In 1965, after winning a silver medal the
year before, The Miamians Chorus won the gold
medal at the International Championships in Boston, Mass. Meanwhile,
Miami's quartets had excelled in competition. The Antlers medaled
in 1951 and 1952. The Shortcuts medaled in 1957 and several times thereafter,
and in 1961 The Suntones, widely acclaimed as the greatest quartet ever,
won the gold as International champs, with
the highest score ever achieved. (The record still stands today!)
Miami's long history of show productions, as well as fun and friendship,
has created and fostered lifelong friendships for hundreds of men and their
wives and families.
In recent years, The Miamians have combined their
talents with the women's Goldcoast Chorus, a South
Florida chapter of Sweet Adelines, to form Florida
Gold, an exciting mixed chorus of over 100 voices. The Florida Gold
annual show every March has become a highlight of the year.
In addition to competing in the Spring and Fall at state competition, which
they have won on several occasions, The Miamians
also perform at many civic and charitable events year-round. The chapter
encourages the formation of quartets and the quartets are often featured at
many functions. Valentine's Day and Mother's Day is especially
busy for quartets.
One of the chapter's pet projects is to work with music educators in conjunction
with middle and high school students, giving a greater appreciation of Barbershop
a cappella singing, in our annual Youth Music Festivals.
The Miamians are dedicated to quality singing
and vocal harmony and also to helping and encouraging men, young and old,
to sing, for the fun of it, in that unique American art form: Barbershop Harmony