San Diego Mannskor
San Diego, CA

The San Diego Mannskor is one of the more recent member choruses in the Pacific Coast Norwegian Singers Association. While the PCNSA has now existed for 112 years, the San Diego Mannskor was founded in 1993.

The Mannskor immediately hosted a Sangerfest in San Diego in 1996 and another one in 2012.

Since then the organization has enjoyed the support of local Norwegian organizations and individuals interested in preserving it as a cultural tradition and participant in activities such as Sons of Norway Lodges, Den Norske Fiskeklubben (Fish Club), The Balboa Park House of Norway as well as other performances.

Venues for our performances include churches, the Brain Injury Foundation, special events at San Diego State University, Veterans Memorial Center, retirement homes, and the Balboa Park December Nights celebration over the Christmas holiday. That event draws weekend attendance of over 100,000 for the variety of activities including the various country’s houses including the House of Norway.

Chuck Hansen and Sig Stautland show off the new Mannskor red shirts just received for informal events. The question being pondered is whether or not the fish chowder will be as readily attracted to red shirts as it is to red neckties in a more formal dress setting!

While our Mannskor is relatively small in numbers, we traditionally have a high level of participation in the annual Sangerfest and look forward to the 2015 Sangerfest in Salem.

We encourage membership and believe our singers enjoy the camaraderie and musical experience. Our music is a mix of traditional Norwegian songs, Americana, spirituals and show tunes.

Certainly, it is not necessary to be Norwegian to participate. Most of our members don’t even speak or understand Norwegian. The main ingredient that a singer needs to bring is love of music and a desire to learn and work toward excellence in what we do as a male chorus.

Rehearsals

Our rehearsals are held in the Music Building at
San Diego State University.

Parking is available about 150 yards away at the roof of Parking Structure 4, with a $4 parking fee. Handicap parking space is available next to the Music Building, if needed.

Rehearsals are held on Monday nights, from September to June. They begin at 7:00 PM and end at 8:30.

For information regarding the Mannskor, please e-mail
holmerud@cox.net.

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Officers

President Sven Olsen
Vice-President     Michael O’Loughlin
Secretary Jon Holmerud
Treasurer Erling Nyhammer
Marshal Michael O’Loughlin

Paul May, Director

Paul Thomas May has been the chorus director of the San Diego Mannskor for the past 4 years. He completed a Bachelor of Music, and is nearing completion of a Master of Music in Conducting at San Diego State University.

Paul is also the manager of the San Diego State Chamber Choir and is also the Bass Choral Scholar at St Anne’s Catholic Church where he specializes in the performance and history of both Gregorian Chant and sacred renaissance/baroque polyphony. Paul also works closely with many other groups in San Diego including the the Bach Collegium San Diego, Folklore Music Guild and San Diego Pro Art Voices.

He is an accomplished voice teacher and director.