[From the Ontario District's newsletter, The Trillium, issue 60-02, April - June, 2006 , Waldo Redekop, editor.]

They are The Authentics

By Spicy, John, Lee, Rob — The Authentics

What a terrific start to 2006 — the Top Gun / COTS weekend is certainly a great way to begin the year. Special thanks to Chuck Alexander and his team for their determination to ensure that every district endeavour is successful. Also to Jamie Marr for organizing the Top Gun weekend for this year and next.

The Saturday night show (extravaganza) included the following.

• The North Metro Sweet Adelines (International Champions).
• MegaCity Chorus (2006 International Chorus Representatives).
• Mirage (2005 International Quartet Representatives).
• Play It Again! (2006 International Senior Quartet Representatives).
• Sound Association (2006 International Senior Quartet Representatives).
• Silver Threads (2006 International Senior Quartet Representatives).
• And — oh yeah — us, The Authentics.

It usually snows on that weekend in January and this year was no different. But, another storm hit called the Bass Flu. Both Chris Arnold (The Fixx) and Dale Locke (Mirage) contracted a mysterious bug that kept them both from performing on the evening show. Mirage was determined to go on with the show and acquired the services of one of the top gun coaches.

The first weekend in March was a trip of a lifetime for The Authentics and every member of our chorus in The Toronto Northern Lights as we travelled to Dortmund, Germany for the BinG Convention. Our chorus quartets including Fusion, Mirage and The Authentics, performed for a generous and enthusiastic audience on stage and in corners of the lobby of the concert hall. It was an experience none of us could have anticipated.

Thank you BinG.

As usual for quartets, in April we were rehearsing in preparation for the spring contest in the hopes of achieving the ‘score’ to earn the privilege to represent Ontario District at the International contest in July. Well it was close, but we missed it by ‘t h a t  m u c h’ [ED: three points]. We couldn’t have achieved the level we did without the coaching expertise from our special friends,  Jeff Taylor, David McEachern and Steve Armstrong.

We had a terrific weekend and even though we’re not competing as a quartet in Indy we’ll be there to cheer on The Fixx. Spring contest also saw the new, up and coming Chameleon earn the right to compete in the collegiate contest, held the same week. These guy’s are guaranteed to do Ontario proud — you heard it here first.

At the spring convention it was very special to be able to perform with our Canadian Idol, Gordon Lightfoot in the audience. Mr. Lightfoot attended the convention for a special award presentation. We were very lucky to be able to meet him afterwards.

Wow what a year and we’re only four months into 2006.

We  look forward to performing at the PEP Rally sponsored by APOC on Tuesday, June 20, 2006. We hope to see you all there.

Until then visit our website at www.authenticsquartet.com and check out some of the new photos from COTS School, Germany and the spring convention.

[ED: The Authentics are the 2005 Ontario District Quartet Champions.]   

Photo — Waldo Redekop

The Authentics
Tenor: Stephen Picyk
Lead: John Mallett
Bass: Rob Lamont
Baritone: Lee Sperry
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