The Ambassadors of Harmony (AoH) is a 160+ member men's barbershop chorus, based in St. Charles, Missouri. The chorus won International Championship gold medals in 2004[1] and 2009,[2] each time singing two arrangements by David Wright, under the direction of Jim Henry. Their 2009 victory broke a nearly three-decade winning streak by the Vocal Majority.[note 1]
Since 1994, the Ambassadors of Harmony Chorus has won top honors in the chorus competition held each October for the 5-state Central States District of the Barbershop Harmony Society (formerly known as SPEBSQSA, Inc). In this period the AOH acquired four 4th place, five 3rd place, and two 2nd place medals in international chorus competition, as well as the 2004 and 2009 gold medals.
At the BHS international chorus contest in July 2007, the group tied for first place with the Westminster Chorus. The tie was decided by the singing category score, earning AoH its first silver medal. The group won another silver medal in the July 2008 international contest in Nashville, Tennessee, then won their second gold medal in July 2009 in Anaheim, California.
The group was formed in 1963 as the Daniel Boone Chorus with 26 members, and became a member of SPEBSQSA (the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America) the following year. The chorus changed its name to the Ambassadors of Harmony in 1990 following its first international competition. The chorus was directed by noted arranger and mathematician David Wright (now assistant director) from 1981 to 1990 and has been directed since 2001 by Jim Henry, bass singer of the 1993 International Quartet Champion, The Gas House Gang, and the 2009 International Quartet Champion, Crossroads. Further supplementing the group's musical leadership is assistant director Jonny Moroni, baritone of Vocal Spectrum, the BHS 2006 International Quartet Champion & 2004 International College Quartet Champion.
Contents |
St Louis Muny performances include:
Some of AOH's more popular songs, and their years in repertoire, are:
Preceded by Masters of Harmony |
SPEBSQSA International Chorus Champions 2009 |
Succeeded by Westminster Chorus |
Preceded by Vocal Majority |
SPEBSQSA International Chorus Champions 2004 |
Succeeded by Masters of Harmony |