Voices of Gotham Announces Keith Harris as Artistic Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS CONTACT
William Fazzina
president@voicesofgotham.org

Voices of Gotham is thrilled to announce the appointment of Keith Harris as the Artistic Director for Voices of Gotham! As a Metropolitan Opera baritone and top ten Barbershop Harmony Society International quartet finalist, Mr. Harris brings a wealth of experience and talent to our chorus.

Keith is a lifelong barbershopper, first joining his home chapter in Wisconsin at age 9. He won his first district at age 16 with Family Ties, won the Collegiate International Quartet Competition in 1997 with Free Fall, and placed top ten at the BHS International in 2010 and 2011 with VOCE. Keith’s early barbershop experience inspired him to become a professional singer and now he has many credits singing across New York City, the US, and even across the world.

Keith has sung eight seasons at the Metropolitan Opera as a principal artist, and ten seasons at Carnegie Hall as a principal soloist. In addition, he has performed as a soloist in Avery Fisher Hall, David Geffen Hall, Alice Tully Hall and the Koch Theater. Domestically, Mr. Harris has performed in almost every state in the US with major orchestras and opera companies. Internationally, his opera and recital career have taken him to Tel Aviv, London, France, Italy, and Barbados. He has performed 50 different roles, 35 various master works, and almost 100 recitals at Universities and Concert Halls throughout the US.

A young Keith singing with the 1988 International Barbershop Quartet Champs Chiefs of Staff at the Presidents Show in the IL District in the fall of 1987

He currently lives in NYC with his wife Maire, where he teaches voice lessons and maintains a voice over and jingle studio, in addition to his live performances. Visit www.KeithHarris.net to learn more about our new director.

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Voices of Gotham is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit TTBB chorus whose mission is to celebrate, preserve, and advance the rich American tradition of barbershop harmony. Formed in 2008 and celebrating its 10th year this season, Voices of Gotham is proud to be the Hell's Kitchen, New York Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society and is ranked as one of the top ten barbershop choruses worldwide. Voices of Gotham rapidly distinguished itself as one of the country's leading incubators of both new barbershop music and of young musical artists who will shape the continuing evolution and excellence of the barbershop tradition.

For further information, please contact William Fazzina, President, president@voicesofgotham.org

10 Highlights From Our 10th Anniversary

This month marks the end of our official 10th year as a chorus, and what a year it has been! To commemorate this achievement one more time, here are 10 highlights from our 10th anniversary year:

Voices leadership accepting Northern Division Chorus Championship trophy From L-to-R: Braden Lynk (President), Nick Gordon (Interim Director), BJ Hillinck (Interim Direct), and Gary Plaag (M-AD VP of Contest and Judging)

Sirens of Gotham winning Harmony Classic set in St. Louis

Voices & Sirens of Gotham “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” at Revelry!

1. We kicked off the year with a celebration! A banquet and afterglow at Twins Pub, where former and current members came to celebrate reaching this milestone.

2. We held our 7th Annual Tin Pan Alley Quartet Contest, where Park Slope Four won the open contest and Spicy Special won the novice contest as the first-ever mixed quartet to win the tin!

3. We were honored to win the Northern Division Chorus Contest in April under the direction of Nick Gordon and BJ Hillinck for our 2nd Division championship! The chapter also sent a record number of quartets to Prelims/Division--a whopping 8 quartets!--and taking home 1st Place (Midtown) and 2nd Place Division (Park Slope Four), 2nd Place Mixed (Spicy Special), 1st Place Novice (All of the Above), and 3 quartets (Park Slope Four, Madhattan, and Age of Flight) in the Top 10 of Prelims!

4. We shared the stage with hundreds of singers from all over the world at Lincoln Center for Total Vocal under the direction of Deke Sharon!

5. We announced the selection of Larry Bomback as Artistic Director in May and went on to lay the groundwork for the next 10-years of VoG, starting with a leadership retreat and core ensemble work. We then began developing our artistic leadership model and musical process, which was capped with a productive and wonderfully fulfilling chorus retreat in September.

6. We hosted our 10th Anniversary Show in June to a very enthusiastic audience with our friends ‘Round Midnight and Sirens of Gotham! The show featured some of our favorite songs from throughout the years and we were again fortunate to welcome back many or our fomer members to participate

7. We debuted our exciting “New York City” set for the M-AD audience at the Fall District convention, posting a qualifying score for 2019 International and taking home 2nd place overall! Our quartets continued a successful year, with Midtown taking home 1st Place, Park Slope Four taking 5th, and Age of Flight taking 8th.

8. We threw a rousing international debut send-off for Sirens of Gotham at the Sirens Sendoff Happy Hour! After flooring the audience with their incredible performance package, Sirens went on to win not only their division, but 1st place overall at the Sweet Adelines International Harmony Classic competition in St. Louis!

9. We welcomed 15 new members to the chapter, joining the more than 200 Voices who have been a part of its 10 years of existence! We also grew active membership by 27% overall.

10. We celebrated a successful year with our sold-out performance “Revelry!” with our friends Sirens of Gotham! Together, we premiered multiple in-house arrangements and joint pieces.

Voices debuting “King of New York” at Mid-Atlantic District Competition in Reading, PA

We are so thankful for all of those who were a part of this momentous decade! We wouldn’t have been able to do all of these things without your support. We have big things in store in 2019 with our return to the international stage and some new, dynamic songs planned. On the horizon for us are also some logistical changes as we work to find a larger rehearsal space and new risers.

We look to the future with positivity and determination, eager to overcome the challenges ahead! But it’s only possible with the continued support of our generous donors. If you would like to support Voices of Gotham, please take a look at our Give in the Seventh program here.

After a successful Guest Night last week, we are ready to hit the risers again with some fresh faces in our ranks. Here’s to the next 10! #liveintheseventh

Voices of Gotham Seeking Front Line Musical Director

Voices of Gotham is seeking a front line Musical Director. Please send all application materials or questions to directorsearch@voicesofgotham.org.

OVERVIEW

The Musical Director is responsible to lead and develop the music and performance program of the chorus, in consultation with the Music and Performance Vice President, the chapter’s Board of Directors, and other music team members, in a way that is consistent with our mission and values.

Application Deadline: March 1, 2018
Targeted Start Date: July 2018

Select candidates will be asked to lead a chorus rehearsal in a directorial capacity during April or May to gauge fit within the chorus culture.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The musical director’s musical knowledge, attitudes, and directorial skills greatly influence chorus growth and the quality of our musical program. He/She:

• Plans and executes all chorus rehearsals
• Directs all public performances of the chorus or delegates to an assistant director or other chorus members when necessary
• Develops short-, medium-, and long-term musical plans for the chorus in consultation with the Music and Performance Vice President
• Works with the Music and Performance Vice President in selecting all Music Committee members
• Attends all Music Committee meetings
• Supervises the activity of the Music Committee in their interactions with the chorus
• Helps determine the standard for membership in the performing chorus
• Participates in voice-placement and evaluation of new members
• Works with the Music and Performance Vice President to select outside coaches and choreographers
• As required, submits periodic musical director’s messages for publication
• Fosters development of aspiring director and arranger talent in the chorus at large
• Optionally, attends or participates in appropriate schools for chorus directors

QUALIFICATIONS

• Prior choral directing experience or similar educational study
• Experience with barbershop art form either in a quartet or with a chorus preferred
• Strong understanding of vocal pedagogy and ability to demonstrate effectively to a larger group
• Detail-oriented and able to communicate artistic concepts—both musical and visual—effectively and consistently
• Strong desire and ability to advance the chorus competitively within the Mid-Atlantic District and the Barbershop Harmony Society
• Strong interest in increasing the chorus’s profile within the New York City artistic community and beyond
• Ability to fully engage our members to meet our high standards through positive reinforcement and constructive criticism
• Ability to curate the membership of the Music Committee, identifying and encouraging potential new members as necessary
• Attuned to conversational phrasing
• Understanding of the importance of visuals to an effective stage performance
• Ability to be a spokesperson for the chorus and represent the core values of the organization
• Ability to support membership growth and retention of current members to maintain a strong, thriving, vibrant, singing organization

REQUESTED MATERIALS

Please send the following materials to directorsearch@voicesofgotham.org for consideration for the above position:

• Cover letter and resume
• Two video examples of either performance or rehearsal, not to exceed fifteen minutes, submitted as unlisted YouTube or other private video links.
• Two references from previous musical experiences 
• Optionally, any other relevant or supporting materials, such as published articles, musical writings, or letters of recommendation

For questions regarding the position, application materials, or selection process, please contact directorsearch@voicesofgotham.org.

Doug Brown
Chairman, Director Search Committee, Voices of Gotham

Voices of Gotham Competes in Nashville

In early July, Voices of Gotham traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to compete against the best barbershop choruses in the world in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s annual International Convention and Competition. This year we placed 10th against one of the deepest field of competitors in recent memory. Additionally, the Nashville quartet contest included VoG members both seasoned and new to the International Competition.

Voices of Gotham’s contest set included “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory arranged by our in-house arranger Matt Gallagher, and a “Get Your Happy Days On” medley of “Get Happy,” “Happy Days are Here Again,” and “Shaking the Blues Away.” We were fortunate enough to be one of the final competitors of the day, so the Bridgestone Arena was almost completely packed when we took the stage.

In addition to VoG’s performance in the chorus competition, VoG members Brian Lindvall and Nick Gordon both competed in the quartet contest in their respective quartets, Frank the Dog and Quorum. Brian’s quartet, Frank the Dog, placed 28th, and Nick’s quartet, Quorum, made it all the way to the final round, finishing 7th.

While we had much to celebrate on our own, we were extremely proud to represent the Mid-Atlantic District in Nashville. This year our district fielded fours choruses and six quartets—more groups than any other district in the Barbershop Harmony Society. Being a part of such a competitive district is key to our continued success as a chorus and organization. We're looking forward to competing again in September at the Mid-Atlantic District competition, and for future performances in the Greater New York City.

Many thanks to the Barbershop Harmony Society, the Mid-Atlantic District, and most of all, our friends, families, and fans for their continued support throughout the year. (Photo credit Barbershop Harmony Society / Lorin May)

Introducing Give in the Seventh

By Nemo Ashong, VoG President

The last two years have been an exciting time of growth and change for Voices of Gotham. We released our first studio album, we placed 6th place at the International Barbershop Chorus Competition in Pittsburgh under our new director Bill Stauffer, and we hosted our “Lock and Ring” symposium on barbershop arranging and the history of the style.

As you might expect, putting together these events and projects takes a great deal of work from our members, and it also takes a considerable amount of money. This year we’ve launched an exciting new donation program: GIVE IN THE SEVENTH. This new program allows our friends, families, and fans provide continued support our programs with a regular donation starting at only $7 per month.

Beyond supporting special programs such as seminars and recordings, GIVE IN THE SEVENTH donations will underwrite our operating expenses such as rehearsal space, transportation costs, and the commissioning of arrangements. Most importantly, these regular donations will enable the continued existence of Voices of Gotham, which has proven to be a source of friendship and community for many of our members who had recently moved into one of the most expensive cities in the world.

This sentiment was expressed by one of our longtime members Braden Lynk to our membership when he was explaining why he became a GIVE IN THE SEVENTH supporter:

Personally, I give back not just because I benefit directly from being a part of this group, but because I want to make sure this group is here for others like me who come to the city with no friends, family, or connections. Voices of Gotham is a large part of what has made me who I am today and I want that opportunity to exist for others in the future—without cost prohibitive barriers to entry. As we've advanced as an organization, our expenses have logically increased as we are now in a new tier. But I don't want us to lose our inclusiveness and our accessibility to those brand new to the city and to the style. It's what makes VoG truly a family.

If you’re a fan of Voices of Gotham, or a friend to one of our members, you know how important the chorus is to us, and as Braden so eloquently put it, we want to make sure this experience continues to exist for others. Please visit our GIVE IN THE SEVENTH donation page to help support our community and continuing activities.