Members of the Racing City Chorus performed Christmas Carols at the Dickens' Festival at
Longfellow's Restaurant on Sunday, Nov. 27th, the fourth year of the event.
Sponsored by STAR radio, 101.3, the event attracted more than 1500 people who shopped, ate
and enjoyed many holiday attractions within a beautiful Dickens Village setting – all the while
supporting the Saratoga Hospital Foundation , the Marine Corps Toys for Tots and the Economic
Council for Saratoga Springs food pantry.
The RCC will also be performing at the Saratoga Victorian Street Walk on Thursday, Dec.
1st at the Adirondack Trust Company.
On Saturday, Dec. 3rd, the Fields of the Lord Parishes of Greenwich will host the Chorus at a
performance at the Greenwich High School auditorium, starting at 7:00 with the chorus and its
quartets performing.
The members will also be caroling at Senior Citizen homes on December 15th and 20th and will
be at Scallions Restaurant on December 15th from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m.
Exactly “WHAT IS” Barbershop Harmony??
Time Magazine helps promote Barbershop Harmony
If you have a few minutes, and want to know what “Barbershop”
Harmony is all about, click on this THIS LINK to a 10 minute
VIDEO made at the 2010 Barbershop Harmony Society
International Convention in Philadelphia last July by Time
magazine.
Saratoga Springs' Racing City Chorus has been promoting
this same type of fun, singing, camaraderie and entertainment to the Capital
Region of New York State since 1956, and is always looking for men – young or old
to share this wonderful hobby with us.
If you like “Glee”, or “Sing-off” or have been in a college or high school a
cappella group, a church choir or just like to sing – come see us at the Saratoga
Knights of Columbus Hall on Route 29 west almost any Tuesday night starting
around 7:15 and see if we can get you “in Harmony” with us!
For more information call Larry Wilbur at 692-2419.
The Racing City Chorus Grabs 1st Place!
The "Longshot" came in Solid at Saratoga
The 2011 NED Spring Western Regional BHS Chorus competition was held Saturday morning at Colonie HS in Colonie NY. Ten chorusses from around the New England region were all hoping for the top spot in their respective division.
Due to a Music leadership change at the RCC, it was felt by some that the RCC would not do their usual best in the competition. But they weren't taking into account that The Racing City Chorus never says die.........
Under the solid and skilled directorship of Rich Gervais and Gary Glidden, they early on in the year established a solid contest plan and package that was readily accepted by the chorus members and the RCC rose to the occasion. But the excitment didn't stop there.
This year the RCC had two quartets competing Friday night. The newest quartet, "Beer Can Chicken" (Craig Schaefer, Pierce LaHaye, Norman Mendenhall and Jeff Bardin) competed in the Novice category and walked proudly away with a win in their bracket. "Primrose Lane" (Bud Woolsey, Gary Glidden, Charles Packevicz and Joseph Cutshall-King) and also won top spot in the senior quartet spot and also qualified to proceed on to the the District competition next fall.
We L-O-V-E a Parade !!
The Racing City Chorus has been dragging it's parade float all over the area for the past couple of weeks this summer, showing off our patriotic zeal . We started off in Troy at their annual Flag Day Parade on Sunday, June 13th, for one of the biggest Flag Day Parades in the country. The following Saturday, June 19th we were home in Saratoga Springs, helping out the local Saratoga Elks celebrate in their Flag Day Parade.
On Saturday, July 3rd,the little town of Argyle, NY asked if we could be one of the musical groups in their parade celebration of the Fourth of July. Although there were a number of RCC members at the Barbershop Harmony Society International Contest in Philadelphia, we were still able to man the float and help them with their small town celebration. With a little help from the Uncle Sam Barbershop Chorus who rented us their parade float for the day, we were able to deliver some old favorite marching tunes for them.
Pittsfield, MA called on us for the second year in a row, to help them in one of the country's largest Fourth of July Parades. On Monday, July 5th this year. Twenty-five
RCC members hiked over to Pittsfield in the early morning hours to be a part of their 2-
hour long march.
Our next parade adventure will be in Schuylerville, NY on Sunday, August 1st to help them celebrate their historic “Turning Point” (of the Revolutionary War) parade that steps off at 1:00 p.m.
So-o-o-o - if you happen to see a flag-bedecked float coming through your neighborhood – hurry out and wave to us – and we will make you feel a bit more patriotic than you did just seconds before.
Racing City Chorus Launches "Youth in Harmony" Program
UncleSam Answers the Call!!
With the increasing number of youth joining the ranks of the Racing City Chorus, it became evident that our chapter needed to do whatever we could to support their involvement as much as possible. Thus the birth of the "Youth in Harmony" program.
With $500.00 YIH donation from Troy NY Uncle Sam Chorus, plus donations from several members of the RCC, the program got off to a great start.
Membership VP Andy Palmieri followed member Neil Kennedy's (dual member of Uncle Sam and Racing City) advice to approach Uncle Sam for help in starting the program. Uncle Sam responded to the call.
The youth program is being headed by long-time chorus member Bob Peister. Other committee members are VP of membership Andy Palmieri, Bob Whitney, Neil Kennedy and Pat Baker.
There will be more details on this program as details are released.
The Racing City Chorus is extremely proud of our three young members. From left to right they are: Cody Alvord, Mike Torres and John Turner. The three of them attend the Galway High School in Galway, NY. Cody and John are both 15 and Mike is 14 and are enthusiastic Barbershoppers already. All three have been in the front row off and on since they joined and Cody is now singing tenor in a new quartet which hasn’t even got a name yet.
These young men are not only enthusiastic in their barbershop participation but have also had singing roles in musicals in school. They just recently all appeared in a school production of “Guys and Dolls” and previously in two other productions as well including “Wizard of Oz” and “Seussical” both high school productions. In addition, John has just recently appeared in an adult community production of M*A*S*H. He has aspirations of making acting and performing as a career after school. All this in addition to their regular school studies where they all excel as well and private musical instrumental instructions and sports like soccer among others.
We older guys wonder how they cram all this together at their age. But they seem to do it with ease and professionalism. We’re just glad they chose our chapter to join and we are hoping that they will bring some of their friends along with them in future years. After all, they are the future of Barbershopping and frankly, we feel our future couldn’t be in better hands!!
