Harmony Express is a 4-part

a cappella Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...

for both women and men based in Germantown,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

. The non-profit chorus is under the direction of Frank Kirschner as of 2017. It is the performing arm of the Germantown Chapter of the

Barbershop Harmony Society The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. (SPEBSQSA), is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbersho ...

. The chorus was featured in the documentary ''Barbershop Singing Old and New''.

History

On July 1, 2008, Mike Edison filed the Maryland Articles of Incorporation as president of the newly formed music group. That same year the Germantown, Maryland Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society was chartered by Edison and sponsored by the Montgomery County, MD Chapter (the Hometowne USA Chorus). Harmony Express claimed their first Barbershop Harmony Society award in 2010 by becoming the AA plateau champion in their division. In 2011, they moved up to the AAA plateau and became the second place champion in the division. That same year they were also awarded "Most Improved Chorus" in the Southern Division.

Performances

Harmony Express has performed at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, Kentlands' Oktoberfest, Glenview Mansion, Celebrate

Gaithersburg Gaithersburg ( ) is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. At the time of the 2020 United States census, Gaithersburg had a population of 69,657, making it the third-largest incorporated city and the ninth-most populous communit ...

Lakeforest Mall Lakeforest Mall, formally the Lakeforest Regional Mall, also known as Lakeforest, is an abandoned enclosed shopping mall located in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The property is currently owned by WRS Inc. Real Estate Investments who is planning to ...

, Rio/Washingtonian Center, St. Rose of Lima Fiesta, and Leisure World. They have also been invited to host an a cappella showcase by the City of Gaithersburg. The chorus competes regularly, puts on an annual show, and serenades lovers on Valentine's Day.

Quartets

Chapter

quartets In music, a quartet (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations of four instruments in chamber music is the string quartet. String quar ...

include The Glen Echoes and Handsome Reward. The Glen Echoes has performed The Star Spangled Banner eight times at

Camden Yards Oriole Park at Camden Yards, commonly known as Camden Yards, is a ballpark in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of Major League Baseball (MLB)'s Baltimore Orioles, and the first of the Baseball park#Retro-classic ballparks, "retro" major le ...

for the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

, including a July 2007 performance before a crowd of 40,000 people and a nationwide TV audience.

Awards and recognition

* Invited three times to compete in the District contest (2010, 2011, 2012) * 2010 Southern Division Plateau AA Champion * 2011 Southern Division Most Improved Chorus * 2011 Second Place Champion (Southern Division)

External links

Official websiteChapter Entry in Mid-Atlantic District
of the

References