Rising Star: The Footnotes

By Maggie Ryan, Greater Harrisburg Chorus, Region 19

Maybe it’s time to change the name of this year’s Rising Star champion quartet. Instead of calling themselves Footnotes -- the words that show up in tiny type at the bottom of the page -- maybe now it’s time to call themselves Headlines. Bold, strong and always at the top of the story.

It’s been a six-year climb for the foursome from Ohio that captured the 2006 Young Women in Harmony contest in resounding fashion. Lead Heather Pase, 19, tenor Erica Wagner, 20, baritone Lindsay Sanderson, 20 and bass Loren Kaminski, 20, delivered a powerhouse performance at IES that belied their ages and beguiled the audience. In their third Rising Star contest, Footnotes finished its climb to No. 1.

“When they announced our names as first place, all we could think about was this was it,” said Loren in an e-mail interview. “We had been working for this for the last six years. Finally, we were champions.”

Footnotes came together in high school in Sylvania, Ohio, under the tutelage of Dr. Ben Ayling, bass of the men’s international champion quartet The Ritz. Ayling was followed by another Society gold medalist, Gary Lewis, of Platinum and Max Q. To say these kids have had a great introduction to barbershop is an understatement.

“I would have to say we are influenced by both the men and women,” Loren said. Their main coaches have been Leanne Hazlett (SAI quartet champion with Spotlight and Swing Street); Kerry Denino (Spotlight); Debbie Connelly (The Buzz and Showtime), and Tony DeRosa (Keepsake, Platinum and MaxQ). “Everyone has something great to say and we are always learning so much, whether it is from a well-know coach or a chorus member.”

After placing sixth in the Rising Star in 2004, Footnotes nearly popped straight to the top in 2005, finishing in second place. Then they set their sights on playing on a bigger field.

“We competed at the regional contest for Region 17 before we won IES and placed fifth in our first year with the big girls,” Loren said. “And we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.”

Life might have a little something to say about that as the young women scatter across states and begin to form careers. Erica has moved to Vero Beach, Fla., where she attends college and is studying music performance. Heather and Lindsay attend Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. Heather is in the neuroscience program, and Lindsay has placed her focus on a music education degree. Loren is almost ready to step out in the world, having nearly completed her studies at The Salon Professional Academy for Cosmetology.

“We rehearse as much as we can now,” Loren said. “As hard as it may be, we are still going to stick together. There is a bond that’s been created that is just way too hard and emotional to break up right now.”

That bond, that emotion, is the quality audiences have come to expect from a Footnotes performance.

“We sang “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” and “If I Love Again” in the Rising Star contest, Loren said. “On stage, it was absolutely amazing! The one part I knew we won was the last quiet part in (“If I Love Again”). The entire place was silent, and then we started that part … it was the best feeling in the world.”

Sweet Adelines International will get another look at Footnotes when they perform at International Convention in Las Vegas, Nev. While none of the women is a member of a chorus right now, Loren says they “are, and will be, Sweet Adelines.”

“None of us has any set plans right now,” she said. “As long as we stay best friends, that’s all that really matters.”

Loren cites The Growing Girls as the Sweet Adelines quartet that inspired the four high school friends to pursue barbershop.

“They were the first-ever girls quartet that we listened to and absolutely fell in love. We knew that they were the quartet we wanted to follow.”

So, having been inspired and nurtured at such a young age, do the Footnotes plan to give something back? Absolutely. They’re just getting started.

“Our biggest thing that we always want to do with the quartet is anything dealing with youth. Getting barbershop out to younger people is our biggest goal as a quartet. We just want everyone to know its out’s there,” Loren said.

These are the kinds of kids you want to keep an eye on. They continue a stellar, multinational line of Rising Stars by setting the standards for future champions, and inspiring the thrilling, clear voices of youth. Barbershop or Broadway, they get it.

“This hobby has brought us closer to our friends, families and to each other,” Loren said. “It’s been the best thing that could have happened to us, and we wouldn’t give it up for the world. We love to sing way too much!”

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