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Our Love Is Here To StayAmerica has enjoyed many great popular composers. Despite his short life, George Gershwin achieved remarkable success in both popular and classical music. One of Gershwin's compositions — the title song for this album — speaks for all of us, for in it he expresses what we feel about our music and our relationship with our audience. But in addition to love, the chorus sings of their relationship to their creator. Thus, much of our music speaks of these essential relationships. Over the years we have sung for many different directors. Yet since 1950 when the Phoenix Chorus — then the Phoenicians, and now the Spirit of Phoenix Chorus — was first begun, we have remained faithful to our love for music. We are proud of our heritage, and we are pleged always to strive for that championship style. We sincerely believe that Our Love Is Here To Stay." Artists:
"Applause!" reached international fame with their placement at the International Quartet Contest in July 2000 in Kansas City. After having only seven rehearsals, they placed an amazing 15th out of over 300 quartets throughout the world. They also won the Far Western District Quartet Championship in October 2000.
"We thank the men of the Phoenicians Chorus, wo nearly 20 years ago, warmly took us under their wings. We fondly racall years of great memories and achievements with still awesome friends and supporters. We're grateful to have been asked to be a part of The Phoenicians' newest album. We know the best is yet to come for you! Our best wishes and thanks!" - Kevin, Lynn, Jak, Owen, and Curtis
I am a little sad my friend has left Dallas where we both lived, to be the director of this fabulous, award winning, Phoenician Chorus. We had just recently been able to get together to sing a little, and reminisce about old times. And what a great time we were having! My loss is most definitely your gain. You have a man who is as passionate about music and singing as anyone I've even known. You are fortunate to have him and I'm sure he feels the same way about you as well. My very best wishes to you all, |
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Although this quartet is relatively new on the barbershop scene, its members are anything but new to barbershop. Anyone who has attended barbershop shows over the past several years can probably recognize a couple of the members of "Applause!" The lead singer, Fraser Brown, nas been active on the stage for over 30 years with quartets such as "Remember When" and most recently "Standing Room Only"; Rick Wells, bass, also sang with Fraser in "Remember When." The tenor, Raymond Davis, hails from Reno, Nevada and boasts having sung with another internationally acclaimed quartet, "Special Feature." Russ Young, the baritone, also sang as both baritone and bass in "Standing Room Only."
Rarely in the course of musical history does a singing group emerge with so much talent that it defies belief. The Knudsen Brothers are one such group. These past Phoenicians Chorus members were a top ten international quartet competitor in their teenage years. Few singing groups with their roots in barbershop have blossomed into wide popularity and stardom in the a cappella world and music industry as the Knudsen Brothers. Professional recorfing artists with five albums to their credit, the Knudsen Brothers' powerful vocal arrangements, creative choreography and the use of indescribable vocal percussion put them purely in a league of their own, and leave audiences spellbound. Having recently moved their entertainment company back to Phoenix from Los Angeles, the Phoenicians are proud to feature their good friends on this album.
I wasn't crazy about getting a new choir director my sophomore year in high school. So a couple of buddies and me went to check out this Mr. Casey fellow, all prepared not to like him much. But to our amazement, he was a great guy! And it was Jim Casey who took a good bunch of 'kids' in my junior year and turned them into the best high school choir in the country! I'll bet my life on in and if you don't believe me, I'll play you the tapes! Ten of the sixteen people from our region who made "All State Choir" came from that choir, yours truly being one of them. We could sing, no doubt about it (must have been something in the water). But it also took very special direction to make it happen. Jim provided that midas touch, tough and demanding but always encouraging, for he knew how good we really could be. And on spring tour, one glorious evening in front of high school, college, and university choral people in St. Louis, the Odessa High School a cappella Choir 'set them on their ear.'
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