The Midwest Vocal Express:

2018Our Year in Pictures

January 2018 –Director Audition Nights Were Thrilling

• Exciting start of 2018 was finding a director.

Brian PlehnPatrick

McAlexander

Bryan Ziegler

Four Zieglers?Mike Ziegler, Bryan Ziegler, Walt Ziegler and Harold Ziegler.

Kick off with

Last January’s

Installation Joe Gurreri, Installer, January 20, 2018

Our 2018 Board

L-R: President Derek Balke; Immediate Past President Steve Johnson,

Member at Large Bob Fichtner; Installer Joe Gurreri; Membership VP Tom

Weber; Marketing VP Jim Franklin; Secretary Dick Marcus; Music VP

Harry Hanson; Treasurer Jim Ansay; and Member at Large Tom Rogina.

Rookie of the Year winner

James Pruszka

Do it Award winner Tom

Rogina with last year’s

winner Harry Hanson

The President’s Award Winner Tom

Weber presented by 2017 President

Steve Johnson

The Russell A Foris Director’s

Award went to Brian Plehn,

presented by Harry Hanson

The BOTY, new and past, display their mugs

Barbershopper of the Year (BOTY)

Derek Balke’s plaque and mug.

Installation Photos

More Friends & Family Photos

February 2018Bryan Ziegler, age 9, to Director

Derek Balke announced “It is with

great pleasure that we announce

that Bryan Ziegler has accepted

the position of Musical Director for

the Midwest Vocal Express!”

March 2018

Anyone with any other favorite quotes? Shout them out!

We start to learn Bryan’s favorite sayings and gestures:

1.Bryan says, “20 more dudes on

the risers!”

2.He says: “Why would you do it

any other way?”

3.Says: “Sing it again the way

you know I would tell you to.”

Bryan

wants

20 more

Dudes!

April 2018

Acapocalypse in Port Washington

Photos from Acapocalypse

Midnight Croon

Patrick McAlexander wins the

CARA Award for the Best

Professional Arrangement!

Patrick won for the “The New

Fangled Tango!” sung by the

The Newfangled Four.

Also in April 2018

May 2018

Spring Show: Friday & Sunday Dinner Shows

More Soup du Jour Comedy Hour photos

QUARTETS

Midnight Croon,

The Committee,

Brew City

Harmony, &

Chord-tastophe

A busy May 2018 included Prelims & Division One

• Steve Johnson ran the event

at the Saber Center in Franklin.

• First ever mixed quartet contest

in Wisconsin!

Lipstick & Levi’s with

Sarah Nagel, Shelly

Brantman, Niel Johnson,

Derek Balke; Vintage

Mix with Julia Shoppach,

Kelsey Shoppach, Anika

Shoppach, Ian

Shoppach; and Achilles

Thiel, with Mary Thiel-

Roberts, Dawn Thiel,

Robb Thiel, Gary Thiel.

Winning the Division One

Contest was Chord-

tastrophe with Dennis

Haight (bass), Zach Rolfs

(bari), Matt Record

(lead), and Patrick

McAlexander (tenor).

June 2018• Guest Night June 11

• Three quartets prepare for International in

Orlando for early July.

Midnight Croon The Committee

Something Happened in July

2018? After Hours wins!!!

L-R: Tim Beutel, Drew Ochoa,

Dan Wessler, & our own

Bryan Ziegler

After Hours scored 94.7%.

Highest total score ever!

After Hours photos

Also, our Greendale GazeboPerformance, July 14

• But my favorite event

in 2018 was a party at

St. Luke’s Lutheran

• It was the celebration

on July 16 for After

Hours

Party, Party, Party!

August 2018

• First ever Video Shoot at Franklin H.S.

• Marketing our chorus via video clips!

September 2018

Brewer’s National Anthem

• Our video goes viral, over 8,100 hits.

Also in September, under a tent in

Muskego with Midnight Croon!

MVE September Picnic

The Pavilion just off 76th

Street in Greendale.

Interlude sang for us!

October 2018 in Rochester

Qualified for 2019 Internationals!

November 2018Preparing for the Christmas Show

December 2018Christmas Traditions Show

Xmas Photos

Shelly Brantman & Matt

McCellen are church mice.

Midnight Croon &

Vintage Mix are featured.

Oak Creek Christmas Tree Lighting &

the VA Hospital are also in December

Thank You!

✓ Brian Plehn and Patrick McAlexander for

being our interim Director and interim

Assistant Director

✓ Bryan Ziegler for becoming our Director

✓ 2018 Board and the Director Search

Committee for excellent work

✓ Our 2018 P-Team for getting us great

songs, getting us in the top 20 for

International

✓ Thank you also to our Members and

Families that helped us all along the way.

2019 is our 30th Anniversary

• We got our BHS Charter on March 29, 1989.

• We were in existence before that date, but

2019 is our 30th Anniversary Year.

• We’ve had lots of logos, but we need one

for this special year.

Thank you Tim Zielkeand the Marketing Team

Our 2019 - 30th Anniversary logo is: