FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 9, 2007

CONTACT: Tyler McClay at 314-621-2939

THE AMBASSADORS OF HARMONY TAKE SILVER MEDAL IN TIE BREAKER
AT INTERNATIONAL CHORUS CONTEST

DENVER - The Ambassadors of Harmony, a St. Charles-based barbershop chorus of 160 singers, won the silver medal in an unusual tie-breaker finish July 6 at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s 69th annual international contest in Denver, Colo.

The Ambassadors tied the Westminster Chorus of southern California by scoring 2,849 points out of a possible 3,000 in three categories; singing, music and presentation.

However, BHS contest rules say that the group with the highest score in the singing category wins. Westminster narrowly edged out the Ambassadors by 11 points in the singing category.

Thirty-one qualifying choruses from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia competed at the Pepsi Center arena in Denver. The competition also drew about 75 competing quartets from around the world.

On Friday, under the direction of Dr. Jim Henry, the Ambassadors sang a moving two-song set that included Jerome Kern’s “They Didn’t Believe Me,” a ballad from the 1914 musical, “The Girl from Utah.” The chorus also performed a choreographed version of “Fit as a Fiddle,” from the 1950s musical, “Singin’ in the Rain.” Both songs were arranged by Dr. David Wright.

The performance marked the chorus’ return to the international contest stage after winning the gold medal for the first time in 2004. Contest rules require first-place finishers to sit out for three years.

The group has finished in the top five choruses 11 times since it began performing in international contests in 1989. The annual competition is hosted by the Barbershop Harmony Society, an organization of more than 30,000 singers in more than 800 chapters in North America.

Barbershop music is a uniquely American art form. It is known for its four-part harmony and the “expanded sound” created by its unique chord structure. It shares roots with gospel and jazz and is part of the continuum of American music.

Upcoming shows for the Ambassadors of Harmony include its annual holiday performance, "Sounds of the Season - 2007" Dec. 7-9 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. Tickets will go on sale in early October. Groups of 20 or more may reserve tickets now by calling the Touhill Ticket Office at 314-516-4949.