Chorus of the Chesapeake
The Chorus of the Chesapeake is actually the name of the performing chorus of the Dundalk Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. The chapter was incorporated in Maryland in 1957 as a non-profit educational, charitable and fraternal organization.
History
In the late 1950s, some barbershop singers in the Baltimore area expressed an interest in starting a chorus that would dedicate itself to both musical excellence and community service. After choosing the working class Baltimore suburb of Dundalk as a location, the search for singers began. With Bob Johnson as their first director, the Dundalk chapter chartered in 1957, under the name Chorus of the Chesapeake. Within a year the ranks of the chorus had swelled to over 150 men, with Bob Johnson leading them in many singouts, activities, and community events. They competed in their first contest in the Mid-Atlantic District in 1960, qualifying to go to International contest the following summer in Philadelphia. In July 1961, 156 men of the chorus traveled to the contest, then the largest chorus by far to have competed on the International stage. (The Ambassadors of Harmony won in 2004 with 160 singers.) They ran away with the International championship on their first attempt, edging out the Thoroughbreds chorus from Louisville, KY by a sizable margin.
Contest Placement
The Chorus of the Chesapeake has won many Divisional Chorus Championships, two Mid-Atlantic District championships, and two International chorus championships over the years.
International
District (MAD)
- 1959: 1st
- 1971: 1st
Recordings
External Links
- Official website
- Barbershop Music Database: contest history
- Wikipedia entry