7^th Street Quartet. Courtesy photo

COMMUNITY News:

The Lasses and Lads of Enchantment and the Santa Fe Harmonizers have a few new things to share for 2025 “Say It with a Song.” The 2025 season finds the LALOE and the SFH with a plethora of new members in the choruses.

One of these new members is Nehpreet Walia singing in the Lead section this year. “I’ve always loved singing, so when I discovered that Los Alamos had a choral group, I couldn’t wait to get involved. Joining the Lasses and Lads of Enchantment has been an incredible and deeply rewarding journey. I’ve had the joy of learning a wide variety of new songs, and I have made friends with an amazing group of people who feel like family.”

Walia is a Space Physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory looking at data from various NASA missions. She works in the Intelligence and Space Research division. Sadly, she will be moving to Princeton in November, and this will be her last show for a bit.

Mark Willmon is a new arrival to the bass section and fits like a glove. Willmon currently works for Los Alamos National Laboratory and came to the LALOE recently. “Even since I was young, I’ve always loved listening to singers in four-part harmony, specifically Texas/Southern Gospel, bluegrass, and barbershop,” Willmon said. “I grew up singing four-part harmony out of hymnals in church and sang in some family quartets with my momma, dad, grandma/grandpa, and brother for holidays and special occasions.”

When he moved here, it was important to find a church that keeps that southern tradition, and he found himself at White Rock United Methodist Church.

Divine Intervention was present that day as LALOE Director Maurice Sheppard sang at the White Rock United Methodist Church with his quartet Three Nice Guys. The bug had already bitten Mark, and when Ron Nelson asked if he would like to sing with the local barbershop chapter, he was on board. “I took them up on their invitation, to join and I haven’t looked back. I love it; my only regret is that I didn’t start fifteen years ago,” Willmon said.

I love the fellowship in the LALOE (and the Santa Fe Harmonizers), the music/tags, and the sense of community that the Barbershop Harmony Society provides.”

In addition to the combined choruses and special guest 7 th Street Quartet, local quartets will perform throughout the evening, such as “Note-able Whimsy.” The quartet includes Lisa Rothrock, Bernadette Lauritzen, Ron Nelson, and Joe D’Anna.

Odd Man Out makes a debut as the second mixed quartet in recent memory. Lisa Rothrock, David Daniel, Matt Michnovicz, and Dick Heaton will sing a Disney classic that won’t leave your mouth, without a song jumping right out of it.

Good Chemistry a quartet out of Santa Fe will highlight Marguerite Bean, Lou Gavioli, Chuck Case, and Michael Morford. They have a song from, The Music Man that is sure to put a smile on your face.

Three Nice Guys will bring the golden melodious tones of Maurice Sheppard, David Daniel, Daniel Sheppard, and Dick Heaton.

Then, two of the gentlemen, at least one that’s nice, will band together to create Infectious Harmony with Maurice Sheppard, Bear Schacht, Daniel Sheppard, and Jeremy Conlin.

The show at 7 p.m., on Friday night is at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Santa Fe. A matinee is at 2 p.m., at the United Church of Los Alamos. Tickets are available at the door.