For several years now I have been writing a column titled "Quartet Beat." I have decided to widen the scope of my reporting. Whereas "Quartet Beat" pertained only to chapter quartet activity and subjects related to quartet singing, "We Perform" will pertain to chapter singing in general, be it quartet, VLQ or chorus plus any general informaUon I feel like including that is related to singing.

To get started, lets review some recent performances of the Three Rivers Chorus. Backing up to April 30, 2005, our chorus members will probably never forget our participaUon in the Steel City Music Festival as we shared the stage with a lot of brass. This was a blend of barbershop harmony, dance band in the "big band" style, and drum and bugle corps.

We took to the stage with our a cappella singing sandwiched between performances by the University of Pittsburgh Alumni Dance Band and the power (and noise) of three very large drum and bugle corps; namely the Erie Thunderbirds, the Reilly Raiders, and the Steel City Ambassadors. Despite the fact that we were not bedecked in Military style uniform and accompanied by marchers, rifle twirlers and flag wavers, we got a standing "0" from the audience.

We started off the month of May with our annual show at Carnegie Music Hall. While the audience was smaller than previous years, a post-show poll of attendees indicates that our singing was top notch and everyone enjoyed the show. Chapter quartets The Melodaires and The Travelers shared the stage with our chorus.

Our next performance was May 10 at the Stratigos Banquet Centre in North Huntingdon, Pa as part of the radio station WJAS Senior Fest 2005. in addition to singing to the gathered seniors, our friend Bill Cardille of WJAS sent one of our songs out over the air waves by electing fellow DJ Jack Bogut to hold the microphone over our heads.

May 21 found our chorus singing at the American Legion in Pleasant Hills, Pa for Armed Forces Day. One guest of honor included a service man just returned from Iraq.

On Memorial Day, May 30, the chorus gathered at the Braddock Hills Amvets to participate in a special memorial service. Due to a mix-up in communication, someone neglected to summon us from the upstairs social hall where we were rehearsing. We sang a. few patriotic songs to gathered patrons in the Amvets building before leaving for the service at the cemetery. At the cemetery, there was a very nice program with some guests speakers, a gun salute, an international champion bagpiper and the Three Rivers Chorus. This program has grown over the years based on the number of participants and guests. We were well received and thanked profusely by the commanding officer.

In the afternoon of Memorial Day, Jim McCarthy, Jay Garber, Bill Amos and Bob Parker formed a quartet that sang at Soldiers & Sailors Hall for a family day memorial tribute to those that serve or have served in the armed forces. The quartet performed for about two hours roaming table to table and also on the building front steps after a sound system was set up. There were guests present who said they had come specifically to hear barbershop. Of course requests were made for many songs not in the quartet repertoire, but when one lady actually requested Shenandoah, Bill Amos had to be restrained from kissing her.

After singing to the guests, the quartet went into the auditorium (venue for our 2006 show) and sang on the stage to get a feel for the sound. They report that the acoustics in the renovated auditorium are fantastic.

With regard to quartet activity, the Melodaires (Gary Corpora, Frank Pagliarulo, Ralph Rock and Bob Parker] did three performances in May. On May 4 they sang to a lunch-time crowd of about sixty "seniors" at the Plum Senior Center. Their performance included some "sweetheart" songs to some of the ladies celebrating birthdays in May plus some humor in the form of stories by Bob Parker. Some photographs appeared in the local Gateway Press newspapers the week after the performance.

On May 24, the Melodaires sang at the McKeesport College Club for a group of about eighty women who raise money for scholarships given to graduating senior girls in local high schools. [Do you get the idea that these guys like the women?] Between

See "We Perform" continued on page 10