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[From the Ontario District's newsletter, The Trillium, issue 59-04, October - December, 2005 , Waldo Redekop, editor.]

Wow, what an audience. Backstage on Friday night we could hear the response each quartet received from you. We couldn’t hear the quartets singing on stage but we sure heard you applaud/cheer/scream/whistle your hearts out for every quartet at the fall contest at the Sanderson Centre.

What a theatre. We’re so fortunate to hold our conventions on some of the older stages in Ontario with fabulous acoustics and wonderful historic surroundings such as the Sanderson Centre in downtown Brantford.

What a convention. What a weekend. Thank you Ontario District. We will proudly represent Ontario over the next 12 months.

We’re also proud to be members of the Toronto Northern Lights (TNL). So between TNL and The Authentics, it promises to be a busy year. It will be our honour to represent Ontario at a number of functions including our upcoming trip to the BinG! (Barbershopping in Germany!) convention in Germany with the chorus in March.

We’d like to give our baritone and friend, Lee Sperry a special mention here. Lee moved to Canada two years ago from the UK with his wife and best friend, Annie. Lee now has two quartet championships to his credit as he also won the BABS (British Association of Barbershoppers) championship, singing lead with the Likely Lads.

Our good fortune in Brantford was extra special because Lee’s dad (also a Barbershopper) was visiting from the UK and was able to share the weekend with his son. He also sang with the Joe Barbershopper Chorus [ED: See photo on other pictures in issue 59-04].

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank the following.

The Ontario District, Simcoe Chapter and the judges for all their hard work.
Mirage and The Fixx for their hospitality and support for all the quartets on Friday night and throughout the weekend.
Kitchener/Waterloo Chapter and Ottawa Chapter for their nonstop hospitality on Saturday night and well into Sunday morning.
Steve Armstrong and David McEachern for their generous gift of friendship and expertise in our preparations.

Congratulations to;

Play It Again! winners of the Deja Vu Trophy and our new Seniors Quartet Champions.
Strike Four, winners of the Woodstock Chapter Trophy and our new Ontario District Novice Quartet Champions.

Along with Play It Again!, Sound Association and Silver Threads, will represent Ontario District at the Seniors Quartet Contest in Sacramento, California in January.

And a special thank you to our families,
(Steve) Julie – Abigail, Meredith, Genevieve, Elliot;
(John) Carol – Gregory;
(Lee) Annie;
(Rob) Pamela.

We look forward to the opportunities we’ll have over the next year to sing with as many Barbershoppers as possible.

Until we see you at the next show, please visit us at our home on the web at <www.authenticsquartet.com>.

Thank you.

Photo by Aaron Moxley

The Authentics
Ontario District Quartet Champion
Tenor: Stephen Picyk
Lead: John Mallett
Bass: Rob Lamont
Baritone: Lee Sperry
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