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GNU at Vikings

On a very cold Sunday, the Vikings invited the Great Northern Union to sing the National Anthem before the last game of the regular season. We must of have done a good job because they won the game and won the NFL Northern Division Championship. For more pictures of the day, click this link - http://tinyurl.com/74n7j4

GNU Show Finale

Our last show of each season is our Finale, our "Annual Show." Our audience said this was our best show ever, with several standing ovations.

GNU at District Contest in Appleton, WI

The chorus re-entered the contest cycle singing their best ever at the Land O' Lakes District contest in Appleton, Wisconsin.

GNU at Waconia

On a beautiful Sunday evening, in early October, we put on a concert as part of a concert series at Faith Lutheran Church in Waconia.

GNU & TCCGC

On a beautiful warm, late summer Saturday evening, the Great Northern Union performed at St. Michaels Lutheran Church in Bloomington with the Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir.

An excellent youth quartet (siblings), named 4 Given, entertained while the audience was being seated & during intermission. 

The chorus on stage. 

The Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir with Robert Robinson. 

Of course, the show closed with the combined choirs singing 2 gospel numbers. 

GNU at CivicFest

The chorus was invited to sing at CivicFest at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Wednesday of the week of the Republican National Convention. Below are pictures of several of the interesting exhibits as well as the chorus performance.

Banner just inside entrance. 

U.S. Flags exhibit 

Model of the Oval Office. 

Model of the White House 

Several chorus members (including yours truly) on the steps of the mockup of Air Force One. 

The chorus in performance. 

GNU & Coach Jim

Internationally renowned Coach Jim spent an evening with the chorus coaching our performance. He gave us many helpful suggestions & guidelines. 

Director Pete, Choreographer Scott, Coach Jim, Presentation Judge Roger.

BHS CA Candidate School

Every 3 years, all judges & new candidates of the Barbershop Harmony Society attend a 4 day certification school at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, MO. This year, I was invited to teach part of that school for the new incoming candidates.

Dwain Chambers at the teaching position. Dwain is the current Society Contest & Judging Chairman and the Immediate Past Category Specialist for Contest Administration.

The seven incoming candidates listening to an interesting presentation.

GNU at Twins Game

On Sunday, July 20, the Great Northern Union and members of 50 other choruses from surrounding states gathered on the field of the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis to sing the National Anthem when the Twins played the Rangers. After wining the first 2 games of the series, the Twins lost on Sunday in a "squeaker", 0 - 1.

Waiting to start.

My tribe (L2R): Garth, Dave, Dawn, Dan, Hannah, & Me. Kath's family was away camping.

GNU at Como Park

Each year, the chorus is invited to sing at Como Park with all of the other area choruses. Note the new summer uniforms.

GNU & Choreographer Dave

Dave, a choreography coach from North York, Ontario, near Toronto, spent the day with the chorus teaching us new choreography for our up tune, Put Your Arms Around Me Honey. Had a wonderful time.

'Bout 9 o'clock, Jim warmed us up for the days singing.

Local choreography/presentation coaches Scott & Roger with Dave in the center.

Dave explains a move while Director Pete looks on.

Dave teaching the front row how to do a certain type of "bow."

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GNU at Division Contest in LaCrosse

Since we haven't competed for a couple year, the chorus had to sing at the Division level. So we sang at the Land O' Lakes Distrcit 10,000 Lakes Division Contest. And placed first.

Here we are in the warm-up room just before going onstage.

GNU in Fargo

For 3 days, the Great Northern Union traveled to Fargo, North Dakota, where they sang 4 performances in 3 different venues. We traveled by bus on Friday morning and Sunday afternoon. We had been invited by the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) to perform for them Saturday morning which we did to a standing ovation. Then Saturday evening we performed in a joint public show with the local Fargo barbershop chapter. After an afterglow that evening, we performed at 2 services on Sunday morning at Bethel Evangelical receiving a standing ovation during the middle of one of the services. Great weekend outing!

Chorus with soloists on ACDA stage. (I'm standing on the left end, facing picture, of row 2.)

Chorus at Bethel Evangelical on Sunday morning.

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Great Northern Union Collegiate Concert

On March 1, GNU hosted a concert including the Luther College Norsemen & the St. Olaf Viking Chorus. It was held at St. Andrew's in Mahtomedi. The day began with  an afternoon of rehearsals and performances, as well as a "clinic" where fun learning sessions were held. The finale was a rousing, beautiful arrangement called A Tribute to World Peace. (And since I was singing in the actual performance, I didn't take any pictures. But I have some coming which I'll include later.)

2006 International Collegiate Champions, Men in Black, visited several high school music programs in the area on Thursday & Friday and they song on the show. 

St. Olaf men's chorus 

Luther College men's chorus. 

Marty Monson's father, Larry, hosted/MC'd the days activities. 

The Men in Black conducted a clinic with lots of examples in song. 

The two guest conductors relax during the class. 

This is the rehearsal of the mass chorus - estimated 300 men. 

Here is the chorus posing for it's first pictures in brand new tuxedos. Very sharp. 

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Singing Valentines

I just got back from California in time to sing 4 gigs on Valentines Day to 4 lovely ladies (raising money for our chapter). Below are pictures.

This ladies boyfriend met us outside (temp = -5) with a dozen roses to present while we sang to wonderful ballads.

This lady worked in a bookstore.

Quartet members are: Roger - tenor, John - lead, our valentine, Bob - bass, & John - bari.

We had a wonderful time and our "ladies" were all very pleasantly surprised.

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