whisler for going the extra mile to 1) sponsor and coach the Tuning Forks quartet from St. James Academy, 2) fill in for the missing bass of the PsychoAcoustics quartet from Wichita Northwest, and 3) fill in for the missing lead of the Tuning Forks during their encore "Parade of Quartets" performance. Way to go, Shaun!
Special Thanks!! to the members of our Central States District Quartet Champion, Gateway quartet: Rob Abbott, Stephen Reynolds, Cole Williamson and Johnny Padigos, for entertaining the audience all day. We wish them Good Luck as they prepare to compete this summer in the BHS NextGen Varsity Quartet Competition.Finally, a big Shout Out to Michelle Hunget, Susanna McBride and Angie Machado from the Kansas City Chorus of Sweet Adelines and to Heart of America Barbershop Chorus members in attendance: Carter and Jeffi Combs, Kevin Tritsch, Tom Hadley, Tom Riedel, Roger Hart, Oly Oldehoeft, Tony O'Brien, Mike and Linda Schumacher, Steve Keisker, Chris Walker and his grandson.
Medals were awarded to the following quartets:
8th Grade: GOLD Medal - The Songbirds (Harmony MS, Blue Valley)
10th Grade: GOLD Medal - The Chordettes (Olathe Northwest HS)
10th Grade: GOLD Medal - Syncronauts (Wichita Northwest HS)
10th Grade: GOLD Medal - Stag Salon (Bishop Miege HS)
10th Grade: GOLD Medal - Sing-A Ladies (Bishop Miege HS)
10th Grade: GOLD Medal - Trebellas (Olathe Northwest HS)
10th Grade: SILVER Medal - Shoebox Quartet (Gardner Edgerton HS)
10th Grade: SILVER Medal - Pitch Pearls (Bishop Miege HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Full Volume (Blue Valley HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Singing Sigmas (Gardner Edgerton HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Serenade (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Kansas Fourcast (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Crosswind (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Tuning Forks (St. James / Corpus Christi)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Pitch Please (Wichita Northwest HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - PsychoAcoustics (Wichita Northwest HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Something Old, Something New (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - The Harmaniacs (Olathe Northwest HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Vector (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Clef Hangers (St. James Academy)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Thorns and Roses (Augusta HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - Carleigh and the Shooby Dudes (Bishop Miege HS)
12th Grade: GOLD Medal - MeLady's (Olathe Northwest HS)
12th Grade: SILVER Medal - Once Upon a Chord (St. James Academy)
12th Grade: SILVER Medal - Spinal Chords (Wichita Northwest HS)
12th Grade: SILVER Medal - The Kitchenettes (Lawrence HS)
12th Grade: SILVER Medal - PINQUENCIES (Wichita Northwest HS)
12th Grade: SILVER Medal - Foreshadowed (Bishop Miege HS)
Time to reload and prepare for next year! SAVE THE DATE -- Harmony Explosion! 2027 will be held on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2027!
