Multiple-time Distinguished Teacher. PTSA Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Third-Degree Black Belt under Hidy Ochiai. These are just some of the accolades that describe Mike Lurenz. 22-years into his storied career at Maine-Endwell, this teaching veteran continues to take pride in the education of his students, and he’s a shining example and model of where hard work can take you. Inside, and outside of the walls of the high school, he continues to add accomplishments to his name.
Mr. Lurenz, who’s been singing in barbershop quartets since 1982, has been named Seneca Land District Barbershopper of the Year.
“It meant the world, because the barbershop singing hobby is a worldwide brotherhood and now sisterhood, and after all these years in Seneca Land and before that in the Mid-Atlantic district, and to be the director of the chorus for these many years was truly an honor,” said Lurenz.
Lurenz traces his passion for barbershop quartets back to being a young boy, listening to his father’s LP albums of the Buffalo Bills and Dixieland music. As the child of two singers, music was always filling the rooms of his childhood home. As he grew into adulthood, and attended graduate school, he’d join the Carlisle, Pennsylvania Chapter of barbershoppers, where he sang for four years.
A short time later, Lurenz joined the “Southerntiersman Chorus,” which is now the co-ed “Southern Tier Barbershop Chorus,” where he’s been the director since 2007. The quartet performs at various events throughout the year, including schools and festivals. Over the years, Lurenz has belonged to six quartets, from “Ambrosia,” to “Route 26,” to “The Troubadours.” For this longtime English teacher, who has often been described as “the glue that has kept this chorus together” by his fellow barbershoppers, this achievement was a dream come true.
“The moment when you realize that your accomplishments have been noticed, that was such an enabling and affirming decision, but I was shocked and honored,” said Lurenz.
Through his tenure at M-E, Lurenz has worked closely with the music department, often helping with barbershop arrangements, while also welcoming students to sing with his chorus at various events. The “Southern Tier Barbershop Chorus” has also been a long-time supporter of many of our booster initiatives and fundraisers. Lurenz says even 40-plus years later, he’s still learning from both his students and music colleagues.
“It’s been wonderful, the support that I and we as a chorus have received from Kristi and Jackie and Kurtis. They’ve been great supporters of acapella and harmony. It’s been a wonderful labor of love to have that interfacing with colleagues. As an English teacher, music is not my profession, but my hobby, but for them, of course is their profession, so it’s been great to pick their brains at times,” said Lurenz.
On November 2nd, Lurenz and the “Southern Tier Barbershop Chorus” will be sponsoring an all-day acapella vocal clinic at Chenango Valley high school. Participants, which include a number of M-E students, will then sing on a show that evening.
We congratulate Mr. Lurenz on all his accomplishments.