Winter Texans enjoy the performances of the Senior Ambassadors, Magic Valley Men of A-Chord, Sweet Adelines and the Rio Grande Valley Band throughout the winter season. These four groups will now come together for one combined performance on March 1 at Trinity Worship Center.

In this year’s concert, “Music for All Ages,” each group will perform favorites from their repertoire. Then the four groups will come together at the end for a grand finale. Each group will have about 20 minutes to perform.

Senior Ambassadors

The Men of A-Chord and Senior Ambassadors are both men’s singing groups. Don Reinhardt, a retired dentist who belongs to both, said one difference is Senior Ambassadors use songbooks and do not have to memorize all their music. They also have piano accompaniment. The Senior Ambassadors now have Virgil Kroeker as director; he was a professional choral director and piano tuner before retirement so Reinhardt feels their performances are better than ever. The Ambassadors perform religious music, but also do cowboy music, patriotic and show tunes and old favorites. They often have soloists or duets from the group.

The songs they sing can include “76 Trombones,” which is from “The Music Man,” “Cool Water” and “Riders in the Sky”, which are old cowboys songs, and “Just a Closer Walk with Thee,” and “River in Judea.” They enjoy doing “fun songs like “Rio Grande Valley Home” and “Du Du Liegst Mir Im Herzen,” a German song that invites audience participation.

Men of A-Chord

Men of A-Chord is a barbershop group that sings a capella and members must memorize all their music, explained Reinhardt. They tend to sing more show music and songs that lend themselves to four-part harmony. Often there are quartets that sing certain songs.

Songs like “King of the Road,” “Sittin’ on Top of the World,” and “Beer Barrel Polka” are among their favorites. The group always ends their concert with “O Canada” and “God Bless America.”

Reinhardt said each group has from 50 to 60 men, from all over the United States and Canada, who enjoy singing together.

Sweet Adelines

The Sweet Adelines is a women’s barbershop harmony group that also performs concerts during Winter Texan season. Donna Struyk, “director emeritus,” said the group has between 25 and 40 women who sing barbershop a capella in four-part harmony.

The group sings all types of music, but prefers upbeat tunes and ballads. “Always” and “Wonderful World” are just two of the ballads they enjoy performing.

“Are You From Dixie” and “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” are two of the more upbeat tunes they enjoy.

The group’s repetoir also includes “Thank You Dear Lord for Music” and “God Bless America.”

Members of the group come from all over the United States – from New York in the east, to South Dakota in the west, and Minnesota in the north, to Texas in the south.

Rio Grande Valley Band

The Rio Grande Valley Band is the fourth component of the show. Under the direction of Gene Goede, the band has grown from 12 members to a full 60-piece band over the past 13 years. Members come from all the United States as most are Winter Texans, but there are a few local musicians who join in the fun. They perform seven to eight concerts each year in the Winter Texan resorts.

“We do a large variety of music,” said Goede. Marches are popular since most bands play them, and “ Stars and Stripes” is one of the more popular ones they perform.

The band also plays overtures, such as “Eye of the Falcon,” or the more classical “Brahms Academic Festival.”  They also play more modern songs, such as the recent medley of Ray Charles songs. Show songs are popular like the ones from “Fiddler on the Roof” they included in a recent concert. And, of course, patriotic songs are always a hit with Winter Texans. The band plays an entire patriotic concert that includes songs like “Victory at Sea,” the “Navy Hymn,” “You’re a Grand Ol’ Flag,” and the “Armed Forces Salute.”

The band is well balanced, but could use a couple of French horn players along with a couple more clarinets. If anyone is interested in joining the band, call Goede at (956) 682-9225.

This year’s concert, “Music for All Ages,” will be held 7 p.m., March 1 at Trinity Worship Center, 4801 N. Cage at the intersection of Expressway 281 and Nolana Ave., in Pharr. Tickets are $7 and are available through members at their concerts. Reinhardt said Trinity Worship Center would hold only 1500 people, so the tickets are expected to sell out fast.