Masters of Harmony

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The Masters of Harmony perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles California in June 2008.

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

The Masters of Harmony perform at the 2008 International Convention, where they won their seventh consecutive International Chorus Championship.

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

Barbershop Harmony Society - International Chorus Champions
1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972
1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019