About Bruce Kistler, Current Interim Director of the Saddlebrooke Barbershop Chorus


Bruce is a lifelong choral singer with experience directing church choirs and other choral groups. After retiring and moving to Saddlebrooke in 2016, he started singing barbershop music for the first time when he joined the local Saddlebrooke Barbershop Chorus. Bruce is a previous president of the Valley Concert Chorale in Livermore CA, and currently serves on the board of both the Saddlebrooke Singers and the Saddlebrooke Barbershop Chorus.

***************************************************************


About Rogers Hornsby, Assistant Director of the Saddlebrooke Barbershop Chorus


Rog is a long-time member of the Saddlebrooke Barbershop Chorus, a previous Director of the Casa Grande Desert Sounds Chorus, and a lifetime member (65+ years) of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

***************************************************************


About Rob Foltz, 2020 Interim Director of the Saddlebrooke Barbershop Chorus


Rob was born and raised in a musical family in Connecticut. His mother taught piano and was an elementary school music teacher. His sister was a church organist. His family always sang in church and school choirs. One of Rob’s favorite memories is coming home after church each Sunday and turning on the radio to listen to Texaco’s Box at the Opera. When Rob was young, he studied piano and trombone. When he and his wife moved into their first home, they bought a piano. Their 2 children (Eleanor and Margaret) each took lessons on several instruments and sang at every opportunity. There was always music in their home!

Rob is an engineer by trade, but music gave him pleasure during his career. He took organ lessons and enjoyed singing in church choir and men’s chorus, as well as in a Bluegrass group. While living overseas, Rob played piano for Sunday evening worship services for nearly eight years.

When he moved to Tucson in 2001, Rob started singing Barbershop. When he retired from engineering in 2008, he became more involved with the craft of Barbershop music. He has taken training through the Director’s College at Harmony University offered by the Barbershop Harmony Society, focusing on directing techniques as well as vocal production and rehearsal techniques.

In addition to directing the Saddlebrooke Barbershop Chorus, Rob has been privileged to direct men’s and mixed choirs numerous times at his church. Rob says, “One of my favorite pieces is Stephen Paulus’s Pilgrim’s Hymn. It is an expressive piece with lush harmonies and many mixed meters.”

Rob lives in Tucson with his wife June. His goal for the Saddlebrooke Barbershop Chorus is to help each of the 20-plus men in the chorus to increase their joy of singing in the 4-part harmony barbershop style, to enlarge the repertoire of songs they love to sing, and to expand their knowledge of the art of singing.

***************************************************************


About Nancy Bergman, Director Emeritus of the Saddlebrooke Barbershop Chorus


Nancy directed the Saddlebrooke Barbershop Chorus for nearly 15 years, and became a Director Emeritus of the Chorus in early 2020. She brought her musical experience in the craft of harmony singing to the Chorus. Each Tuesday evening 20-plus men gathered at in a room at Saddlebrooke's facilities to expand their love of singing in 4-part harmony, barbershop style, to expand the repertoire of songs they love to sing, and to expand their knowledge of the art of singing.

Nancy has been a barbershop harmony enthusiast since 1950; her quartet won the International Championship of Sweet Adelines in 1954. She served as Executive Secretary and managing director of the international headquarters of Sweet Adelines from 1956 to 1968. She is a Master Arranger of barbershop harmony, composer, master chorus director and coach, certified judge, certified international faculty member, and was honored with the organization's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.

Nancy continues to provide the 50,000 world-wide membership of Sweet Adelines and the Barbershop Harmony Society with 4-part harmony arrangements. She coaches quartets and choruses, and serves on regional and international faculties. She is a skilled teacher and an artist in her craft....and her enthusiasm is catching! She brings to singers with little or no musical background the opportunity to learn to sing with confidence. She inspires them to accomplishment and increased self-esteem. She brings out the showman in them, and teaches them to ENJOY THE APPLAUSE! The chorus members who sang under Nancy's direction considered Nancy as a wonderful inspiration and gift.

See more about Nancy and her music on her own website.