History — Summer Harmony

The History of Summer Harmony

The history of Summer Harmony begins in 1991 when several men who shared a love for singing put their thoughts and voices together for what was to become the premier Men’s Chorus of the Lehigh Valley. Art Schmidt and a handful of other music lovers persuaded George Boyer, widely recognized throughout the Valley for his ability to meld vocal “instruments” at Allen High School, Christ Lutheran Church, and other organizations, to conduct the chorus. It was quite a robust group in those early days populated with several young men from Allen High, joined by a contingent from the local Barbershop chapter of vocalists and a number of guys who caught the word of this new venture. And thus, Summer Harmony was born.

In the years following, the chorus grew and matured. Not only in numbers, as the membership hovered at one time at more than 100 men, but also in the diversity of its repertoire, for its popularity in and beyond the Lehigh Valley and certainly for the quality of its musicianship. The Music Library has swelled over the years to well over 200 numbers; ranging from the classics, sacred, Broadway tunes, barbershop, folk and of course a variety of patriotic standards. The men of summer have also performed an extensive library of holiday music. The chorus has appeared at many of the area’s churches as well as at a variety of other musical venues, including Mayfair, Musikfest, at Ocean Grove, NJ, Mt. Gretna, PA, Souderton Community Park, Allentown’s West Park, and performing the National Anthem for the Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs and most recently at the newly opened PPL Center in Allentown to usher the Harlem Globetrotters into town.

Summer Harmony has enjoyed the company of many guest performers. Significant among them has been the Allentown Band with whom we have been privileged to share the stage on many occasions. Several numbers with the band are included on two of Summer Harmony’s six CD’s. Along the way Eric Fennel, one of those young men from Allen High who was a member of the chorus during that first summer, returned to sing with the chorus as well as other notable members of the music community including the Macungie Band, Cameron Carpenter, Sons of Pitches, Main Street Brass, Satori, Tom Hazleton, Fermata Nowhere, Chris Robertson, Hill to Hill Brass and others.

Summer Harmony had a couple of standard opening numbers; For many years, we opened with It’s a Grand Night for Singing, and even used In the Good Old Summertime for a while. Now, depending upon the setting, we often begin by honoring our country with the Star Spangled Banner. Fun fact, we have sung the Battle Hymn of the Republic over 200 times in concert; not at all concerts, but certainly at most!

Former Directors

George Boyer

Clair Neamand

Clair Neamand. A graduate of Whitehall High School, he holds a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master of Music Education Degree from West Chester University of PA. He has completed additional studies at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, East Stroudsburg University, Susquehanna University and Villanova University of PA.
Mr. Neamand was the General Music Teacher and Choral Director of Springhouse Junior High School of the Parkland School District in Orefield, PA from 1971-1988. He was the Choral Director at Parkland High School, from 1988 -2007. His choirs have won numerous awards, including performances at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, Florida and at the National Music Clinic in Philadelphia, PA. Mr. Neamand was also Chorale Director at Allentown College St. Francis de Sales from 1984-1987. During the summer of 1996 he toured the countries of Austria, Hungary, and Germany conducting the Parkland High School Chorale in numerous performances. The PHS Chorale also toured China in the summer of 2005 where they performed on the Great Wall. Mr. Neamand served as Secretary/Treasurer of District 10 and State Chairman of Music In Our Schools Month for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. He also worked as a consultant to the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, NJ. He received a Citation of Excellence for a Middle/Junior High Music Teacher in District 10 PMEA in 1985, and again in 2006 for High School music. He has been a guest conductor of Festival Choruses throughout Pennsylvania and Virginia. Clair Neamand is married to his college sweetheart Kathleen.

When we reflect on the people, places and things that have been part of Summer Harmony’s formative years, we can not help but have very fond recollections of our founding Music Director, George Boyer. In the summer of 1991 George accepted the challenge of developing a bunch of guys into a men’s chorus. Not only a talented musician, George was also a fun loving guy – always at the ready with a funny story or a bit of trivial wisdom relating to the music we were preparing. We credit George for shaping this chorus in its first seventeen years, that we sang pretty well under his baton, continued to do so with Clair Neamand and now looking forward to the years ahead.

Vincent Trovato

Vincent Trovato works at Muhlenberg College as a collaborative pianist, accompanying faculty and student recitals and providing accompaniment for the vocal ensembles. He also coaches Musica da Camera, a student Chamber Music ensemble and teaches piano, working closely with his students, encouraging them to explore the different styles of music that interest them.
In addition to his work with Summer Harmony, he is currently the director of the Lehigh Valley Meistersingers and also the associate conductor of the Camerata Singers. Vincent has musically directed and conducted over 30 theatre productions for the Muhlenberg Summer Theatre, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, DeSales University and Civic Theatre.
At Muhlenberg he has also provided new arrangements/orchestrations for productions of “The Beggar’s Opera”, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, “Pippin” and “An American Tragedy”, a new Charles Strouse musical which had its premiere at Muhlenberg. He has had extensive theatrical experience, the highlights of which include a European tour of “My Fair Lady” with Richard Chamberlain, arranging and accompanying “Free Fall”, a one-woman show starring Sandy Duncan, and contributing arrangements and accompaniment for a Noel Coward birthday celebration at Carnegie Hall. In 2012 Vincent made his debut with the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, conducting a program of Broadway and Operetta selections.