The Orange Empire Barbershop Chorus is preparing for its spring show.
The members say they are men from all walks of life and all ages with approximately 30 percent of our 100-or-so members being retired.
Those who still work include truck drivers, lawyers, doctors, engineers, students, contractors, administrators, teachers and salesmen and on any given practice night there are men dressed in shorts, jeans and sneakers to three piece suits.
The Orange Empire Barbershop Chorus is preparing for its spring show.
The members say they are men from all walks of life and all ages with approximately 30 percent of our 100-or-so members being retired.
Those who still work include truck drivers, lawyers, doctors, engineers, students, contractors, administrators, teachers and salesmen and on any given practice night there are men dressed in shorts, jeans and sneakers to three piece suits.
Members live in Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Garden Grove, La Palma, Brea, Diamond Bar, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, Long Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rowland Heights, Yorba Linda and some as far south as San Clemente.
Their common bond is the pleasure they derive from singing four-part harmony. they have their fare share of trained voices and quality vocal chords, and also have plenty of bath-tub baritones and bar-room tenors.”
The Orange Empire Chorus, having completed serving up its popular Singing Valentines in February, is now preparing for its annual spring show at the Plummer Auditorium Saturday, April 27, at 2 and 7 p.m.
“Go West Young Men – The Melodious Misadventures of 4 Barbershop Bumpkins – in Search of Perfect Harmony,” is an original script written by one of their own, for “Those sophisticated city boys The Orange Empire Chorus,” and it’s sure to be yet another show full of fun-filled antics for which the barbershop chorus and quartets are well known.
Its OEC’s 56th annual spring show featuring: The Orange Empire Chorus, and its many quartets, along with “The Dapper 4” – with its “Tonsorial Parlor-Style Music and Humor from Days Gone By,” and other groups yet to be named.
For OEC Chorus information and to order tickets, visit oechorus.orgor call 714-871-7675.
Other OEC upcoming performances include:
Harbor Lawn Memorial Park, Costa Mesa – Memorial Day – Monday, May 27.
Nixon Library – Sunday, June 9.
Pearson Park – Harmony Under the Stars – in August – location TBA.
Christmas Cabaret – Friday and Saturday, Dec.6 and 7.
Craig Ewing, a Buena Park resident, directs the rowdy and fun-loving chorus in its hilarious shenanigans each year, along with Associate Directors Dennis Woodson from La Palma, and Tom Nichols, from La Habra.
All of the net proceeds from the Chorus’ annual summer performance that has traditionally been held at Pearson Park (location yet TBA this year) benefits “Youth in Harmony,” a program where barbershop chorus members go to schools to involve young people in singing.
Additionally, some of the proceeds from other OEC shows and performances go to YIH, along with chapter operations, uniforms, and music, to name a few.
During the past 10 years, the chorus has contributed nearly $75,000 to YIH projects including helping to fund a music bus that is used by the Fullerton School District to help high school groups participate in the Monterey Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, and to state and national competitions.
Also, each year the OEC funds 20-30 registrations for high school students, both male and female, to learn barbershop harmony singing at an all-day camp sponsored by the Masters of Harmony.
Men interested in joining the chorus may attend rehearsals at 7 p.m., Tuesdays, in the choir room at Fullerton High School, located at the back of Plummer Auditorium, 201 E. Chapman Ave. (corner of Chapman Avenue and Lemon Street) in Fullerton.
