Sonoma County's Premier Men's Chorus

Phil DeBar is in his third tour as director of the Redwood Chordsmen having directed them from '92 to '94 and again from '97 to '99. A member of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) since 1975, he sang in his first quartet in a high school production of "The Music Man" in Syracuse, New York.   Phil graduated from Stanford University in 1978 with a BA in Political Science. While at Stanford, he directed the 14 man a cappella singing group /The Mendicants/. He also sang in the Stanford Chorale and Chapel Choir and played sax in Stanford's "marching?" band. After Stanford, he attended the University of Texas, graduating in 1980 with a MA in Public Affairs. While at UT, he was the assistant director of the BHS chorus /Austin Chord Rangers/. He also sang tenor for the division novice quartet champion /Capitol City Statesmen/. After college he directed and sang with numerous groups. He was assistant director of the BHS /Peninsulaires/ chorus from '81 to '87. The chorus won four division championships during that time and were 1982 international medalists. He sang baritone in 1984 with /Chanticleer/, a twelve man professional classical a cappella ensemble. In 1985 he sang baritone with /Coast to Coast/, BHS quartet, NorCal division champions.   Phil was the founder, producer, and host of /The Human Voice/, an a cappella vocal harmonies public radio program on KKUP-FM in San Jose, CA. from 1985 to 2004. During that time, he sang bass for the Foothill College /Fanfairs/ vocal jazz sextet, three time winners of Downbeat Magazine's collegiate jazz ensemble awards from 1986 to 1988.   He was a founding music team member, assistant director, lead and baritone section leader, and auditioner for the BHS /Pot 'O Gold/ chorus from 1988 to 1991 and later when they changed their name to /Bay Area Metro/ chorus from 2002 to 2005. During that time, the chorus won eight division championships and was a four time international competitor.   Phil is a certified BHS judge in the singing category from 1992 to the present. He judges four division, district, or quartet prelim contests annually throughout the US, Canada, and New Zealand.   He has sung baritone with /The Usual Suspects/ BHS quartet who were 1990, '91, and '92 NorCal division champions and Far Western District finalists. He also sang baritone with the /Rad Dads/ BHS quartet, 1994 international quartet finalists and 1995 NorCal division champions.   Phil was co-founder, producer, and host of /A Cappella Radio International/, an hourly public radio program distributed by the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA) from 1996 to 2004. He was the BHS International Contest audio/video internet webcast co-host from 2000 to 2004 and the SING! A Cappella Festival talent coordinator and associate producer in Nashville in 2001.   Phil was the founder, producer, and host of /Human Voice Connections/ a cappella and vocal harmonies, a weekly public radio program from 1996 to 2002 on KRCB-FM. He sang baritone with /Heirloom/ BHS quartet, 2003 NorCal Division champions. He was also the director of the /Redwood Regionaires/ BHS chorus in 2004.   Phil currently resides in Santa Rosa, CA with his wife Jane and daughters Suzanna and Emily. He is a database editor, voice teacher, ensemble coach, and studio recording consultant and producer in his spare time.

Like most children, Jan Lappin began her musical career at the age of seven by taking accordion lessons. Oh, that’s right…that’s not entirely normal!  However, during the next 13 years of studying accordion (and a scheduled audition with a talent scout for The Lawrence Welk Show that she blew off…but that’s another story…), Jan acquired more musical knowledge, skill, education, and job opportunities. In the 8th grade, she began working as the piano accompanist for her junior high school chorus and musical theatre programs, and a year later took her first piano lessons.  (Backwards, but it worked for her…)  She continued her work at Rincon Valley Junior High School throughout high school and junior college, earning money to finance a trip to Europe in 1976 to sing with the Northern California Chamber Chorale, the choir representing the USA in an international choral competition in Austria. Jan earned a Bachelor of Music Degree with an emphasis in Vocal Education from San Francisco State University in 1980.  She has been employed as an accompanist by Santa Rosa City Schools, Santa Rosa Junior College, the SRJC Summer Repertory Theatre (SRT), and Spreckel’s Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park.  She has been a church choir director since 1997, and that same year became the founding director of a mixed choir at the RP Senior Center, the 35-voice Vintage Choir of Rohnert Park, a volunteer position that she still holds today.  Since 2008, she has also been the director of the delightful Sonoma Chanson, a 12-voice a capella men’s ensemble that sings a wide range of musical styles.  Additionally, Jan has sung in two professional choirs (The Byron McGilvray Chorale and The Consort Chorale under the direction of Allan Petker), played piano and/or accordion at various local events, acted in musical theatre productions with the Redwood Empire Lyric Theatre in Santa Rosa and the Pacific Alliance Stage Company at Spreckel’s Performing Arts Center, and has been a vocal soloist for memorial services, weddings, anniversary celebrations, and more.  She also is available as a vocal coach and accompanist.  In 2007, Jan became the director of the Rohnert Park Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.  Known as the Wine Country Troubadours, that chorus merged with the Santa Rosa chapter in 2011, and Jan became the Associate Director for the “new and improved Redwood Chordsmen”.  What a blast!  You definitely should come and check us out!  For those who are listeners, our public performances are listed on the calendar here on the website.  As Chuck Sigars said in “The World According to Chuck”:  “There's no bad day that can't be overcome by listening to a barbershop quartet.  This is just truth, plain and simple.” When you see Jan, feel free to ask her to tell you about the song "Heart of My Heart" and Harmony University. And for those who would be singers, I assure you that any bad day can become a GREAT one, merely by joining with your fellow man in 4-part harmony.  Give it a try!