One of the great moments of the Sunshine District Spring 2018 Convention was the announcement of Tony De Rosa as our 2017 Barbershopper of the Year (BOTY).
Tony DeRosa IS the face of the Sunshine District to the rest of the barbershop-ping world. In our hobby, Tony’s legendary status as the most decorated barbershop singer in history is an amazing tribute to his continuing contributions to the Sunshine District. He’s instantly recognizable to nearly every barbershopper in the world as a Sunshine District performer and competitor and NEVER fails to give credit to the support received from the Sunshine District. He continues to be a true ambassador for the Sunshine District in his many roles as competitor, director, master musician, coach and mentor. His four gold medals, with Sunshine District Quartets: Keepsake Platimum, MaxQ and Main Street are a testament to his talents as a singer…plus as the lead in Main Street and the 2017 Gold Medal Quartet, he was a top 5 competitor for 5 of the last six years! His record of achievement is unmatched!
Tony is much more than a competitor.
- As a Chorus Director, he led the Herald of Harmony to 9 straight International competitions in 1994- 2002, and has returned the Heralds to even loftier heights in his current engagement (2012 to the present) having led them to their highest International qualifying score in their history in 2017. He also directs the current 3rd place Sweet Adelines Chorus (Tampa) – The Toast of Tampa, and was previously a Director for the Jacksonville Big-O chorus from 1997 – 2016. He also directed the 2017 District Past Champion Quartets Chorus, and was the AIC International Chorus Director in 2014, 2016, and 2017.
- Tony is a much sought after vocal coach and clinician for quartets and choruses around the world. He’s taken personal interest in helping other Sunshine District quartets to excel and represent the district. Tony volunteered his considerable coaching skills to two notable Sunshine District quartets: Signature (2017 International Quartet Silver Medalists) and Easy Street (2018 Senior International Quartet Silver Medalists.) He’s a master performer and is nearly always seen on the Sunshine District stage as a performer with one of his quartets…including his newest quartet: Backstreet 4, with his son Joseph DeRosa! Tony also earned the prestigious Master 700 Director designation with SAI in 2017. He helped coach both Vocal Majority and Master of Harmony to the 1 — 2 finish in the 2017 International Chorus Competition. In addition, as a music support technician he created learning materials for 2017 International Chorus Medalist quartet, Throwback and 11th place International Quartet and “mic tester” –Rooftop Records, providing further testimony for his support of Sunshine District competitors.
- Tony has been a role model and mentor to many youth in the District. He’s been an HX Facilitator for 10 Plus Years, and served as male music clinician in 2017. He also volunteered his time to coach a new young quartet, in Tampa – You Bet – to a 4th place finish in the 2017 District Competition. He also volunteered as coach to work with Debbie Cleveland’s Gaither High School Chorus who received a Superior Rating and was voted “Audience Favorite” at the 2018 Midwinter in Costa Mesa, CA.
- As an entertainer, Tony’s innovations with Main Street, in particular have seen his contributions to the image of the Sunshine District soar. His concept development and recording of “These Will Be the Good Old Days, Twenty Years from Now” has generated over 2.6 MILLION views of Main Street! Tony was also instrumental in experimenting, in Sunshine District, with chorus combinations to bring more singers to the International competition experience. In 2016, the combination of Tampa with Jacksonville resulted in a 9th place finish in the International Chorus Competition. Tampa is currently competing in combination with the Atlanta Vocal Project, under the Heralds of Harmony and Sunshine District banner.
Tony is highly deserving of the Sunshine District Barbershopper of the Year because of his decades of service as THE consummate master of our craft that is known, and loved, by barbershoppers everywhere.