Cumberland County Edition
February 2013
Vol. 14 No. 2
Love Songs from Long Ago Local Chorus Director Hopes to Preserve ‘Barbershopping’ By Chelsea Shank Singing has always been a large part of Bruce Van Order’s life, but being part of a barbershop quartet wasn’t something he intentionally set out to do. Today he is the interim director of the White Rose Chorus, a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society that he has been singing with for 44 years. He sang in choirs all through high school and college. It was during his years at Elizabethtown College as a member of the concert choir that he first had the chance to experiment with singing some barbershop numbers. Van Order, who is now 68, was just beginning his career as a high school guidance counselor when he attended a kickoff event for staff at the beginning of the 1970 school year. It was then that he got discovered—for the White Rose Chorus, that is. “We sang ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ at my table and someone came up and said, ‘I think you ought to sing barbershop,’” said Van Order, laughing at the memory. “I said, ‘What’s that about?’ And then I went to a rehearsal and sat in the tenor section.” Singing tenor is an advantage, Van Order says, because there are fewer men who sing that part. The four-part harmony that the members of the White Rose Chorus sing includes tenor, second tenor lead, baritone, and bass. please see SONGS page 12 Bruce Van Order has been a member of the White Rose Chorus for 44 years. Back row, from left, Mark Downs, Roger Phillips, Roger Wiegand, and Bob Renjillian. Middle row, from left, Roger Coleman, Dave Kelly, Steve Cowfer, and Vern Baum. Front row, from left, Al Davidson, Van Order, and Ed Simmons.
Inside:
How to Choose a Charity You Can Trust page 5
Traveltizers: Rambles Near Atlanta page 8