InCider Press, August 2004, page 8

Men of a Chord has had an active summer so far and we have been able to attend most of the rehearsals and singouts of the Little Apple Chorus as well as working as a quartet to complete the songs required to qualify for the Barberpole Cat achievement. We are well over halfway there and hope to have the required songs performed by the end of the year. Those of you who have been in attendance at rehearsals recently know that we have been the "opening act" after the break on more than several occasions.

Our quartet appreciates the opportunity to sing for the chorus and especially the constructive criticism and words of encouragement from chorus members.

The quartet and spouses met at the Lyle's in June for an evening of food, socializing and, of course, singing. We were pleased to have Don and Joan Thomson with us to share in the fellowship. Don has been very helpful and supportive of our efforts and has taken time to attend some of our practice sessions and share his talents. The picture (at right) shows the quartet and Don in a lighter moment as Tom Miles gives Ken Lyle his patented "I'm a fermata --- Hold me!" routine. We closed

Thursday evening, June 24, I was enjoying a dinner on the Kansas City Plaza with international business men when we noticed a group of singers preparing for a show. I was pleased to learn that the group of men were barbershoppers from the Overland Park chapter preparing to sing in concert for the summer plaza shoppers.

After ordering my food, I went over to listen and they invited me to participate since I knew "Darkness on the Delta," the song they were about to sing. I also sang with them as they performed "Hello Mary Lou", "Let There Be Peace" and "America."

After eating our dinner, we went over to hear them again as they repeated their program and I got to sing AGAIN.

Wow! What a surprising and enjoyable evening.

Do you know? Thirty-one chapter members of the chorus have brought 125 new members into The Harmony Society. Wouldn't it be awesome if the other thirty-six members each brought in one new member during the next year?

the evening by serenading the ladies with some polecat songs and then Don joined us for a few show tunes.

After applying to register as a quartet through the international office, we are pleased to report that Men of a Chord is official as of July 1. We're glad the name was available and we don't have to come up with another one. Quartet members plan to participate in upcoming Little Apple Chorus activities including the district competition. In the public eye, we have performances scheduled for August 22nd at St. Paul's Episcopal Church and September 19th at Meadowlark Hills for their Vesper Service.