I had a weird dream last night. It was surreal. So vivid. In this dream, I was having a drink and conversation with Gandhi, Verdi, and Moe from the Three Stooges. Verdi was going on and on about the vocal virtues of having tenors as his leading men, and not baritones. Gandhi observed that tenor's voices don't represent the voice of the common man, and that their needs don't align with the needs of the many. Then Moe jumped in saying that "Regardless of what range they sing, they all are people, and therefore represent some aspect of humanity, you knuckle heads." Wow. Deep. Tenors are people too. I know, I was as shocked as you when I came to this realization. And if tenors are people, then they can be Bari-Chunks. Mind=blown.
Native Texas tenor David Portillo, world renowned for his "glorious tenor singing" and "graceful tenor tone," has sung all over the US and Europe. Renowned for his Bel Canto voice, he is a high commodity in the opera world and well respected to boot. His singing is inviting, and polished, urging audience to follow him on what ever journey he has begun.
Despite being a fantastic tenor, David is a fantastic colleague and friend. Whether it be volunteering to help friends move (best non professional mover out there), always having a fantastic party mix ready at a moments notice, or leading a group in barbershop tags, PORTILLO (which if you know him, is the only proper way to type his name) is always the life of the party, or any other gathering. His positive energy radiates from him and you can't help me affected by it. Good times are always around David, and for that, we are proud to call him a Bari-Chunk.
Fellow Iowan, Corey Bix, is becoming internationally known for his "powerful tenor" and "sweet-spot high notes." Renowned for his portrayals of characters such as Lennie in Of Mice and Men, Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Erik in The Flying Dutchman, Corey is becoming wildly respected and sought after in the opera world.
Corey, along with being a world class tenor, is also a world class riot. His infectious energy, is well, infectious. He is always up for a good time, whether it be drinking till the wee hours over the morning, heckling passers by, or serving up a mean game of flatu- tennis (don't ask, you don't want to know). He is the life of the party, even when you don't want him to be.
Who should be the next Bari-Chunks member?