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August
27, 2003
Journal Article
A cappella group spreads city's fame
By Lea C. Braff
Staff Writer
The St. Charles City Council, Mayor Patti York and people listening to council deliberations enjoyed a musical break Aug. 19 when York honored the Ambassadors of Harmony.
One of the a cappella group's quartets, prize-wining Cadence, serenaded everyone in the council chambers with "All Aboard for Dixieland." Cadence's members are Alex Brandt (tenor), Doug Brooks (lead melody), Vince Smith (bass) and Dave Brooks (baritone), Doug Brooks' twin brother.
"Sometimes it seems like the Ambassadors of Harmony are better known in other places than here in St. Charles," York said in her introduction, adding she was "delighted they are spreading the news about St. Charles."
The Ambassadors of Harmony are members of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA), President Ron Grooters said, although its men's chorus now is equally as important as quartet harmonizing.
Its 122-man chorus placed third in the society's international competition in Montreal in March. The group currently is planning to travel to Germany, Holland and Sweden next year, Grooters said. To become eligible for international contests, a group must first win a regional Central States District competition. Five states comprise the district.
At 7:30 p.m. every Thursday night, the chorus practices in Memorial Hall at Blanchette Park.
Ambassadors of Harmony was organized in 1964 with the name "Daniel Boone Chorus," Grooters said. However, as it became better known the original name caused some confusion and it was changed in 1990 to "Ambassadors of Harmony."
"The youngest member is 10 years old," Grooters said. "Our director, Jim Henry, joined when he was 11 years old.
"The oldest member who's still singing is 81. Another man is 82 and active in the organization, but no longer sings. About a half-dozen high school singers are members and several are college age."
Henry, who teaches at Lindenwood College, spearheaded a contest last year, "A Cappella Explosion," for high school singers only. A similar competition is scheduled for Sept. 24.
Although Grooters and many other members live in St. Charles, Grooters stressed that members of Ambassadors of Harmony drive in each Thursday from all around the St. Louis metro area. In addition to singers from Collinsville and Belleville, one comes from Springfield, Ill., and another all the way from Decatur, Ill. Still another drives in from Columbia and one man from Hillsboro.
Cadence's members live in four different areas of St. Louis County, but quartet spokesman Vince Smith said the four of them collectively had belonged
Photo Courtesy of Denny Wofford - the "Big Blue" Crayon
to various chapters of SPEBSQSA for more than 80 years. Each of the four men joined soon after he left high school or college.
"We get about a month's break around the holidays," Smith said. "But we have so much fun with it anyway that we'd put other things on hold before we'd stop singing. Often families will combine competitions with vacations."
Smith said Cadence members practiced with the whole chorus on Thursday night and just with each other on Sunday night.
For more information about Ambassadors of Harmony go to their Web site at www.aoh.org. For more information about upcoming contests call (636) 946-1850.
Lea C. Braff Of the Suburban Journals O'fallon Mo Journal,
, St. Charles Journal, St. Peters Journal updated: 08/26/2003 05:38 PM
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