Men of Harmony serenade holiday in four parts

In case you haven't noticed, Santa Claus is busy getting ready to hit town.

Time to deck the halls, do the shopping -- and celebrate the season with the Fox Valley Men of Harmony.

The chorus of 25 local men will ring in the holidays barbershop quartet-style, performing dozens of secular and sacred songs, leading the audience in sing-a-longs and welcoming St. Nick in a very special appearance.

The Fox Valley Men of Harmony is celebrating its 61st year as the Elgin chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, which made its debut in 1938. The society consists of nearly 700 chapters with affiliates all around the world.

"They've been a part of our community for a long time," said Douglas Smith, director, who has been with the society for 40 years. "They're men of all ages from the community and surrounding communities."

In his time with the chorus, Smith has taken the stage all over the world.

"I've been on the international stage with 12 different international quartets," Smith said.

Smith and company will perform a variety of holiday songs arranged for barbershop and sung a cappella.

Along with favorites, "Let it Snow!" and "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," the chorus will debut 30-year member Harry Swenson's arrangement of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" as a featured number.

"It's the premiere performance, that I know of," Swenson said.

"This number was originally written for Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians in 1942, from the poem written by Clement Moore," explained Swenson. "The music was written by Ken Darby."

Arranging the old standard was not an easy task, according to Swenson.

"It was a job because the original number had a lot of piano, a lot of frills and dramatic scales. I had to eliminate that because barber shoppers don't use accompaniment."

The song will mark the appearance of Santa Claus in the program.

"There'll be a little bit of pageantry with it, with Santa Claus coming down the chimney and the mother hanging stockings," said Swenson.

And be prepared -- the men will perform this number clad in their pajamas.

"I think the number will please the kids a lot," Swenson said. "It has the appearance of Santa Claus coming down the chimney and stuffing the stockings and pantomiming (the words of the song)."

Confidential to parents: "At the end of the program Santa Claus will pass out favors to the kids," Swenson said.

For those who find the sing-a-long portion of the afternoon particularly satisfying, Smith would like to emphasize that the chapter is always looking for new members to join, with little or no previous experience necessary.

"The requirements is that they have an ear for music," said Smith. "They don't have to read music, or they need no formal training. Part of what I do is educating the singers as needed."

Dave Farquhar is a self-professed newbie in the choir and acknowledges that the experience is more than just performing.

"The fellowship with the guys is pretty cool," he said. "It's fun to be around them."

Farquhar, who works as an orchestra teacher, will direct two numbers with the chorus: "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" and "O, Holy Night." His speedy assent to director of these two songs was a result of his orchestral background.

The choir arranged to send him to Harmony University, a Barbershop Harmony Society program at Missouri Western State University to take a weeklong course on directing a chorus.

The program, available to members of the Barbershop Harmony Society, provides one-week tutorials on writing, singing and performing in the classic barbershop style.

Sunday, Farquhar will strut his stuff, along with his fellow performers, at the First United Methodist Church in Elgin.

Farquhar hopes to see an audience consisting of all age groups for the show.

"It's a good time and it's family-oriented. It should be entertaining to kids of all ages."

If you go

What: The Fox Valley Men of Harmony holiday show

When: 3 p.m. Sunday

Where: The First United Methodist Church, 217 E. Highland Ave., Elgin

How much? $10 for adults and $5 for children

Tickets: Sold at the door on the day of performance, or call Ron at (630) 289-6547

Interested? For information about joining Fox Valley Men of Harmony visit www.wideopenwest.com/~dtoren or attend a weekly 7:15 p.m. Monday night meeting at the First United Methodist Church, Elgin