Wayne Chapter

Harmonytown Chorus

BARBERSHOPPER OF THE YEAR

 

Our Barbershop Chapter has maintained a strong tradition over the years of getting out and sharing our music with the community.  The past year has seen us change the name of our chorus from Renaissance to Harmonytown, and that change is actually reflective of that tradition, since, we believe that regardless of where we sing, when we’re entertaining in 4-part harmony, any town is Harmonytown.   One such common venue for us is Northville, and although the last year saw that community in a bit of a fiscal squeeze, we maintained our annual presence in their Victorian Day Festival.  Besides being one of our favorite places to sing it also has been the springboard for us to solicit new members.   One such happenstance was a few summers back, when Frank Adams noticed a photographer snapping pictures of our chapter as we toured the streets.   The conversation he struck up with that fellow camera-bug led to a visit to our chapter and later in the year, a new member.   To those of you who haven’t yet figured it out, we proudly proclaim that this year’s recipient of the 14^th Annual “Albert J Fricker Memorial Award” for Barbershopper of the year for 2009 is none other than Uncle Shamus’ nephew—

                  Jim Farkas

 

Like fellow lead Len Piggot, Jim and his wife Nancy reside in Northville and since joining our chapter in 2007, Jim has been a perfect fit  with our chordbusting group, and valuable to us in innumerable ways.   Jim was there snapping photos of the gang at his first COTS in 2008 and already hard at work learning our repertoire.  Later on in the year, Scott Casey mentioned the idea of soliciting Jim’s assistance with Emcee duties.   On St Patrick’s day at the Novi Senior Center, Jim gave birth to Uncle Shamus, and revealed his true sir name “O’Farkus” much to the shock and delight of the audience and his fellow chorus members.  Since then, Jim has been an anchor at Emcee, and Scott, after much hand wringing angst over relinquishing the “Audience talking duties” to someone else, found that he kind of liked having the break!  Jim’s artful weaving of “Twas the Night Before Xmas” together with “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” added another dimension to our Christmas performances, and he is always thinking of new ways that we can enhance our performances.

Jim has been instrumental in keeping our chorus management chores up-to-date, keeping excellent records of singing gigs, and working with Frank

Adams and Don Bohnwagner to ensure that sign-up sheets and performance details are provided for the chapter, and has been diligent in coordinating song programs with Scott Casey for all our sing-outs.    As a member at large he has taken an active role in many chapter activities, and researched and procured songs for our upcoming show, which he is co-chairing with “CHARLES!” Nalbandian.  

With fellow lead Wally Jennings, Jim is part of the best blend of Leads our chapter has had in years, allowing our chapter to tackle many challenging arrangements, such as Java Jive, Chestnuts and…..Frosty!  One of our “After 10:00” singers, Jim learned Coney Island the way we all seem to have learned it….by osmosis…and now regularly performs with the “Coney Island Quartet” at chapter singouts.   A Regular Singing Valentine participant, this year Jim was out and about the town at many locations, including Phoenix Theatres at Laurel Park, where a VLQ was able to provide pre-movie Valentine’s Day singing to several audiences.

Besides being a good singer, and a key organizational man, Jim is just a “regular guy”, enjoying his time with the chapter in fellowship, and spreading good cheer to those he is with.   Of such men, a vibrant chapter is built, and we couldn’t be luckier than to have Jim in ours.  Based on all of the above, Jim Farkas was a natural choice for  Wayne Chapter 2009 Barbershopper of the Year , and the ever-accompanying GGG “Good Going Guy” award!    Uncle Shamus would be proud, Jim!

Past BOTY Recipients

 

2008   Frank Adams

2007   Wally Jennings

2006   Len Piggot

2005   Dave Peiffer

2004   Don Bohnwagner

2003   Gary Simon

2002   Mark Pritchard

2001   Larry Radley

2000   Ed Bax

1999   Hal Reid

1994   Ed Wojtan

1987  Alex Willox