As the name implies, Summer
Harmony describes a group of guys who begin
rehearsals in mid-May,
enjoy a
summer of singing, then return to their “on-season”
musical pursuits in
September. It was 1991 when several fellows who shared a
love for
singing put
their thoughts and voices together for what has become
the premier
Men’s
Chorus of the Lehigh Valley. The person responsible for
planting the
seed that
developed into Summer Harmony was our own Art Schmidt.
These fellows
persuaded
George Boyer, widely recognized throughout the Valley
for his ability
to meld
vocal “instruments” at Allen High School, Christ
Lutheran Church, and
many
organizations, to conduct the chorus.
In the following years,
the chorus has grown and
matured. Not only in numbers, as the membership hovers
around 100 men,
but also
in the diversity of its repertoire and for its
popularity in and beyond
the
Lehigh Valley. The chorus has appeared at many of the
area’s churches
as well as at a variety of other musical venues,
including
Mayfair, Musikfest, Ocean Grove, NJ, Mt. Gretna, PA,
Souderton
Community Park,
Allentown's West Park, and performing the National
Anthem for the
Philadelphia
Phillies and the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. For many
years, a major event
on the Summer Harmony schedule
was held at Allen Organ’s Octave Hall in Macungie. A
two-night
sell-out, this program it was an
annual tradition, which has since moved to Allentown's
Nineteenth
Street Theatre
for the unveiling of their restored theater organ, and
is now held as a
one
night event at Asbury Methodist Church and still
features a nationally
known
organist as our guest artist. As each season winds down,
the chorus
presents its annual
concert in August, which has often been at the Scottish
Rite Cathedral
in Allentown.
For several years this event has moved to the beautiful
Zoellner Center
at Lehigh
University, and now is held in the beautiful auditorium
at Parkland
High School. The music
library has swelled over the years to well over 100
numbers; ranging
from the
classics, sacred, Broadway tunes, barbershop, folk and
of course a
growing
variety of patriotic standards. The chorus enjoys a
special
relationship with
the Allentown Band, performing with it over the course
of each of our
19 seasons
to date. Several
numbers with the band are included on two of Summer
Harmony's four CD’s.
When summer slips away and
fall approaches, the music
is put away for another season and the men return to
their other
musical
interests. But the special friendships among the guys
which have
evolved over the
years, and the joys of singing with Summer Harmony
linger long after
the last sheet of music has been filed away.
At
the end of the 2007 year, George Boyer asked to be
allowed to retire
from
the
group to pursue other interests and opportunities and to
enjoy his
retirement.
We accepted with much thanks for a job well done
and many happy memories, and then looked to find how we
could best
continue for
future years performing as the premier men's chorus of
the Lehigh
Valley. We
have been honored to be able to add Clair Neamand as our
new Director
of Music.
And the future looks bright for this band of men who
sing because it is
a
pleasure to do so for our wonderful audiences.
SUMMER HARMONY
pays
special tribute to the memory of those who
were an important
Ralph Beisel
*
Albert Bellesfield
*
Thomas Beltz
*
Jim Bieret
*
Dick Bortz
*
George Boyer
- Founding Director
*
Dr. George Boyer
*
Wally Brobst
*
Bob Bucher
*
Tom Cannon
*
Jim Cherrington
*
Bob Collier
*
Norman Cressman
*
Bob Fatzinger
*
LaVerne Good
*
Matt Hinkle
*
Jim Hunter
*
Dr. Lew Knox
*
Walter L. Lomonski
*
Frederick
L.
Mahler
*
Joseph Maletz
*
Bill Marsh
*
Edward Minor
*
Charles Nehf
*
Robert Ney
*
Robert Palmer
*
Joe Pavone
*
James Reese
*
Joseph Rieger
*
Dr. Fred Roland
*
Franklyn Rosenblum
*
Carl Shepard
*
Raymond Siegfried
*
Sam Smith
*
Ed Stiles
*
Hugh Sutherland
*
Clarence Werley
*
Jeff Weslosky
Matt Hinkle conducts the chorus at Citizen's Bank Park on July 24, 2005. Photo courtesy of Susan Harwick.
The stadium scoreboard shows the chorus. Photo courtesy of Susan Harwick.
The Phillie Phanatic joins the choir to "improve" our sound. Photo courtesy of Susan Harwick.
Mike, Joe and Don prepare to entertain the crowd at the Welsh Festival. Photo courtesy of Frank Romaker.
Below are photos from our 2005 performance of Schoenberg's "A Survivor from Warsaw, OP 46" courtesy of Frank Romaker and George Weiser. Thanks guys!
Last Update 10/21/2011
