Golden Memories    SWD Chapters


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Border Chorders 
by Fred Eckman
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Ell Paso Border Chorders Chorus


 
 In the spring of 1947 a group of El Paso men concerned with preserving the American art form of a cappella four-part harmony singing, decided to form a chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA), which had been founded in Tulsa nine years earlier.
With hard work and energetic recruiting, they were able to reach the 20-man minimum needed for a charter. On July 19, 1947 the El Paso chapter came into existence officially. Membership grew rapidly. Several charter members were also Kiwanians who put that distinguished club's prestige and influence to good use. The group's sponsor was the Carlsbad, New Mexico, chapter.
Two important events marked the Border Chorders' fourth year, 1951. Early in the year they acquired a chorus director, Dr. John Heiden, whose .talent and energy would  steer		  the singers into a first-rate choral group until his retirement in 1960. The second event was the chapter's first annual spring show, held in April. During the Society's early years nearly all the emphasis was on quartet singing, so the event was called "The Parade of Quartets." In addition to local groups, the chapter was able to bring in outstanding groups from Arizona, California, New Mexico, and elsewhere in Texas.
In 1953 the chapter made its first appearance on the national scene, when a local quartet, The Desertaires, qualified to sing in that year's International Contest, held in Detroit. In 1962 and again in 1964 the Border Chorders chorus won its Southwestern District contests and went on to take third place (1962) and first place (1964) at the highly-competitive International contest.
Over the 48 years of its existence, the chorus

(Continued on Next Page)



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