Director of Music
Clair Neamand
The newest member of the Summer Harmony musical leadership staff is Clair A. Neamand. A graduate of Whitehall High School, he holds a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master of Music Education Degree from West Chester University of PA. He has completed additional studies at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, East Stroudsburg University, Susquehanna University and Villanova University of PA.
Now retired, Mr. Neamand was the General Music Teacher and Choral Director of Springhouse Junior High School of the Parkland School District in Orefield, PA from 1971-1988. He was the Choral Director at Parkland High School, from 1988 -2007 where his choirs have won numerous awards, including performances at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, Florida and at the National Music Clinic in Philadelphia, PA. Mr. Neamand was also Chorale Director at Allentown College St. Francis de Sales from 1984-1987. During the summer of 1996 he toured the countries of Austria, Hungary, and Germany conducting the Parkland High School Chorale in numerous performances. The PHS Chorale also toured China in the summer of 2005 where they performed on the Great Wall. Mr. Neamand served as Secretary/Treasurer of District 10 and State Chairman of Music In Our Schools Month for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. He also worked as a consultant to the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, NJ. He received a Citation of Excellence for a Middle/Junior High Music Teacher in District 10 PMEA in 1985, and again in 2006 for High School music. He has been a guest conductor of Festival Choruses throughout Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Clair is married to his college sweetheart Kathleen. They have four Children, Kirsten, Christopher, Craig and Kara and one grandson, Ayden. His hobbies include boating, disc golf, skiing and traveling.
Clair Neamand explains the sound he wants at the first rehearsal of the 2008 season
Assistant Director & Primary Accompanist
Kenneth Schneider
Kenneth Schneider is currently the Senior Organist and the Director of the Chancel Choir at Asbury Methodist Church in Allentown, where he also directs the Men's Chorus. He is also a music teacher at Whitehall-Coplay Middle School. He also serves as the the organist/choir director for the Lehigh Consistory. A practitioner of Pennsylvania Dutch humor, Kenny is a graduate of William Allen High School and Temple University. Kenny lists history, old cars, and hunting among his hobbies. He is married to Marcia and is the father of two children. When not directing Summer Harmony on stage, Ken sings with the ensemble and is the group's principal accompanist.
Kenny Schneider accompanies the chorus in concert.
Assistant Director
Larry Benner
Larry Benner was born and raised in Richlandtown, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of Quakertown Community Senior High School Class of 1965. A music lover all his life, he began piano lessons at age 6 and organ lessons at age 13. Larry was a member and past president of his high school chorus and sang in other related ensembles during his school career. Upon graduation, he joined the Zion Choral Society, a sacred music chorus based in Quakertown, and continued to sing for more than thirty years. An Army veteran, Larry entered the United States Army in 1966 and served as a chaplain’s assistant for three chaplains in the U. S. Army Hospital at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Upon his departure from active duty, Larry was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for outstanding service. Curious to what singing with an all-male chorus would be like, Larry joined Summer Harmony Men’s Chorus of the Lehigh Valley in its inception year—1991. In 2004 he became a member of the newly formed Allentown Symphony Chorus. Larry is organist and choir director of St. John’s United Church of Christ, Richlandtown and has served in that capacity since 1966. He is currently employed as office manager at the Richard E. Strayer Middle School, an entity of the Quakertown Community School District, and has served in the field of public education for over forty years.
Larry perfects another number for performance.
In Memoriam
We all mourn the loss of our friend and Founding Director:
George Boyer
George Boyer was the director
of Summer Harmony from early in the planning stages. With George's
background
with church and school choirs, and professional and amateur musicians,
he was
the first choice of the founding committee, and the choice was never
been
second-guessed. A graduate of St. Clair High School and West Chester
University
and Temple University, George recently retired from a stellar career at
William
Allen High School. He has been the choir director at a number of area
churches. George and his wife Susan enjoyed
travel and antiques. Audiences enjoyed his witty banter during concerts
as well as
the talent he has to bring the best out of his singers. When George
decided
that it was time for him to vacate the Summer Harmony podium to spend
more time
with his other commitments, he retired from Summer Harmony. George will
always be a part of Summer Harmony.
Director
George
Boyer
directed
the chorus for
16 seasons.
George
Evans
Boyer,
born May 18, 1947 in Pottsville, PA only child of Ida Evans
Boyer and George R. Boyer passed away on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 in
his sleep in his PA home. George was a graduate of St. Clair
High School, West Chester University (1969) and Temple University
(1974). He was director of choral activities at William Allen High
School, Allentown School District from 1970 to 2000 and was the local
sales representative of the Allen Organ Company following his
retirement from public school teaching. Recently, he and his wife were
living in Manhattan, a dream come true for Rusty as he was
affectionately called by many of his friends. George was a music
director and organist for 49 years serving a number of religious
institutions: Temple Beth El Synagogue; St. Johns UCC, 6th and Walnut
Streets, Allentown; St. Thomas More RCC, Allentown; Christ Lutheran
Church, 13th and Hamilton Streets, Allentown; and was last serving at
Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Yonkers, New York. Known
throughout the Lehigh Valley for four decades of outstanding choral and
musical leadership, George reached audiences for over 40 years with
performances of his Allen High Chorale, Meistersingers and Allen
choirs, The Bel Canto Singers, of which he was founder and sole
director, Summer Harmony Mens Chorus for which he was the first
director, chorus master for the Allentown Symphony Orchestra Chorus,
the musical direction of The Twelfth Night Festival at Christ Lutheran
Church in Allentown, the Masterworks Chorale of Cedar Crest College,
summer director of music theater at Percy Browns Dinner Theater in
Whitehall and countless performances as an accompanist, organizer of
solo and ensemble productions, tour director of numerous European
student and adult summer excursions (some through American Music
Abroad), tours with the Allentown Band as their featured soloist on
organ, and certainly as one of the most prolific joke tellers one could
meet. His sense of humor and his great appreciation for laughter were
personality traits everyone who was ever in his presence will remember.
His repertoire of stories and jokes was inexhaustible and he was known
as an entertainer. He received many awards spanning his career for
conducting, entrepreneurship and especially leadership and commitment.
Among them were the Arthur Jones Conducting Scholarship at West Chester
University, Whos Who in American Educators, and decades of citations
for his unselfish and generous community service. He was a member of
Phi Mu Alpha Mens Professional Music Fraternity, The Music Educators
National Conference, the Emmaus Chapter of the Rotarians International,
and the New York chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Survivors:
George is survived by his wife of 40 years, Susan Carol Boyer
(Slaymaker); and a cousin Ruth Reing Shughart of Barnesville, PA.
In Memoriam
We all mourn the loss of our friend and former Associate Director:
Matt Hinkle
Matt came to Summer Harmony from a background in Barbershop harmony, and was a member of the quartet Audible Difference. He was employed by the Bethlehem School District as a Spanish teacher at East Hills Middle School. Our membership appreciated his ability to clearly explain what he wants musically, and why it is important. He is deeply missed.
Matt leads the chorus in the National Anthem at Citizens Bank Park
Most recent update: 6/16/2011
