Press Release

Mastersingers USA
Tour of Central Europe, June-July 2007

Mastersingers USA is a chorus of sixty men from across the United States and several other countries.  While its members are distinguished in numerous professions, they are brought together by the common love of song and of their maestro, Bruce McInnes.

All members have sung previously under the baton of Professor McInnes during his forty-year teaching career, from Amherst College, Pacific University, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, and Grace Church in New York City.

The legacy continues: a number of sons are now singing alongside their fathers in Mastersingers USA.  Ages range from twenty to sixty.

Men are selected for membership in the Mastersingers USA on the basis of their musical training, singing experience, and the timbre and quality of their voice.  The result is a magical blend of subtlety and power that is a delight to experience.

Affectionately known as Cé, Brucé ("Broochay") or Doc by his "boys," Dr. McInnes has managed to combine the technical side of music-making with integrity and appreciation of the human experience expressed through the joy and camaraderie of song.

Previous tours have taken McInnes-led choirs around the world to some sixty countries on five continents, and their music has been heard in some of the most impressive settings, from the cathedrals of Notre Dame in Paris and San Marco in Venice, to the more intimate Mont St.-Michel or St. James Piccadilly in London.  A highlight for Mastersingers USA was being selected as first place winner in the International Musical Eisteddfod at Llangollen, Wales in 2003.

The group has performed, as well, in concert halls, festivals, parks and street corners, as the spirit has moved them.  Mastersingers USA can be heard on their CDs and videos:  Strangers Once, Ain't Got Long to Stay, and Life to Music.  Stay in touch with Mastersingers USA on the Internet at www.mastersingersusa.org.

Bruce McInnes, Founder and Music Director of Mastersingers USA, received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, where he majored in music and romance languages.  After graduating from Dartmouth, he was the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship for study at the Conservatoire Nationale de Musique in Paris, where his teachers included the legendary Nadia Boulanger, Pierre Cochereau, Olivier Messiaen, and Darius Milhaud.

Upon returning to the United States, Mr. McInnes completed his graduate studies in Organ and Choral Conducting at Yale University.  He went on to teach at Amherst College in Massachusetts, where he served as Professor of Music, Director of Choral Music, College Organist, and ultimately as Chairman of the Music Department.  During his 21 years at Amherst, his choirs achieved international acclaim on ten concert tours to 56 countries on five continents.  They distinguished themselves through participation in several major international festivals, including those at Athens, Baalbek, Byblos, Dubrovnik, Tyre, the Casals Festival, Les Heures Musicales du Mont Saint Michel, and the Festival Estival de Paris.  Specializing in a repertoire of sacred music led to invitations to perform in some of the world's most prestigious churches, including St. Peter's in Rome (during an audience with Pope Paul VI), the cathedrals of Notre Dame in Paris and Monaco, San Marco in Venice, and the cathedrals at Chartres, Vienna, Salzburg, Linz, Budapest, Prague, Trieste, and Byblos.  In recognition of his distinguished teaching, Amherst College conferred on him an honorary degree in 1979.

After leaving Amherst College, Professor McInnes became Dean of the School of Music at Pacific University in Oregon.  Three years later, he was appointed Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music Literature at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.  He then moved to New York City where he served as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Grace Church, and as Adjunct Professor of Music at Sarah Lawrence College.  In 1999 Professor McInnes became Dean of the Conservatory at The Cleveland Institute of Music, a position which he held until his retirement.

Professor McInnes now devotes his full musical attention to Mastersingers USA.  After highly successful European tours in 1996 and 2000, this choir toured Ireland the United Kingdom during the summer of 2003 and won first place at the prestigious International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, North Wales.  And again in 2005 they represented the United States at the First International Congress of Men's Choirs in Barcelona.