New district contest motto: ‘Expect the unexpected’
| Type of post: | Chorus news item |
| Sub-type: | No sub-type |
| Posted By: | John Braden |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Wed, Nov 20 2024 |
The chorus contest at Central States District Fall Convention did not quite play out like the Heart of America Chorus expected only a week before.
Several singers called in sick -- from COVID and other afflictions -- reducing HOA from a new Plateau 3 (30 singers and over) chorus back to a 27-member Plateau 2 small chorus. And chorus members had to compete at Lawrence Oct. 12 then hot-foot it back to Kansas City to sing at a memorial service for dear friend and chapter member Bob Murphy who died Oct. 2.
“I’m so proud of our chorus!” Director Carter Combs said. “Not many groups can do what we seemingly did with ease -- losing a handful of our singers at the last minute, and still provide an emotional performance, before heading out to a funeral minutes later. It shows the dedication and love in our Heart of America Chorus.”
President Mike Schumacher said despite the missing voices, the chorus did exactly what it set out to do.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the songs we sang this year, both of which had special meaning to me,” Schumacher said. “I also received several unsolicited and very meaningful comments from audience members before rushing off to sing at Bob Murphy’s celebration of life. And several more when I returned to the Saturday night party.”
Those songs with special meaning to Mike and the gang started off with “Daddy’s Little Girl.” When the Music Team looked for complementary parental/family song choices, it was natural to pick as second song the Rural Route 4 favorite “Tie Me to Your Apron Strings Again.” HOA has always been a ballad-loving chorus and did not shy away from the chance to bend some heart-rending chords.
While pleasing its audience, HOA placed 10th, finding mainly that its Singing scores could use more work in terms of dynamics and synchronization.
What’s a district contest without a bucketload of Fortinos?
Two quartets from HOA’s extended family distinguished themselves in the CSD quartet contest.
Winning the district championship was Fortino & Co., comprising perennial quarteter Mark Fortino on baritone(!), his son, Anthony (of International champ Midtown) on lead, son Matthew on tenor, and Mark’s brother-from-another-mother-and-father, Shaun Whisler, on bass. Fortino & Co. scored 2913 points (80.9) singing family-themed songs: “Little Pal,” “The Best Times I Ever Had (I Owe ‘Em to My Dear Ol’ Dad),” “Proud of Your Boy,” and “Sunny Side Up/When You’re Smiling” (arranged by Mark’s brother, John).
And if that was not enough Fortinos, 1994 Central States District champion 12th Street Rag came out of retirement to win the CSD Seniors Quartet championship. This iteration of 12th Street -- with Micah Jeppesen on tenor, Mark Fortino on lead, brother John Fortino on bari and Barry Moore on bass – ranked 13th in the contest with 1407 points (78.2) because they only sang in the quartet semifinals. They sang traditional barbershop “Someday Down in Carolin’” (arranged by John) and “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby.”
Several singers called in sick -- from COVID and other afflictions -- reducing HOA from a new Plateau 3 (30 singers and over) chorus back to a 27-member Plateau 2 small chorus. And chorus members had to compete at Lawrence Oct. 12 then hot-foot it back to Kansas City to sing at a memorial service for dear friend and chapter member Bob Murphy who died Oct. 2.
“I’m so proud of our chorus!” Director Carter Combs said. “Not many groups can do what we seemingly did with ease -- losing a handful of our singers at the last minute, and still provide an emotional performance, before heading out to a funeral minutes later. It shows the dedication and love in our Heart of America Chorus.”
President Mike Schumacher said despite the missing voices, the chorus did exactly what it set out to do.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the songs we sang this year, both of which had special meaning to me,” Schumacher said. “I also received several unsolicited and very meaningful comments from audience members before rushing off to sing at Bob Murphy’s celebration of life. And several more when I returned to the Saturday night party.”Those songs with special meaning to Mike and the gang started off with “Daddy’s Little Girl.” When the Music Team looked for complementary parental/family song choices, it was natural to pick as second song the Rural Route 4 favorite “Tie Me to Your Apron Strings Again.” HOA has always been a ballad-loving chorus and did not shy away from the chance to bend some heart-rending chords.
While pleasing its audience, HOA placed 10th, finding mainly that its Singing scores could use more work in terms of dynamics and synchronization.
What’s a district contest without a bucketload of Fortinos?
Two quartets from HOA’s extended family distinguished themselves in the CSD quartet contest.
Winning the district championship was Fortino & Co., comprising perennial quarteter Mark Fortino on baritone(!), his son, Anthony (of International champ Midtown) on lead, son Matthew on tenor, and Mark’s brother-from-another-mother-and-father, Shaun Whisler, on bass. Fortino & Co. scored 2913 points (80.9) singing family-themed songs: “Little Pal,” “The Best Times I Ever Had (I Owe ‘Em to My Dear Ol’ Dad),” “Proud of Your Boy,” and “Sunny Side Up/When You’re Smiling” (arranged by Mark’s brother, John).And if that was not enough Fortinos, 1994 Central States District champion 12th Street Rag came out of retirement to win the CSD Seniors Quartet championship. This iteration of 12th Street -- with Micah Jeppesen on tenor, Mark Fortino on lead, brother John Fortino on bari and Barry Moore on bass – ranked 13th in the contest with 1407 points (78.2) because they only sang in the quartet semifinals. They sang traditional barbershop “Someday Down in Carolin’” (arranged by John) and “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby.”