Figure 1.--The Barrington Choir performing in their Scout uniforms during an outdoor choir in 1975. While they are wearing their Scout shorts and kneesocks, they did not wear their Scout shirts and kerchiefs. Click on the image for another view of the performance.

Various groups have sponsored boys' choirs in America, including one group in the 1970s and 80s which put together a choir of some distinction. This is the only choir sponsored by a Scout group that HBC knows of achieved a high level of choral eccellence. They performed in their Scout uniforms as well as blazers, and choral robes. The group grew out of a Boy Scout troop in Barrington, Rhode Island, headed by Guy Vance Carpenter in the late 1950s.

History

The group grew out of a Boy Scout troop in Barrington, Rhode Island, headed by Guy Vance Carpenter in the late 1950s. The boys rehearsed sacred and secular pieces three times a week. Carpenter ran the choir from its founding in the late 1950s until 1976. It was very difficult to find a suitable director to take Carpenter's place. After several auditions, he decided on Charles Mello, who only directed the choir for one semester, the fall of 1976.

Carpenter was not pleased with the sounds he heard and the direction the choir was taking musically, so he enlisted a new director from out-of-state, Greg Goida. This man proceeded to endanger the choir's legacy and existance. He attempted to change all that Carpenter had built up over the previous 19 years, including discipline, wardrobe, changing the choir's official name to "The Barrington Boys' Choir of Rhode Island", and even went so far as to move the choir's location to a different part of the state. These actions resulted in declining membership, quality and overall reputation.

Figure 2.--Choir practice at a Scout summer camp. The practice uniform was their Scout shorts and white socks and sneakers.

I am not exactly sure how events transpired in the summer of 1977, but Carpenter had Goida fired, and actually took the choir back over as director in the fall of 1977 until another suitable replacement could be found. Lucien Olivier took over the choir in the mid-fall of 1977. It was his job to bring back the reputation of the choir. With his work cut out for him, and all odds against him, he did just that. Olivier proceeded to create one of the best-sounding versions of the choir. The man was a very talented singer/director/musician, whose son was also a member of the choir in previous years. Membership skyrocketed to nearly 35 boys in 1978. Olivier's time with the choir climaxed in 1979 with a June european tour.

The fall of 1979 saw a marked decrease in membership, attributable to current members voices changing, and that fact that local boys were just not interested in singing. Olivier stayed on with the choir as director until 1981. I am not quite sure what happened between 1982-1984. I do know that the organization moved to Providence. Carpenter again took over the choir in late 1985 and brought it back to Barrington. The total number of boys was less than 10 in 1986 when it gave its last performance. Kids were more interested in TV, video games and karate lessons than in singing Schubert, and it became difficult to recruit new blood. Carpenter died in 1994, Olivier in 1990.

Scouts and Music

American Scouting hasd not place a great emphasis on music. This is the only know Scout choir that achieved anything approaching musical excellence. Few Americam Scout groups even have Scout bands. In Europe there is a much greater emphasic on music. In Britain, the semi-annual Scout band competitiion is a major event.

Music Performed

Some of the music performed was "The Lord is My Shepard", "Um Mitternacht", "Sleigh Ala Russe", "Ave Maria", "Sound the Trumpet", and several others. There was one time in 1978 when the choir was performing for a summer camp of elderly people. There was no piano. Lucien asked one of the boys to perform Ave Maria without a piano. He nervously said yes. He remembers, "I don't know how, but it came out beautifully!"

Figure 3.-- The Vienna Choir Boys in 1975 were on an American tour, they were to perform a concert in Rhode Island. Judge was a close friend of the organization and was able to have the Vienna Choir boys stay at some of homes of the Barrington boys. Some stayed with the Barrington boys which was a wonderful cultural experience for all involved. One now grown-up boy remembers a boy named Wolfgang Bauda stay with him for 5 days.

Vienna Boys' Choir Visit

The Vienna Choir Boys in 1975 were on an American tour, they were to perform a concert in Rhode Island. Judge was a close friend of the organization and was able to have the Vienna Choir boys stay at some of homes of the Barrington boys. Some stayed with the Barrington boys which was a wonderful cultural experience for all involved. . Many of the Vienna Choir boys knew soime English, but the American boys did not know German. One now grown-up boy remembers a boy named Wolfgang Bauda stay with him for 5 days. That short period was one of the best of his childhood.

Costumes

The Barrington Scout Choir had a variety of operforance costumes. They frequently performed in their Scout uniforms, especially during the summer. They also performed in blazers and choral robes.

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Created: December 15, 1999
Last updated: December 15, 1999