Vocal Majority

Infobox musical artist |
Name = Vocal Majority

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Img_capt = The Vocal Majority
Landscape = Dallas, Texas
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URL = [http://www.vocalmajority.com/ Official site]
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The Vocal Majority (VM) is a Dallas, Texas-based men's chorus of over 150 singers, billed as the premier pops chorus in America. The VM is part of the Dallas Metro chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. Under the direction of Jim Clancy, they have won a record eleven International Chorus Championships (1975, 1979, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006).

This record is even more impressive given that the Society contest rules do not permit any chorus to compete again for two years after winning an International Chorus Championship (to give other choruses a chance), so no chorus can win twice less than three years apart. [ [http://www.barbershop.org/web/groups/public/documents/pages/pub_cjhandbook.hcsp#P-7_0 BHS Contest & Judging Handbook] , Chapter 3 (BHS Contest Rules), Article I (Eligibility), §I.B.9., "p."3-10 ("p." 14 in the .PDF)] As seen in the list of championship years, they only had one four-year span between wins, from 1975 to 1979. They came in second place to the Thoroughbreds in 1978, but since then have won the championship every time that they were eligible to compete. This represents a nearly three-decade-long undefeated streak.

Since it has been two years since their 2006 win, the VM has already entered the competition cycle again at the Northeastern Division of the [http://swd.org/ Southwestern District] (SWD) Contest in Oklahoma City, OK on March 29, 2008. They won there, easily scoring high enough to qualify to compete at the [http://swd.org/Events/showConv.aspx?CID=16 2008 SWD Convention & Contests] to be held October 25, 2008, in Little Rock, AR. Should they win there (and they have yet to be defeated at the District, let alone Division, levels), they will qualify to represent the SWD at the 2009 International Contest to be held in early July 2009 in Anaheim, California. Even if they fail to win outright in October, they can still compete in Anaheim as a “wild card” chorus should they score enough points. Should they win again in Anaheim, their undefeated streak would exceed three decades, for an unprecedented full dozen championships.

The Vocal Majority has recorded over a dozen albums and has traveled extensively.

Several members of the Vocal Majority have also won the International Quartet Championship with the quartets Max Q, Acoustix, Side Street Ramblers, Dealer's Choice, Rural Route 4, and Rapscallions.

Director

In his tenure as director of The Vocal Majority Chorus, Jim Clancy has built an international reputation as composer, arranger, clinician, and vocalist. Clancy has conducted the Chorus in performances throughout the United States, Canada, Scotland, England, before two United States Presidents, at national athletic events, with major symphony orchestras, and before hundreds of national conventions. Jim Clancy is often called upon to coach national and international choral groups, having conducted multiple concerts for the American Choral Directors Association and Music Educators National Conference. He has studied under American greats Fred Waring, Madeleine Marshall, Paris Rutherford, Martha Moore Clancy, Warren Angell, and B. B. McKinney, in addition to his academic work at Baylor University, Centenary College of New Jersey, and the University of North Texas.

Clancy's discography with The Vocal Majority Chorus includes 22 albums of popular, jazz, barbershop, and inspirational music. Also under his direction the VM produced the DVD, "A Vocal Majority Christmas", released in 2003. As guest conductor with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Clancy combined the Utah ensemble with The Vocal Majority in a joint album, VOICES IN HARMONY, for CBS Masterworks. He has also performed on stage with many artists including Jimmy Dean, Bob Flanigan, The Four Freshmen, John Gary, Lee Greenwood, The Lettermen, Johnny Mann, The Oak Ridge Boys, and The Suntones.

In October, 2000, Clancy was honored by the Barbershop Harmony Society Southwestern District when a new Chorus Champion trophy was unveiled and named in his honor as the Jim Clancy Chorus Champion Award.

Clancy served as Vocal Majority's principal arranger and executive producer of the VM’s latest audio recordings, "Freedom's Song", "Love Songs By Request", "VM X" and "The Vocal Majority With Strings - Volume II".

Discography

* "Standing Room Only" (1976) [http://www.vocalmajority.com/collection.htm "20th Century Collection"] list of albums from which selections were taken]
* "Champs Back To Back" (1976)
* "With A Song In Our Hearts" (1979)
* "Here's to The Winners" (1980)
* "From Texas With Love" (VM Productions; Cassette; 1981)
* "Decade of Gold" (1983)
* "All the Best" (1983)
* "The Secret of Christmas" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; 1985)
* "For God, Country, & You" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; 1988)
* "I'll Be Seeing You" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; 1990)
* "Alleluia" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; 1992)
* "Best of the Early Years" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; (1992)
* "The Music Never Ends" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; 1996)
* "How Sweet the Sound" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; 1997)
* "The Vocal Majority with Strings, Volume I" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; 1998)
* "White Christmas" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; 2001)
* "Freedom's Song" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; 2002)
* "Love Songs By Request" (VM Productions; CD, Cassette; 2002)
* "VM X" (VM Productions; CD 2003)
* "Vocal Majority with Strings, Volume II" (VM Productions; CD; 2004)
* "You Raise Me Up" (VM Productions; CD; 2005)

Awards and Recognition

Notes

External links

* [http://www.vocalmajority.com/ Official website]