The Capitol Chordsmen Chorus An Overture Hall headliner!

Chorus members delivered more than 1,300 poinsettias throughout Dane County in early December, completing orders they had taken in September and October in the Chorus' biggest fund-raiser of the year which also introduces the Chorus to a wider audience.

The Capitol Chordsmen were guests when the 7th and 8th Grade choirs at Waunakee Middle School performed at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 in the school cafeteria, 1001 South St., Waunakee. A variety of different styles of music, from patriotic to standard repertoire, was sung during the evening. The Chorus also joined with the 7th and 8th grade boys on one song. The concert was free and open to the public.

We held our second "Harmony Night" of the year on Sept. 16. The event was designed primarily for men who wanted to learn more about singing barbershop music, but it also was open to others who simply want to hear the music and learn more about the artform.

We performed at the historic Stoughton Opera House Sept. 13 to open the Opera House's fall/winter series. Our "Homerun Harmony" production offered an evening of music in the barbershop style, and also featured in addition to the Capitol Chordsmen Chorus the Sound Factory and State Street quartets. An Afterglow for those at the show, featuring informal singing by the quartets and chorus, followed at the nearby VFW Post.

The Capitol Chordsmen sang the National Anthem at the Aug. 7 Mallards game at Warner Park before over 7,000 persons. It was the largest crowd ever in franchise history. The Chordsmen also performed during the "7th inning stretch."

Some other highlights from earlier this year:

The Sound Factory quartet appeared in a mid-July local production of Meredith Willson's great Broadway hit, "The Music Man," in Stoughton.

The production by Stage Works Projects, Inc., had three performances in the Stoughton High School Auditorium from July 17-19.

Members of the quartet -- Roger Rowell, tenor; Paul Reedy, lead; Ken Kittlesen, baritone; and Jim Olmsted, bass -- played the roles of the bickering School Board members who finally find something they can do together -- sing great barbershop harmonies!

The Sound Factory is the Madison's area longest-established men's barbershop quartet, and this year is celebrating its 25th year of performing. (For more about the quartet, click here.

The Capitol Chordsmen performed their new show, "Home Run Harmony," on stage in Beaver Dam Saturday, April 12. For more details, click here.

Our Heartsong quartet and seven other local a cappella groups also performed April 13 on the UW-Madison campus as part of the annual "Wiscappella." For more details, click here.

Two quartets also visited Wisconsin Governor James Doyle and Middleton High School students on St. Patrick's Day in March to promote barbershopping. To learn more, click here.

The Chordsmen in the spring presented the Food Pantry at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Monona a check for $1,000, to help the pantry provide more food to area families. The Chordsmen have made similar donations to the Pantry in recent years, with proceeds from the delivery of Singing Valentines in Dane County each Feb. 14.

St. Stephen's was the long-time rehearsal location for the Chordsmen until earlier this year, when church reconstruction intervened (more details below). A photo of the check presentation was published in the June 12 issue of The Herald-Independent weekly newspaper.