The Ontario District’s international representatives were sent off in style at the 29th annual Pep Rally in Mississauga yesterday evening. Eleven quartets and nine choruses performed in a night of celebration and fundraising hosted by the Association of Ontario Champions (AOC).
The evening was opened by the AOC Chorus singing “I Feel A Song Coming On” before the parade of performances, emceed by Todd Jacobs. The night closed with the entire hall of 500 barbershoppers singing “Keep The Whole World Singing” directed by Jordan Travis.
During the event, AOC member Erik Deland was awarded the 2014 Jeff Pritchard Outstanding Quartetter Award. The award is given to long-time district quartetters who most closely exemplify the following Jeff Pritchard attributes of true gentlemanliness, humility, pride in achievement, many years (at least 15) of active quartetting, demonstrated dedication to the goals of the BHS, and participation in competitive singing.
Four quartets and one chorus received funding from both AOC and the Ontario District to help offset the costs of representing the district at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Convention in Pittsburgh in two weeks. This year, Ontario will be represented by the Hamilton Harbourtown Sound in the chorus contest, Test Drive and Supertonic in the open quartet contest, and ‘Shoptimus Prime and Yonge Guns in the collegiate quartet contest.
Photo by Zac Prong.