Masters of Harmony
The Masters of Harmony is the 2017 International Champion Chorus of the Barbershop Harmony Society. In the years since their inception in 1985, the Masters have risen to the highest levels of a cappella singing in the world with more than 140 singers, eight consecutive international championships with the Barbershop Harmony Society and numerous other recognitions to their credit.
The chorus was begun by several local barbershoppers, committed to musical excellence. It was not until Dr. Greg Lyne became their director, however, that their many successes began. Dr. Lyne brought the chorus to their first International Convention and first medal within a year and a half of taking the helm. The following year, they earned their first gold medal. Upon winning their third consecutive gold medal and Dr. Lyne's acceptance of Director of Musical Education with the Barbershop Harmony Society, they brought in Jeff Oxley to direct, garnering them their fourth International Chorus Championship in 1999. Jeff's departure, shortly thereafter, necessitated another director search, resulting in obtaining Mark Hale as their musical leader. Mark Hale would later leave in 2012 after moving to the Rocky Mountain District to replace Darin Drown as the director of the 4th place Bronze Medalist chorus, Sound of the Rockies. Mark would be replaced by collegiate medalist and director of the Westminster Chorus, Justin Miller. He directed the Masters through 3 medals (1 bronze, 1 silver and 1 gold in 2017) before retiring from the quartet to focus on the Westminster Chorus, being replaced by gold medalist baritone (with Gotcha! and Masterpiece) Alan Gordon. They have yet to compete with him.
Among those choruses achieving multiple International Chorus Championships, only the Masters of Harmony have continued the 2nd longest winning streak since their first gold in 1990, right behind The Vocal Majority Chorus, who upheld a streak for 3 decades.
The chorus is based in Santa Fe Springs, California and is currently directed by Alan Gordon.
Contest Placement
International
| 1989 | 1990 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | 1st | ||||||||
| 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
| 1st | 1st | 1st | |||||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| 1st | 1st | 1st | |||||||
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | ||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| 6th |
In-depth articles on each international championship are available at the Masters of Harmony website.
District (FWD)
| 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1st | ||||||||
| 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
| 1st | 1st | 1st | |||||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | ||||||
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| 1st | 1st | 1st |
Recordings
- Showtime (1991)
- Caroling! Caroling! (1993)
- Masterpiece (1994)
- California Gold Rush (1996)
- Christmas Eve in Our Hometown (2001)
- The Way We Were (2005)
- Portrait (2009)
- The Dream is Carried On (2011)
Audio samples from all albums are available at the Masters of Harmony website.
External Links
- Official website
- Barbershop Music Database: contest history
- Wikipedia article