Joel First Tenor Joel Malina is a proud alumnus of Yale's Whiffenpoofs and Spizzwinks(?). A former professional actor, Joel appeared in the New York production of "Forever Plaid" and created the role of the gifted, yet tortured, violinist Shlomo Metzenbaum in "Fame: The Musical." Best known for his short-lived stint as Warren Harding's Secretary of the Interior, Joel now pays the bills by writing the bills as a high-powered lobbyist. E-mail Joel here -- or just have "your people call his people."
Peter Peter Nissen is one of our new members. He completes us. He makes beautiful noises in the high register that only the Whiffenpoofs from his alma mater of Yale can emulate. Not only does he sing high, he aims high, and perhaps, he is high: a first-time entrepreneur, he’s currently starting a business – GPS triggered radio – after years as an Emmy-winning producer of television, an exploding catastrophe of an industry from which he ran with his pants on fire.
Jamey First Tenor Jamey McNamara also enjoys singing in groups with goofy names. Prior to joining the Tone Rangers, he performed with the Brown Derbies of Brown University and Take Note!, a mixed-voice a cappella group based in Washington, DC. Jamey has dedicated his professional life to "reinventing human resources" one itinerant executive at a time. When not sporting his vinyl pocket protector, Jamey watches an ungodly amount of reality TV.
Kenyon Second Tenor/Baritone Kenyon Erickson is the musical director and a founding Ranger. The Rangers' harmonizations are only marginally honed using skills Kenyon professes to have retained from his studies in music education (U of Utah) and, more importantly, engineering/hospitality administration/Glee Club/Hangovers (Cornell). In fact, Kenyon has made project/process improvement his life's work, currently at the American Red Cross. Other disasters he tries to improve are running (10Ks, mostly), directing a children's choir, and coaching his kids in various sports. Feel free to ping him.
Gil Second Tenor Gil Keteltas is a founding member and current business manager of the Rangers. A decorated veteran of Cornell's Glee Club and Hangovers, Gil has performed for audiences worldwide. His solo work can be heard on Rangers' classics "I Need You" and "Surrender." Although Gil is a lawyer by day, he is generally likable and works and plays well with others (a reputation he solidified in second grade). You can e-mail Gil here.
Hugh Our recent acquisition of a "human percussion section" has sent shock waves throughout the a cappella community. Born in Niagara Falls, New York, Hugh spent the majority of his young life mimicking explosions, Chinese stringed instruments, and oil tankers running aground (to a Salsa beat) in hopes of being considered for this much-needed position. At last, his apprenticeship has paid off. He adds a sonic thrill to our repertoire hitherto missing.
Mike Baritone Michael Beresik discovered a cappella music in college as a member of Yale's Alley Cats and Whiffenpoofs, singing everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Great Wall of China. He enjoys long walks on the beach, romantic evenings by the fire, ... oh, sorry, wrong bio. Mike spends his days as a Capitol Hill staffer, waiting for the Rangers' $3.6 billion dollar National Endowment for the Arts grant to materialize. E-mail Michael here.
John Bass John Bader also sang with Yale's Alley Cats and Whiffenpoofs (which means he has sung with Mike for more than 20 years). But he credits a typographical error for helping him get into the Tone Rangers. He helped produce the Rangers first CD and served as business manager until a bloody coup put Gil in power. Since then, he has tried unsuccessfully to channel his bitterness into more creative endeavors. That hasn't worked, so he's glad he still has a day job at Johns Hopkins University as dean of advising for the undergraduates.
Gene Bass Gene Stromecki is employed by a large technology company doing large technical things. He is a graduate of Cornell University where he sang with the Glee Club and Hangovers (briefly with Kenyon). He has sung with the Master Chorale of Washington, the Washington Singers and in the Chorus of the Washington Opera. Gene enjoys hobbies such as yodel tag, spice identification, and liver exchange. Gene is a Buffalo sports fan and is very sensitive on this subject. Send Gene e-mail.
