Great Northern Union
Encyclopedia
The Great Northern Union is a men's chorus
based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. They perform 4-part harmony, particularly in the barbershop
style. Officially, they are the Hilltop, Minnesota
chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society
, and are very active in competition. Following the 2011 Barbershop Harmony Society
International Chorus Competition the GNU took home the silver medal, taking second to the Masters of Harmony
by a margin of only .2%.
They won their first District contest in the fall of 1986 and made the trip to their first International contest, held in Hartford, Connecticut
, in July 1987, where they placed 8th. Their infectious energy and clean sound made them the surprise of the contest. The chorus again won District in the fall of 1987, and traveled to their second International contest in San Antonio, Texas
in 1988, where they placed 7th. The chorus's third International was less successful, and with a stronger field the chorus sank back to 8th place in Kansas City, Missouri
.
The 1990 contest in San Francisco yielded the chorus's first medal, a 5th place bronze. This cemented the reputation of the GNU among the top choruses in the Society and set the foundation for much future success. The 1991 contest in Louisville
continued the upward climb, with the chorus placing 3rd.
In 1992, the chorus reached 100 members and took a brand new Broadway package and a brand new conductor, Concordia College, Moorhead
graduate Dean Haagenson, to International in New Orleans, bringing home yet another medal, placing 4th. The leadership of Haagenson led the chorus to Calgary, Alberta in 1993 and brought the gentleman another 4th place medal.
1994 marked the first time since 1989 that the chorus did not win a medal, dropping to 61 members and placing 8th behind a much improved field of competitors. After conductor, Dean Haagenson's, decision to retire from conducting to focus on raising his family, Roger Williams made a triumphant return to the chorus and attempted to bring the group back together spiritually and musically. With half the members they had at their peak, the decided not to try to win back older members but focus on improving what they had and performing a fun new package. In 1995 they went to Miami with a parody package making fun of lawyers and once again wowed the crowd, winning another medal and placing 5th. They slightly modified the package for 1996 and went to Salt Lake City, barely missing the medals and placing 6th. The next few years they hung just out of the reach of the medals, placing 7th in 1997 in Indianapolis
, 8th in 1998 in Atlanta, and 7th in 1999 in Anaheim before returning to the top 5 (placing 4th) in 2000 in Kansas City, achieving their highest score and growing to 80 singers. The next two years they placed 6th, and in 2002, Roger Williams announced his final retirement.
The fall of 2002 saw the debut of the chorus's new director, Peter Benson, who moved from North Dakota for the job. They did not win their district for the first time in the chapter's history, but still won a wild card invitation to Montreal
in 2003, where they placed 9th. The following year they again received a wild card to Louisville, and rose to 7th. The fall of 2004 brought the GNU back into the winner's circle in the Land O' Lakes district, winning the right to compete in Salt Lake City, where they won yet another medal, placing 5th with their second highest score in the chorus's history.
They traveled to Indianapolis
once again in July 2006 for their 20th consecutive appearance at the International contest (a Society record). GNU placed 8th in that competition, but continue to hold their ground as one of the Top Ten barbershop choruses in the world. The chorus opted to decline International competitions for 2007 in Denver and 2008 in Nashville to focus on concerts in the community, a Midwest
tour, and recruiting more members. In July 2009, they returned to the International stage in Anaheim and placed an impressive 3rd, earning yet another bronze medal by edging out perennial medalist Sound of the Rockies
from Denver by a narrow margin. Anaheim also brought GNU its highest score yet achieved, a 92.1%.
http://www.gnunion.com/AboutHistory.aspx
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. They perform 4-part harmony, particularly in the barbershop
Barbershop music
Barbershop vocal harmony, as codified during the barbershop revival era , is a style of a cappella, or unaccompanied vocal music characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a predominantly homophonic texture...
style. Officially, they are the Hilltop, Minnesota
Hilltop, Minnesota
Hilltop is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 744 at the 2010 census.The city is a small enclave within the city of Columbia Heights and consists of 16 city blocks...
chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society
Barbershop Harmony Society
The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. , is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbershop music as an art form. Founded by Owen C...
, and are very active in competition. Following the 2011 Barbershop Harmony Society
Barbershop Harmony Society
The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. , is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbershop music as an art form. Founded by Owen C...
International Chorus Competition the GNU took home the silver medal, taking second to the Masters of Harmony
Masters of Harmony
The Masters of Harmony are a 135-member men's barbershop chorus, based in Santa Fe Springs, California. They are the current SPEBSQSA International Chorus Champions. Founded in 1986 with a few dozen men, they rose to stardom under the tutelage of director Dr. Greg Lyne...
by a margin of only .2%.
History
The Hilltop chapter was founded in 1986 by a dozen men in the Twin Cities area who were interested in founding a chorus based upon singing excellence and service to the community.They won their first District contest in the fall of 1986 and made the trip to their first International contest, held in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, in July 1987, where they placed 8th. Their infectious energy and clean sound made them the surprise of the contest. The chorus again won District in the fall of 1987, and traveled to their second International contest in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
in 1988, where they placed 7th. The chorus's third International was less successful, and with a stronger field the chorus sank back to 8th place in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
.
The 1990 contest in San Francisco yielded the chorus's first medal, a 5th place bronze. This cemented the reputation of the GNU among the top choruses in the Society and set the foundation for much future success. The 1991 contest in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
continued the upward climb, with the chorus placing 3rd.
In 1992, the chorus reached 100 members and took a brand new Broadway package and a brand new conductor, Concordia College, Moorhead
Concordia College, Moorhead
Concordia College is a private liberal arts school located in Moorhead, Minnesota, United States. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and offers bachelors' degrees in the arts and music, as well as a master's degree in education. The college was founded by Norwegian...
graduate Dean Haagenson, to International in New Orleans, bringing home yet another medal, placing 4th. The leadership of Haagenson led the chorus to Calgary, Alberta in 1993 and brought the gentleman another 4th place medal.
1994 marked the first time since 1989 that the chorus did not win a medal, dropping to 61 members and placing 8th behind a much improved field of competitors. After conductor, Dean Haagenson's, decision to retire from conducting to focus on raising his family, Roger Williams made a triumphant return to the chorus and attempted to bring the group back together spiritually and musically. With half the members they had at their peak, the decided not to try to win back older members but focus on improving what they had and performing a fun new package. In 1995 they went to Miami with a parody package making fun of lawyers and once again wowed the crowd, winning another medal and placing 5th. They slightly modified the package for 1996 and went to Salt Lake City, barely missing the medals and placing 6th. The next few years they hung just out of the reach of the medals, placing 7th in 1997 in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, 8th in 1998 in Atlanta, and 7th in 1999 in Anaheim before returning to the top 5 (placing 4th) in 2000 in Kansas City, achieving their highest score and growing to 80 singers. The next two years they placed 6th, and in 2002, Roger Williams announced his final retirement.
The fall of 2002 saw the debut of the chorus's new director, Peter Benson, who moved from North Dakota for the job. They did not win their district for the first time in the chapter's history, but still won a wild card invitation to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 2003, where they placed 9th. The following year they again received a wild card to Louisville, and rose to 7th. The fall of 2004 brought the GNU back into the winner's circle in the Land O' Lakes district, winning the right to compete in Salt Lake City, where they won yet another medal, placing 5th with their second highest score in the chorus's history.
They traveled to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
once again in July 2006 for their 20th consecutive appearance at the International contest (a Society record). GNU placed 8th in that competition, but continue to hold their ground as one of the Top Ten barbershop choruses in the world. The chorus opted to decline International competitions for 2007 in Denver and 2008 in Nashville to focus on concerts in the community, a Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
tour, and recruiting more members. In July 2009, they returned to the International stage in Anaheim and placed an impressive 3rd, earning yet another bronze medal by edging out perennial medalist Sound of the Rockies
Sound of the Rockies
The Sound of the Rockies is an a cappella men's chorus based in greater Denver, Colorado. They are currently the 4th place International Bronze Medalist Chorus for the Barbershop Harmony Society. In 2007, they successfully co-hosted the International Convention in Denver, Colorado with the Denver...
from Denver by a narrow margin. Anaheim also brought GNU its highest score yet achieved, a 92.1%.
Sources
http://www.barbershop.org/images/INTL20110706_CF.OSS1.pdfhttp://www.gnunion.com/AboutHistory.aspx