The Big Apple Chorus
Our Director
Hi - my name is Joe Hunter. As the Musical Director of the Big Apple Chorus, I would like to welcome you to our website. Let me tell you a little about me and the organization.
I have been in love with 4-part a cappella singing for close to 35 years now, and there is no better group of folks (and no better organization to pursue this avocation) than The Manhattan Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and its performing arm - the Big Apple Chorus!
Dedicated to (as our mission states) bringing the "Best of Barbershop to Broadway and the best of Broadway to Barbershop", the BAC has been delighting audiences for 20 years now, and I have been lucky enough to be a part of it since the beginning as a founding member of this truly unique and dedicated group.
Although we pride ourselves on our musical roots steeped in the barbershop tradition of close 4-part harmony, we feel that we are unique in that we embody the spirit, the soul and the face of New York in our membership and in our performing sensibility. As such, we are as likely to sing a "West Side Story Medley" or "Just a Gigolo" as we are "Sweet Adeline" - and to perform them all with our own special brand of "Noo Yawk" attitude and energy.
I think I have the greatest job in the world, in the greatest hobby in the world. That's to get up in front of this talented crew of guys on a weekly basis and create thrilling performances together. Come visit us and I guarantee you'll have fun along the way. That's what we're all about - cool, hip and varied repertoire and fun, yet focused, rehearsals. It's our goal to continually strive for musical excellence, but to do it within a framework of fellowship and camaraderie. It's my job to make it fun each week while we do just that!
And you know what? As is true in my case - you don't have to be a professional musician to love singing and to be a part of this hobby - its just the ultimate fun to be able to get in front of audiences (we perform annually at venues like Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall and The South Street Seaport Living Christmas Tree- and have performed in concert and competition throughout North America and even in St Petersburg Russia!) and to ring some of those wonderful 4 part chords.
So come on in - browse around a little bit and find out more about us- I guarantee you'll have a good time. Hope to see you at a rehearsal or performance soon!
Joe Hunter
Musical Director - Big Apple Chorus
Our Vocal Coach
AS A SINGER, Jackie Presti has worked in every aspect of the music business. Since her first studio session at age twelve, Jackie has sung everything from Gregorian chant to imitating a singing banana for Nickelodeon. Shortly after graduating from music school at the University of Miami (voice, jazz studies, theory-composition) she moved to New York City where she has been both a soloist and group singer on many national commercials as well as performing in venues around the world. She has appeared On Broadway (City of Angels), Off-Broadway (Our Sinatra), and has sung on numerous television shows and recordings. Because of her accomplished musicianship, knowledge of vocal styles and experience working with many different singers, Jackie began to be asked to hire singers for various projects. AS A CONTRACTOR AND CONDUCTOR she has chosen, rehearsed and conducted choirs for major motion pictures, commercials, television shows, recording projects and live performances. Her desire to enhance her knowledge of the voice and teaching skills brought Jackie to the next level of study where she attained her Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology with an emphasis on voice disorders at Columbia University. AS A TEACHER AND VOICE THERAPIST she has maintained a private practice specializing in singers and speakers with voice problems. She prides herself on combining the science of the voice with her practical, professional singing experience. Her studio is filled with working singers from all backgrounds, including theatre, jazz, recording artists, actors and on-camera personalities. She also has a working relationship with some of the top Otolaryngologists in the country.
Our Coaches and Arrangers
Tim Brooks
Tim is a 25-year barbershopper. He is the Lead of the current 3rd place bronze medalist quartet State Line Grocery www.statelinegrocery.com is a certified Singing Judge and is a much sought-after coach—having served in Australia, New Zealand, England, Germany and all of North America. He makes 4-part custom learning tracks for BAC and other choruses. He is the Production Manager for the Dixie District of BHS and is the chair of the Production Team for BHS International, handling all of the production elements for sound, lighting, video and webcast. In his spare time, he is the Eastern Regional Manager for the PSA Security Network and tries to spend time with his wife and two boys in his home outside of Atlanta, GA.
Steve Delehanty
Steve has been a member of the Barbershop Society for 45 years. He was an arrangement judge and is currently a Music Judge. He has arranged many songs that have been sung both in competition and just for fun. He also composes. He was the tenor of the Notewits for 25 years.
Tom Gentry
A former member of the Society's music department, Tom is one of the barbershop world's most sought-after arrangers. Many of his arrangements have been published by the Society.
He joined the Barberhop Harmony Society in 1969 and has taken part in numerous quartet and chorus contests. His quartet Friends of Old competed in the 1982 International Contest in Pittsburgh, PA. He has been a member of two choruses that were fourth-place medalists at the international level, the Houston Tidelanders (1970) and the San Diego Sun Harbor Chorus (1973).
Tom is a graduate of Kalamazoo (Michigan) College, with a bachelor's degree in Psychology. He is currently a member of chapters in Akron and Canton, Ohio.
He became a certified Arrangement judge in 1979 and served on the category's Board of Review in 1983-84 before joining the Kenosha staff. Tom is also a former Music Category Specialist. His main non-barbershop passions are swing dancing and volleyball refereeing.
George Gipp
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Rich Hasty
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Kevin Keller
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Christine Oberc
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Our 2010
Music Team
Joe Hunter
Director
Certified
Presentation Category
Judge and Coach
John Ward
Assistant Director
Certified
Singing Category
Judge and Coach;
Tenor Section Leader
Dan Cook
Assistant Director
Pete McArdle
Vice President
Music and Performance
Jeff Frerichs
President
Music Team Section Leaders
Tenor Section
John Ward
Section Leader
Name
Assistant Section Leader
Lead Section
Name
Section Leader
Name
Assistant Section Leader
Baritone Section
Brian Horwath
Section Leader
Dan Cook
Assistant Section Leader
Joe Husstege
Assistant Section Leader
Bass Section
Aaron Greller
Section Leader
Name
Assistant Section Leader
Our 2010
Board of Directors
Jeff Frerichs
President
Joe Maher
Immediate Past President
Pete McArdle
Vice President
Music and Performance
Dennis McKevitt
Vice President
Membership Development
Joe Cerutti
Vice President - Marketing
Bob Lozeau
Board Member at Large
Gordon Harrison
Treasurer
Aaron Greller
Secretary
Bob Kovach
Bill Grieshaber
Board Member at Large
Scott Russell
Board Member At Large
Our Chorus Administrative Team
Bob Lozeau
Chorus Manager
Ralph Rose
Librarian
Jim Steiner
Uniform Chairman
Vincent Haynes
Chapter Archivist
Stu Radish
BACfax Editor & Chief
Norm Mendenhall
Rehearsal Recording Composites
Larry Bomback
Webmaster
Tom McQueeney
Webminor
BAC Repertoire Development & Performance Creativity Team
Joe Hunter
John Ward
Cecil Brown
Dan Cook
Pete McArdle
Phil Wilcox
Tom McQueeney
BAC Performance Judging & Internal Coaching Team
Presentation Category
Joe Hunter
Steve Plumb
Music Category
Marty Israel
Steve Delehanty
Singing Category
Tom McQueeney
John Ward
BAC Choreography Development & Training Team