Ambassadors of Harmony
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The Ambassadors of Harmony (AoH) is a 160+ member men's barbershop chorus, based in St. Charles, Missouri.
In July 2004, under the direction of Jim Henry, the Ambassadors of Harmony won the International Chorus Championship held in Louisville, Kentucky. Singing two arrangements by David Wright, they received a standing ovation for their Gold Medal performance.
For the past eleven years, the Ambassadors of Harmony Chorus has won top honors in the chorus competition for the 5-state Central States District of the Barbershop Harmony Society (formerly known as SPEBSQSA, Inc). In this period the AoH has acquired four 4th place and five 3rd place medals in international chorus competition, as well as the 2004 Gold Medal.
In October 2006, after the mandatory 2 year layoff from competition following its championship, the AoH won its 12th consecutive District Competition. At the BHS international chorus contest in July of 2007, the group tied for first place with the Westminster Chorus. The tie was decided by the singing category score, earning AoH its first silver medal. The group won another Central States District title in October 2007, and will enter the 2008 international contest in Nashville, Tennessee, as the top seed.
The group was formed in 1963 as the Daniel Boone Chorus with 26 members, and became a member of SPEBSQSA (the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Singing in America) the following year. The chorus changed its name to the Ambassadors of Harmony in 1990 following its first international competition. The chorus was directed by noted arranger and mathematician David Wright (now assistant director) from 1980 to 1990 and has been directed since 2001 by Jim Henry, bass for the 1993 international quartet champion, Gas House Gang. Further supplementing the group's musical leadership is assistant director Jonny Moroni, baritone of Vocal Spectrum, the BHS 2006 international quartet champion & 2004 international college quartet champion.
Contents |
[edit] St. Louis Area activity
[edit] Municipal Opera performances
St Louis Muny performances include:
- Oklahoma
- 50 members in the 2000 cast of White Christmas
- 25 members in the 2006 cast of White Christmas
- 25 members in the 1992, 1997 & 2003 casts of South Pacific
- Quartets supplied for The Music Man and other productions
[edit] Other performances
- Annual Christmas show
- Annual Spring show
- Crescendo Concert series
- Columbia Chordbusters Chorus Christmas show
- Land of Lincoln Chorus show
- St. Louis Mayor's prayer breakfast
- Half Time Show at St. Louis Rams game
- National anthem at St. Louis Cardinals baseball games
[edit] International performances
- Spring 1999 Ireland
- March 2004 Germany (BinG! Convention), Netherlands, and Sweden (with the Entertainmen).
- May 2006 England BABS Convention
[edit] Discography
- All Our Best 1990s [sold out]
- Sing, Sing, Sing 2000
- Applause! 2002
- Holidays in Gold December 2004
[edit] Selection of songs list
Some of AOH's more popular songs, and their years in repertoire, are:
- They Didn't Believe Me 2007
- Fit as a Fiddle (And Ready for Love) 2007
- Friend Like Me 2006 to present
- Man of La Mancha 2005 to present
- New Ashmolean Marching Society and Students' Conservatory Band 2004 to 2006
- I Have Dreamed 2004 to 2006
- Just a Kid Named Joe 2003
- Shine 2003
- Toyland 2001 to 2002
- Toy Song 2001 to 2002
[edit] External links & sources
- Official website
- Barbershop Harmony Society International Score Sheet
- AOH newsletters ("Break Time")
| Preceded by Vocal Majority |
SPEBSQSA International Chorus Champions 2004 |
Succeeded by Masters of Harmony |
