Ambassadors of Harmony - Seventy-Six Trombones [from The Music Man]

[@calgaunt7831]

13 years later I can still remember the emotion of standing on the risers hearing thousands of people supporting the Ambassadors as we finished this set. One of the greatest moments of my life. (I was in the center section on the 4th row)

[@guibox3]

This is still one of the most amazing performances I've ever witnessed. Bravo to you, sir. Unbelievable. My theatre production will be doing The Music Man next fall (I will be in the BBS quartet) and I can assure you I will be posting this on our group page or email to inspire the people. Are you still singing with AOH?

[@Joshh570]

I was 13 when I first watched this , my father being a conductor and my brother and I both learning piano (classical) . Dad would find these gems. Although I hadn’t followed in his path I still know how to appreciate music from a technical perspective along with the pure joy of just listening to the song itself. The energy you must’ve felt from start to finish.

[@chrisring123]

I know what you mean! “I was there,” indeed! I was in the center of the fourth row when the Masters of Harmony won their first gold medal in 1990. It was an amazing and unforgettable thrill! All the hard work paying off. 😊 Let me congratulate you on this outstanding performance here, as it’s one of the (if not the very) top presentations of our society’s history!

[@blondieadams7758]

I still get chills when I watch this! Excellent!

[@tyranusmaximus864]

Finally a show choir where the show doesnt disrupt the singing.

[@gilber78]

Not show choir, this is barbershop choir

[@tdvorak9987]

I was in show choir in High School and this is why started singing barbershop! But yeah not Show Choir, Barbershop Chorus.

[@cecebruh6287]

@@gilber78 if you like this I reccomend diving into the barbershop material youtube has 😏😏😏 ik this is over half a decade after u posted this comment but hey still valid.

[@thenerdyanarchist3492]

It’s not as hard of choreography unlike the sort that a show choir would do

[@cecebruh6287]

@@thenerdyanarchist3492 yes exactly. the riser folks get it real easy

[@graceculbreath4572]

My dad is in the front row.... Not ashamed

[@antoinefdu]

Your dad is awesome!

[@resttech26]

my father sang with the dundalk chorus of the chesapeake. i miss singing with him.

[@shanegeorge3499]

raymond pfeifer is he dead

[@BlazeAndGraze]

raymond pfeifer I sing in the chorus of the Chesapeake now

[@francistokede4714]

Why would you be ashamed of such an awesome dad?

[@colli1rc]

For visuals in this song they received a score of 498 out of 500. Meaning they received 3 "perfect" scores of 100 and 2 scores of a 99. They were the first chorus to ever do so. I was in the audience for this performance, it was even better live if you can picture that. So amazing!

[@chellycat14]

why 99? what caused a dock in lost points? Just give them all perfect scores. Not sure what could be improved, this was perfect!!

[@samueloliver-sherry-musici9171]

@@chellycat14 it’s more likely 4 judges gave 100 and one judge marked it lower to 98… still really harsh but more understandable than 99

[@davecarlisle5365]

@@chellycat14 We heard from one judge, and I am not making this up, that the inflatable tuba looked too "cartoonish", and this distracted him and stopped him from writing 100. But 99 is still pretty good :D

[@chellycat14]

@@davecarlisle5365 Wow, that's such a silly thing to dock a point over. I agree though, 99 is great. Probably super high for this judge, who sounds hard to please. :P

[@sonyahannah]

And THAT'S how you win a championship!

[@kevinchurch5934]

That's how your mental health becomes suspect

[@davideberle4552]

No, that is how you win EVERY goddamn championship!

[@cuteruffledpocrupine]

I have been watching this video for years now, and my jaw still drops to the floor every single time. Just to get that many people to show up to rehearsal is a feat of it's own, I won't even begin on the amount of work it must of taken to get the choreography and harmonies right! A BIG BRAVO and hats off to the musical director and all the members! THANK YOU SO MUCH for brightening up our world with your wonderful craft!

[@xbjrrtc]

76 upvotes

[@hamishcoles5726]

It can only be a combination of 1) absolute passion for the craft, and 2) amazing bonds of friendship between all of them! They all look so proud to be there, and so they should have

[@cocolossal69]

Yeah ... what you said 😃💜

[@friendlybanjoatheist5464]

Yea. Me too! I can’t stop laughing when their wardrobe changes instantly. It’s just a brilliant video in every way. Thank you all for this.

[@friendlybanjoatheist5464]

Yes. I watch it every few months and it just tears me up. Absolutely brilliant. And the conductor’s smile at the very end when he realizes they pulled it off and people loved it. Precious!!!

[@thdremily]

7 years on and this still blows me away

[@JuarezWeiss]

10 years here! haha

[@thdremily]

@@JuarezWeiss And Now 12, still gets me

[@Widazer]

14 lol

[@fortepiano4491]

I was marching to the timpani and the SNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARE!

[@JulienNeel]

Fantastic! How can anyone *not* love barbershop after this?

[@thenerdyanarchist3492]

People don’t appreciate music

[@chrisperkins399]

that first minute gets over looked. That is a powerful opening.

[@danielbell5986]

as president of the totally awesome club I do hereby decree this video to be totally awesome... all those in favor?!?

[@MrUberuaga]

Ayee lmao

[@purplegill10]

Aye.

[@SamTuckerSmith]

Aye agree

[@HeroXAS]

Aye

[@alienmonkey5917]

Aye

[@guibox3]

Good Lord. After repeated watches of this over the years, I still get goosebumps and tear up with emotion. This is still one of the best performances I've ever seen. Unbelievable.

[@sonyahannah]

Glad I read your comment before making my own; I was about to say precisely the same thing: tears and goosebumps. Sunny Vande Putte's version still produces nearly the identical reaction, as well. . .

[@samwalker3441]

Glad that I am not alone.

[@dechagny]

what I would give to see this live...

[@drmubpepper]

They're from my hometown. They are pretty spectacular.

[@MrSaherman]

I DID, I WAS IN ROW 12!!! What a thrill. 73 years in SPEBSQSA and this is my favorite performance.

[@paigerinipiromsuk1109]

I had the director Jim Henry as a clinician and he is super talented. One thing I’m proud of being from St Louis

[@guibox3]

Yes. I went to Director's College back in 2001 and he was one of my teachers for conducting class through the week. Great down to earth guy.

[@jimk4780]

Still jaw-dropping in 2019.

[@smiller1413]

The Ambassadors show up in drab caretaker outfits, then transition into exciting & flashy marching band outfits and do it all so smoothly you hardly even see the transition while looking for it closely in the video.
It's 5 years later, and I will say with confidence, this is one of the best Barbershop chorus performances ever... That said, I just marvel at AOH return in 2012 International - "No Other Love" (a Chopin melody) and Step In Time (from Mary Poppins Broadway interpretation). Their scores prove that one is even better!
Outstanding performance!

[@dengland1234]

This is the single most amazing choral and visual experience I have seen UA-cam. What they did was so hard and so clean...simply terrific

[@judiruthmeredith6427]

My daughter and I had the absolute amazing luck to have happened to go to the dress rehearsal of this astounding performance. We happened upon it by accident-we wanted to see what the ambassadors of harmony were all about, and the timing couldn’t have been better. We saw them at their practice location in Blanchette park, St. Charles, MO. I believe it was a Thursday night. We were blown away. I love watching this over and over. It’s amazing.

[@redthorpe]

Just imagining what it took to choreograpg this blew my mind...

[@JuarezWeiss]

redthorpe Somehow the thought of this brought tears to my eyes... only another musician or artist understands the amount of work to do something like this.

[@redthorpe]

Juarez Weiss Even most musicians wouldn't be able to - this is a combination of barbershop, marching band, and West End/broadway...

[@samsignorelli]

One of the members won the 1980 Drum Corps International World Championship with the Blue Devils of Concord, CA (tenor drummer...I'd march the soprano line int he same corps 4 years later), so the marching arts influence had been there for a bit...you can see it in other productions.

[@juliebiddle1636]

@@JuarezWeiss Even more than the choreography is the precision of the voices. It is incredibly hard to get a choir to sing that closely together. Every word is crisp, clean, clearly enunciated. They sound like one voice and that is the ideal every choir strives towards but rarely reaches.

[@joeplavin]

I swear they sound like the brass of a marching band on that final chord, maybe it was just the recording, but it was magical.

[@JoelWard1]

3:00 Blows my mind. Every single time.

[@TriGuy51]

What happens? Can't hear anything...

[@ellenmarie899]

This is one of the greatest performances of all time. I wish I could have witnessed this performance in person. Legendary. Oh, and did anybody notice the two tossed in the air in the intro? Fantastic.

[@alistairwall5470]

The two being thrown in the air in the intro isn't quite as impressive as the guy Westminster threw in the air when they won in 2019.
This is still bloody fantastic of course, and I'm so envious of everyone who saw it live.

[@ajtheiler1557]

@@alistairwall5470 Why do you need to compare your impressions?

[@kevinrasmussen95]

This still puts chills on me when they do the uniform trick.

[@guibox3]

I know right? When I first watched it, I think I had to clean up my own brain splatter on the wall, my mind blew up so much.

[@gagekoval3984]

I would be in tears. Not even ashamed. That first high harmony would’ve had me seeing god lmfao.

[@evelynedeen]

I was just listening to this with earbuds, and when the bandmaster and men came out with the "instruments", I laughed out loud. My guy asked what was so funny. I was laughing with delight, actually. Great performance!

[@vevdykes1065]

Unbelievable.... My Father was a music teacher for over 30 years... instrumental, choral, marching and concert band taught in a very small school in upstate New York.... he participated and was director of barbershop choral group locally... when he was not able to participate and volunteer after retirement, he would get on the computer and search for all forms of musical entertainment... however, this group, the Ambassadors of Harmony-2009 group doing this 76 trombones rendition gave him many hours of pure enjoyment... his favorite instrument was the trombone and when he was able he played in a marching band in hundreds of parades... The Corning Area Community Band was a joy for both of my parents... but this piece of beautiful video gave him unending joy!!! Thank you so much for making his final days fun, dynamic, and certainly memorable...

[@nycsongs]

I've watched this more than any other music video on UA-cam.

[@jdlpro]

How can you thumbs down this? Incredible

[@hgorledeenn697]

I know right? I have watched it a trillion times and it never ceases to amaze me how talented this is. If you have to dislike it you shouldn't be watching barbershop on UA-cam

[@seahawks1185]

Perfect harmony, even with the theatrics running around, still that powerful harmony persists.

[@AudioVile]

My love of Barbershop started in high school. I still love it. Barbershop caused me to get into more "contemporary" a cappella. I believe that the really popular a cappella groups owe their heritage to Barbershop. This is a great performance!

[@Nick1120NR2003]

I did 76 trombones as my audition song for my high school's musical, you can imagine my excitement when I clicked on this video and waited a few seconds, lol!

[@Seezor]

I've been watching this for 7 years now and it's still by far my favorite Barbershop video ever. I don't care who is watching me, I mouth the words and do partial choreo. AOH is by far my favorite.

[@dramasphere388]

Freakin Vocal Spectrum slaying as per usual

[@bikerruth]

For 5 seconds

[@itamarbar9580]

Isn't it Ambassadors of Harmony?

[@RobertMcLeanavalonair]

@@itamarbar9580 Vocal Spectrum was the Gold Medal Quartet from this chapter that sang "Higher Than The Score"

[@knucklehand]

This was one of the most amazing presentations I've ever seen. It's visually entertaining, pleasing to listen to and just all around flawless. Nice choreography and specially vocals. Now this is what every spectacle should be like.

[@wcsah]

Their dynamics are ridiculous. MASTERFUL performance!! Incredible. love the timbre change at 0:55 (phrase starts at 0:45).

[@None4you2day]

I remember getting off the plane in Vietnam and I had just turned 19 years old and as we were coming towards our destination more than a few soldiers were or had tears in their eyes and I found out that those soldiers with tears were returning for a second time and I was to naïve
to realize what we were facing.. But there was a large Band and singers
and this was the song that they were playing.
I will never forget that day because I’ve never been the same since that day. I was drafted into the army and at the
Induction center ALL the BRASS were telling us that we made the best choice to enter the Army and all I could see after the plane came to a full stop was the same exact kind of plane that we were still sitting in and out the window I saw about 40ty men with a large moving belt moving up into the plane from the rear the whole back end of the plane was opened and going up that belt way (that I thought were supplies for the field) BUT the two men sitting in front of me told me that they were coffins with our men in each and every one of those boxes. They had all been identified so they knew where to send them but some were unidentified and it wasn’t till DNA developed twenty five or 30 years later that parts of their bodies were turned over to the families! But this song brings that day back to me with a vengeance..
I guess I should be grateful that I wasn’t killed or injured for life..

[@paigejirgens1029]

I feel like Meredith Wilson is smiling ear to ear in heaven from this performance
(For those don’t know who he is.....please do your research)

[@MrSaherman]

TWO LL's

[@jackieallen4402]

Uh...her.

[@boopydoopy1678]

@@jackieallen4402 incorrect

[@melodyonrepeat2928]

I’ve watched this performance countless times, and just realized that the trombone slides move at 3:44! The attention to detail in this performance is amazing. Hands down one of my favorite videos ever.

[@missywoford1809]

I only wish the video quality was better so I could see this in more detail...my neighbors must think I've lost it. I can't count how may times I squealed and clapped at the sheer joy and excitement...what a performance! First it was the vocal precision, then the surprise at the little reveals, the the wildly high tenors, then the whole costume reveal...I can't even get everything in the comments. BRAVO to all off you, this was INCREDIBLE!

[@markarlodavidson]

Saw it live, blown away. Saw the video 10 times. Just watched it again. It is SO good it literally brought tears to my eyes just now.

[@matheomorisset9449]

This is legit one of the most awesome thing that i've ever seen

[@AmyRiceamyericephoto]

2018...still an awesome performance

[@ArkRed1]

Now that's talent and don't care who you are!

[@charlotteguy225]

10 years later and I still love it

[@Briikaaz]

11 years have passed and this is still my favorite, my go-to, barbershop chorus performance. ❤️❤️🎺

[@4898erich]

This is a prime example of what Barbershop singing is all about, a well orchestrated choreography with perfect pitch singing. This chorus are Ambassadors of our hobby. Here in the UK we strive to achieve higher standards of perfection taking inspiration from our colleagues over the Pond. The dedication and persistence by choreographers to produce that WOW factor and the hard work involved by each individual member of the chorus to master their own involvement within the chorus. Truly amazing.

[@luckylaurenbee92]

59 people don't know what real music is...
This was INCREDIBLE!!!

[@victoriasinger7963]

That. Was. FABULOUS!!!

[@seahawks1185]

Wait they start off in all black suits, then look how it ends lmao, this is magic and perfect harmony in one.

[@alexandarjohnson1645]

they have rip away clothes

[@shirleyrhoda8636]

I have never seen such awesomeness. My father was a barbershopper my whole life. I was born in 1935 and the Holland, Michigan Windmill Chorus was new at that time. The writer of the Barbershop theme song, Keep America Singing, Bill Diekema, was a member of the chorus and a good friend of my Dad. The Ambassadors are without a doubt the best I have ever seen. Their rendition of 76 Trombones brings goosebumps every time I see it. Thanks so much for making my day, every day.

[@teamdawson1]

The next chorus up:
“Damn…I think our ‘Wait ‘Til The Sun Shines Nellie’ ain’t gonna cut it this year”

[@sharona54]

And I don't get how people can genuinely DISlike this. To each his/her own.

[@johnaliperta541]

Awesome display of the greatness of human nature! This music never fails to inspire me! Hope you enjoy some of the many quartet links. Too many to mention!!! :)

[@rebeccaauld5054]

I have watched this video at least 50 times. I am a band person but this is ABSOLUTELY my favorite UA-cam video!

[@davec727]

There aren't any current 3-gen sets, but I was privileged to share the risers with my father and grandfather for many years. Grandpa has since retired.

[@jhagestad]

Every time I watch this, I’m blown away. It’s ridiculous.

[@karyngoff20]

I've watched this dozens of times, and it makes me smile & shake my head in awe every time. Oh, to have been in that room! Bravo!

[@jacobdominguez7808]

This is hands-down the best cover of this song. Just brilliant 💯👍

[@VKDM8687]

This is the.drum corps of the chorale music world....and I loooooove it!!!!!!!

[@johnp.wintergreen5712]

Wow, this is 12 years old and so amazing!! 😍

[@auntiesash]

Gentlemen - that was brilliant. My father sang barbershop for 4 decades. We lost him 2 years ago today & I'm playing through championship songs today as a remembrance. This is ALL THE THINGS SPEBSQSA. Thanks for bringing a smile to my face.

[@addisonsingers5357]

Literally hair raising!! Never get tired of this astounding performance.

[@jeremyruth9096]

At the time of this post, 102 people need to learn that singing is all about entertainment. Regardless of your background in music, it all comes down to entertainment. 102 people rated this performance low because they haven't figured out why their own talent hasn't given them over 2,000,000 views. It's all about entertainment.

[@jakeportell1985]

My dad is in that group good memories

[@BoBuck]

You're absolutely right,Jake. Your dad is STILL one of the best. I also agree...great memories.

[@lauramartha3]

Still my favorite AOH piece and performance!

[@marriedhsdad]

They always add the element of surprise to their performances. Not only do they sound incredible, they always push the envelope further. They are truly to be commended. Thanks for sharing.

[@thinthle]

This is the definition of *Harmony*

[@mdponstage]

My original comment that this group is "amateur" is intended as highly complimentary. In other words, without a monetary motive, they have produced a performance of a quality on par with anything I have seen by so called "professionals". Thany you robbertstoop for recognizing my interest and passion for successful and excellent "unpaid" performers and productions.

[@NevadaHawkeye]

I sang Barbershop for 15 years in the Chordbusters in Davenport, Iowa. I have never seen a performance like this!! I watch it at least 2 or 3 times a day and get goosebumps every time. It's just absolutely incredible. Did they do this in competition?

[@guibox3]

Yes. This was their gold medal winning performance that year. And rightly earned. Phenomenal!

[@sherimcdaniel3491]

SO amazing!!!! I've already watched 3 times and am looking forward to 4 thru 10! Great job, men....well done!

[@kevinrasmussen95]

Yes the uniform change is SO good!!

[@pkat]

Oh. My. God. I've seen and sang Barbershop for decades and have never seen anything like this. Incredible!

[@kylehuxtable4206]

I started freaking out when I saw vocal spectrum

[@MsPandora93]

Absolutely marvelous!

[@IANOYTYK]

I don't understand why so many people are commenting that this isn't real barbershop... For crying out loud- this is the *checks title* the INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS! And just listen to them- they sound awesome too.

[@docere_xeno]

This re enforced my willingness to stay in my school choir

[@johnbuettler1580]

4:20 Like a boss.

[@ayander_pearl622]

Which planet are they from again?? Im from South Africa and watching this in 2017. btw

[@melisseb123]

People who don't understand the Barbershop Artform do not understand how hard these men worked to put this amazing performance on. I am a Sweet Adeline and I wanted to say they never once did they dropped energy or pitch they were together! Also the person who said it is an embarrassment because they have 200 people on stage... You are just jealous! It is beautiful that many men have the same passion for Barbershop in the same place!!!

[@fagnersousa5906]

I'll never forgive the sound guys for not turning up Vocal Spectrum's mic.

[@tylerrauh4029]

How did I end up here? I just wanted to know how to tie and tie...

[@alistairwall5470]

ty2 Quartet?

[@alistairwall5470]

ty2 Eh, true. I live in the UK and the chorus contest and the quartet contest are more level. In fact, the chorus contest may be more popular, purely because there's about 2000 people competing in the chorus contest and about 64 in the quartets.

[@flyer88888]

Still SO proud of our AOH friends and their magnificent performance on this day. Raising the bar! ...Don Smith VM

[@squeezemyparticiple]

The Vocal Spectrum bit was awesome

[@fredbazoo]

The male chorus is the most powerfull sound on earth............

[@NevvDad]

Awesome performance. Even makes up for the video being filmed with a potato!

[@altphil]

It's just the most epic barbershop number ever.

[@kabiripie]

i dont care what anyone says.
The creativity is AMAZING.
Its more like watching the actual production of music man (i was in it). EPIC.

[@djhendricks1498]

The fact that a men's choir pretending to be a marching band has better coordination than your actual marching band

[@samsignorelli]

One of their members played tenors for the Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps in 1980...hence the marching arts influence in several of their performances.

[@xHolyCrapx]

WOW! Barbershop has come a long way since my Dad was a member of the Houston Tidelanders in the early Seventies. Simply SPECTACULAR!

[@StillNotFound]

For a marching band kid, they had very nice marching technique especially the slides. Loved it!

[@samsignorelli]

One of their members marched Blue Devils in 1980...likely "teched" them.

[@friendlybanjoatheist5464]

Best UA-cam video ever? Certainly top 10 for me. Hell, Top 3.

[@bubsorbubbles]

my choir teacher showed this to me and it's amazing I don't understand the perfection of this performance I am left in awe like "what the heck how is that possible" it's so entertaining and ill show it to every person I meet :D

[@profMaximvs]

In ONE word: FANTASTIC!

[@NidoEmperor]

OMG that horns to the box marching style was amazing!! jesus only a bando could tell but absolutely perfect!

[@stevep0187]

The way they beat VM was LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of practice and dedication by all of these guys!!!

[@alexandarjohnson1645]

there are no words to describe that performance

[@sandhorse1]

There is nothing like the sound of a great choir!

[@jules4221]

I don't know how I've never come across this before. But I found the recording on Spotify, and after hearing it, knew I had to seek out the video. Wow, it does NOT disappoint! Love this so much!

[@NewYorkHunter]

Wow this is what a professional show choir is all about!

[@fearlesscaution4950]

I must have watched this video easily 100 times, but only worked out how to get a UA-cam account recently. That’s saved you lot at least 99 comments.