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Page 6 InCider Press September 2006 |
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Having been born (in 1941) of goodly parents, Myron was reared listening to classical music. While his father couldn't carry a tune in a bucket (although he often looked a little pale [groan!), his mother had been a flautist in a symphony orchestra, and Myron remembers that he and his younger sister sang a duet in church when he was 12. Later, he sang in church choirs and in the Graceland University Chapel Choir (at the same time Nancy, who was then "just" his girl friend, sang in the Graceland Concert Choir; that year, both Choirs were featured on the radio program "Great Choirs in America!)
While he was attending college, Myron had summer jobs with the (former) Bell Telephone Laboratory and with a company which did atomic-bomb "stuff" at Jackass Flats near Las Vegas, Nevada. ("Stuff?" Don't ask, or after he tells you he'll have to kill you!) His first long-term job was with a research & development lab in California, but after four years in that rat race, he and Nancy and their children (Edith, Omner, and Aaron, now all grown and flown) Speaking of Africa, Myron said he tried to start an SPEBSQSA (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Singing in AFRICA) chapter, but didn't have much luck. He had taken all four Barber polecat "learning with him so when he was invited to speak to a music class of about 60 students, he felt as prepared as one-fourth of a quartet can feel. But his joy almost turned to despair when, after describing his hobby and singing "My Wild Irish Rose" in a "quartet" with the other-three-parts learning tape, the first response was: "Is that all you do, stand there and sing?" But, persevering, he taught the words to the entire class, the melody line to the girls, and the bass line to the boys, and the entire assemblage then sang what might have been their first harmony. (Most Africans dance, but few sing! However, he was NOT invited back for a repeat performance Shortly before he left for Africa, Myron, Bob Swenson, Jim Lindquist, and Pete Cooper formed the Manhattan Music Machine quartet, and Don Thomson graciously agreed to substitute for Myron while he was overseas. Unfortunately, Don is STILL "substituting", so Myron helped form The Apple Core (pause) Tet (but only Myron and Leonard Purvis of the current foursome were in the original quartet). The Chapter chose Myron to be Program VP in 1988 and President in 1989, but it was quickly obvious his talents weren't presidential, so he was returned to the PVP position in 1990 and continued there (although the position's name changed to "Chorus Manager" and then to VP of Music Development) almost uninterruptedly through 1997, at which time, recognizing he was "too old to cut the mustard" as an officer, he was demoted to "Assistant Director", where he has remained ever since. Myron has been honored with the BOTY (Barbershopper Of The Year) award twice. He is also infamous for his terrible jokes! Myron also maintains the history of our Chapter's officers, quartet formations and changes, BOTY and Award of Harmony recipients, Chapter performances and singouts, BarberPole Cats, etc., and you can see much of his history on our Chapter's website <http://www.LittleAppleChorus.org> maintained by "Bart Bartholomew. ( Speaking of Chapter history: our newer members might not know that, as mentioned earlier, the original name of our Chapter was the "Quad-County Chorus", we became the "Grainbelters Chorus" in 1979 and the "Little Apple Chorus" in 1987.) Myron says he has few regrets in his life, but one of them is that he didn't learn about "barbershop" when he was younger and his lungs had more breath capacity so he could have sung better than he does now! |
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Meet Member Myron Calhoun-Assistant Director |
