About Seneca Junction Chorus
School Bus Driver, Marketing Director, Pharmacy Tech, College Student, Nurse, Airline Pilot, Teacher, Small Business Owner, Fire Department Volunteer, IT Director, Assistant Controller, High School Student, Survey Engineer, Retired Man, College Professor, Copier Technician, etc. What do all these businessmen and students have in common? They get together every Monday night at the Valley Christian Assembly, 132 Prospect, Salamanca, New York, 14779 to become Seneca Junction Chorus! Those are just a few examples of who we are.
The first "organizational meeting" of the new Salamanca Chapter was held November 3, 1998 at a restaurant called "The Hut" in Cuba, NY. Seneca Land District President, Bob Coant, along with President-elect Fred Burne, attended to help "kick-off" the launching of the new Chapter.
Seneca Junction Chorus was licensed on November 16, 1998 and received their charter on August 17, 1999, which was signed by Society President, Daryl Flynn. The sponsoring chapter to SJC was located in St. Mary's, PA.
The first officer's of Seneca Junction Chorus included: Bruce Crane, President; Jim Terrien, VP Chapter Development; Skip Berenguer, VP Music & Performance; Michael Hunt, Secretary, and Lowell Wilcox, Treasurer. Musical Director was Skip Berenguer.
Our Director, Skip Berenguer, joined "S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A., Inc." (Society for the Preservation and Encouragment of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America), now known as B.H.S. (Barbershop Harmony Society) in September, 1979, as a member of the Warren, PA chapter. He co-founded the Jamestown, NY chapter in September 1986, and then went on to become in integral part of the formation of the Salamanca Chapter and is a charter member. Skip has won the District Quartet Championship twice; once as a Baritone with the "Esquire's" in 1983, and again in 1992 as a Lead with "Gold Rush". He also helped the Warren, PA chapter to a District Chorus Championship in 1981. Skip has represented the Seneca Land District as a Quartet representative to the International stage 5 times. He has attended Director's College three times and has directed three choruses for a total of 18 years, the past 11 with the Seneca Junction Chorus.
Seneca Junction Chorus is the "ONLY" Seneca Land District Chorus that actually meets on Seneca Nation "land". We are proud of that distinction.
Although we are a small band of men (currently 25), we produce a mighty and beautiful sound. The dream of any Barbershop Chorus is to appear at District Championship, win the trophy for best overall chorus and then perform for the right to represent the Seneca Land District in the following year International Competition. The International Competition, or Convention, is held annually and brings the whole Barbershop Society together (including Europe) for one huge show and competition. This year, Seneca Junction Chorus came just 29 points shy of representing our District for the right to travel to Philadelphia in July 2010. 29 points may sound like a lot, but to us, it's just a few tweaks to our song package and next time will be our turn!
SJC practices weekly (Monday nights) at the Christian Valley Assembly located located in Salamanca. We meet in the basement facility, set up our risers, put out the break refreshments and water, and get to work. Although "fun" is the main focus of this group, we are also very serious about the music we sing, the commraderie we have with each other, and our overall effort to create a sound that will take Seneca Junction Chorus to the top of the District! I guess you could say each of us is a "tactician of sound". That's how we produce the rich quality heard at rehearsal and on stage. Performances bring out the best of us, that's why we love what we do!
Seneca Junction Chorus is an "8 Time Plateau 'A' Level Champion" within the Seneca Land District. The 8th Championship came this past September 2010 in Rochester for District Competition, bringing home the A Level Award.
Plateau "A" Level is a chorus with under 35 registered members of the Barbershop Harmony Society, our parent organization. Again, although we may be a small chorus, our chords ring true, our sound is clear, and our goal high!
The first "organizational meeting" of the new Salamanca Chapter was held November 3, 1998 at a restaurant called "The Hut" in Cuba, NY. Seneca Land District President, Bob Coant, along with President-elect Fred Burne, attended to help "kick-off" the launching of the new Chapter.
Seneca Junction Chorus was licensed on November 16, 1998 and received their charter on August 17, 1999, which was signed by Society President, Daryl Flynn. The sponsoring chapter to SJC was located in St. Mary's, PA.
The first officer's of Seneca Junction Chorus included: Bruce Crane, President; Jim Terrien, VP Chapter Development; Skip Berenguer, VP Music & Performance; Michael Hunt, Secretary, and Lowell Wilcox, Treasurer. Musical Director was Skip Berenguer.
Our Director, Skip Berenguer, joined "S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A., Inc." (Society for the Preservation and Encouragment of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America), now known as B.H.S. (Barbershop Harmony Society) in September, 1979, as a member of the Warren, PA chapter. He co-founded the Jamestown, NY chapter in September 1986, and then went on to become in integral part of the formation of the Salamanca Chapter and is a charter member. Skip has won the District Quartet Championship twice; once as a Baritone with the "Esquire's" in 1983, and again in 1992 as a Lead with "Gold Rush". He also helped the Warren, PA chapter to a District Chorus Championship in 1981. Skip has represented the Seneca Land District as a Quartet representative to the International stage 5 times. He has attended Director's College three times and has directed three choruses for a total of 18 years, the past 11 with the Seneca Junction Chorus.
Seneca Junction Chorus is the "ONLY" Seneca Land District Chorus that actually meets on Seneca Nation "land". We are proud of that distinction.
Although we are a small band of men (currently 25), we produce a mighty and beautiful sound. The dream of any Barbershop Chorus is to appear at District Championship, win the trophy for best overall chorus and then perform for the right to represent the Seneca Land District in the following year International Competition. The International Competition, or Convention, is held annually and brings the whole Barbershop Society together (including Europe) for one huge show and competition. This year, Seneca Junction Chorus came just 29 points shy of representing our District for the right to travel to Philadelphia in July 2010. 29 points may sound like a lot, but to us, it's just a few tweaks to our song package and next time will be our turn!
SJC practices weekly (Monday nights) at the Christian Valley Assembly located located in Salamanca. We meet in the basement facility, set up our risers, put out the break refreshments and water, and get to work. Although "fun" is the main focus of this group, we are also very serious about the music we sing, the commraderie we have with each other, and our overall effort to create a sound that will take Seneca Junction Chorus to the top of the District! I guess you could say each of us is a "tactician of sound". That's how we produce the rich quality heard at rehearsal and on stage. Performances bring out the best of us, that's why we love what we do!
Seneca Junction Chorus is an "8 Time Plateau 'A' Level Champion" within the Seneca Land District. The 8th Championship came this past September 2010 in Rochester for District Competition, bringing home the A Level Award.
Plateau "A" Level is a chorus with under 35 registered members of the Barbershop Harmony Society, our parent organization. Again, although we may be a small chorus, our chords ring true, our sound is clear, and our goal high!
9 Time Plateau "A" Champions !!!
2011 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
2010 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Fall)
2010 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
2009 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Fall)
2007 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
2003 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
2001 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
2000 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Fall)
2000 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
2010 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Fall)
2010 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
2009 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Fall)
2007 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
2003 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
2001 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
2000 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Fall)
2000 Seneca Land District Plateau "A" Champions (Spring)
