Director

Submitted by drupalghc on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 13:48

Our Director, Chuck May!

Chuck May was born and raised in northern New Jersey. Chuck's dad, Bill, is a long-time barbershopper in the Livingston, NJ, and Montclair, NJ, chapters. Bill was a piano teacher for the local kids, and Chuck learned to read music at the same time he was reading words! In fourth grade, Chuck started the saxophone; in 8th grade, the clarinet; in 10th grade, the flute; and he was accepted into the Mason Gross School for the Arts at Rutgers University. In 1997, he graduated from Rutgers with a bachelor's degree in music education. In 1999, he graduated from the University of Michigan with a master's degree in music performance on the saxophone.

 
After graduation, Chuck began teaching in the Detroit public schools while still living in Ann Arbor. He met a bass player named Molly and began dating her during the 2000 World Series. Four years later, they were married. They are both public school music teachers: he is a band director, she is an orchestra director, and both sing. She also arranges and composes music. They are blessed to have three boys: David, 5; Jesse 2; and Andrew, born July, 2011.  Enough May men to round out the 2026 JAD quartet champions!
 
In 2002, Chuck was brought to his first barbershop chorus rehearsal in more than ten years, and he fell in love with the hobby. The Montclair chapter, known as the "Dapper Dans of Harmony", brought FRED (the 1999 BHS quartet champion comedy quartet) on Chuck's first show, and their rendition of "I Got Rhythm" made life-long barbershoppers out of Chuck and Molly. Chuck began directing the Montclair chapter in 2005 and joined the Big Apple Chorus (Manhattan Chapter, BHS) around the same time. For the BAC, Chuck served as assistant bass section leader under Mark Paul and as a member of the music team. Chuck has attended Director's College under full scholarship from the Society and has attended Harmony College East on a number of occasions. Chuck has sung with the Indiana Harmony Brigade, and his quartet, Murphy's Law, won the Northern Division Novice Quartet title in 2006. Chuck counts Mark Paul, Greg Backwell, and Joe Hunter as his primary barbershop influences.
 
The May family moved to Pittsburgh in 2009, where they are looking to break into the music and teaching scene. Chuck is a founding member and assistant director of the A3 Chorus, which is a young, dynamic a cappella group that meets in downtown Pittsburgh. He has sung with Emeritus, the Johnny Appleseed Senior Quartet champions in 2007, since March of 2009.  Chuck has served as music vice president of the Pittsburgh Metro Chapter, BHS, in 2010 and 2011.