Strangers In Harmony

Bios

Eric

Eric Chung is an award-winning veteran of the collegiate and professional a cappella scene, and he is thrilled to be the primary music director of this merry band of Strangers. A classically-trained violinist starting back at age four while growing up in Michigan, he started his singing career with the Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones, for whom he sang tenor and vocal percussion and wrote about fifty arrangements. He has since founded, directed, and/or sung with several semi-professional a cappella groups; he is best known as the founder, director, and primary arranger/songwriter for the acclaimed Boston-based pop/rock vocal band Downtown Crossing (DTX).

In 2008, Eric was recognized as the winner of the nationwide A Cappella Originals songwriting contest for his song "Memory Is a Minefield," which was written while a member of DTX and is now a staple in the Strangers' repertoire. Recently, Eric's solo work also earned a nomination under the 2010 A Cappella Community Awards (sponsored by the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America).

Other past projects include directing the New York-based pop/jazz a cappella group Stay Tuned (a runner-up in the New York Regional Harmony Sweepstakes under his leadership), directing the Gross Prophets at the University of Chicago, and serving as a judge for the annual International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella and International Championship of High School A Cappella competitions. He also teaches a cappella singing classes as an instructor for PDX Vox, a 60-member community a cappella organization based in Portland. He keeps postponing the release date of his solo CD of a cappella originals until the next holiday; until that time, you can hear a few of his songs here.

When not singing, Eric is continuing a long career as a management consultant to the energy industry, a career due to which he has wound up traveling on business over the years to places such as London, Houston, West Palm Beach, Halifax (Nova Scotia), Vancouver (BC), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), and Indiana, Pennsylvania. He thanks his lovely wife Laura and his happy-go-lucky dog Brian for embracing this craziness called a cappella with all their hearts all these years, as well as hiking with him most weekends somewhere in the snows of Mount Hood or in the Columbia River Gorge.

Mike

Mike Mendyke started his first a cappella group in sixth grade, and has been singing in groups ever since. A graduate of MIT with a degree in aerospace engineering, Mike believes that every a cappella group should have at least one rocket scientist.

In the '90s Mike sang bass for three Boston-area groups: Extra Cheese, Five O'Clock Shadow, and Alta Voz. In 2000 Mike met film and television legend Dick Van Dyke and formed a quartet called Dick Van Dyke and The Vantastix. The Vantastix regularly perform at hospitals and charity events throughout the greater Los Angeles area, and have made numerous television appearances. In June of 2010 they performed at Ford's Theatre in Washington DC for President Obama and 600 of his closest friends.

When in Portland Mike loves to harmonize with the rest of The Strangers, providing a solid bass foundation for the group's lush leads and testosterone-challenged higher voices.

Shawn

Shawn Dudley (aka "the kit," "human drum machine," "beatboxer extraordinaire," 'the coolest thing since sliced bread") is the more percussive half of the strangers "rhythm section." Shawn received a degree in vocal performance at Blue Mountain CC in Eastern Oregon where he was first introduced to acapella music. There he sang with the gold medal winning BMCC vocal jazz group. This was the start of Shawn's acapella experience which enabled him, in 2000, to co-found his first acapella quintet, "Four guys and a chick," with which he sang for about a year and a half. After an odd disease affected his vocal chords and stopped him from singing, Shawn learned guitar and vocal percussion. He started playing guitar in a church band and trying to get his voice back into shape. Enter "Spare Change," Shawn's second group. Shawn beatboxed with Spare Change around Eastern Oregon for a couple of years and after a long hiatus eventually, in 2005, reunited in Portland for a single concert.

Shawn has performed vocal percussion with vocal groups, rock bands, church bands and orchestras. He has also taught beatboxing lessons off and on since 2004. To use his voice and beatboxing skills, Shawn reverted to karaoke where he met and befriended karaoke host and future band mate, RC Cowlishaw. With no vocal group to call home, Shawn started singing and playing guitar and bass guitar for Potters Hands Christian Church, where he leads worship and still considers his church home. Shawn has also entered and won several talent shows with his beatboxing skills.

Now with Strangers In Harmony, Shawn looks forward to keeping his musical schedule booming and eventually becoming a famous acapella rock star. Remember to get his autograph now...or forever hold your peace.

R.C.

Ramsay "RC" Cowlishaw is moved by three things in his life: Music, laughter and art. Being in the Strangers satisfies two of those (at any given time). RC's avocation is a karaoke host and DJ in the Portland area (with over 70 weddings to his record -with zero divorces!) In addition, he's been a member of the Portland Improv Group and is one of the Pacific Northwest's leading authorities on the art of origami (Japanese Paper Folding), having taught in schools throughout the northwest and attending special seminars across the country.
RC has been involved in a cappella music since his high school choir days. He's been in barbershop choruses all over Oregon, formed a collegiate group called "Three Hits and a Miss", and when he moved back to his home town of Portland he co-founded "The Rainy Knights" (orignally "The Commodes") who have opened for the likes of Cake, Hall & Oates, and KC & The Sunshine Band. He brings to the Strangers his broad vocal range as well as an uncanny memory for lyrics- as of late the boys have been improvising on the streets of Portland, and RC's knowledge base of songs (from his karaoke experience) have served them well..

Somebody drop a hat! The Strangers will sing if you do!

Roy

Roy Rasera grew up surrounded by classical music and the Beatles. In this inspirational environment his interests naturally gravitated towards poetry, photography and music. Paired with the Viola, French Horn, and a camera, Roy spent his early years (~8-15) competing at the state and local levels of Solo, Chamber, Band, Choir, and Orchestra festivals, and photography contests. For his senior year of High School, Roy was accepted to and attended the Interlochen Arts Academy on a Viola scholarship.

Roy’s life then switched gears as he went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for college and post-grad studies. It was there that he was seduced by A Capella music and joined the “MIT Logarhtyhms” (www.mitlogs.com), an award-winning all-male vocal group. After producing 2 CDs, a dozen arrangements, and 2 national tours, Roy left MIT and the Logarhythms. Armed with his 3 MIT degrees (one of them in Music), he moved to Arizona to work at Intel. There, he spent several years singing with the 5-man a capella group “The Soundbytes” and began competing in Poetry Slams. Roy finally made the move to Portland, Oregon, where his artistic focus shifted to electronic music recording/production (cdbaby.com/earthambience), publishing his poetry, and selling his nature photography at galleries from Ashland to Portland (www.secondsunset.com).

Having left Intel nearly a decade ago, Roy’s professional life took a more expansive direction –he now uses his analytical nature and orchestration/arranging talents to develop and implement financial strategies for ambitious professionals in the top 5% of the country. During a financial seminar he held for MIT Alumni, Roy met Mike Mendyke and bonded over their history with the MIT Logarhythms. This eventually led to forming a quartet of friends (including Mike) to help Roy sing his proposal to his (now) wife. When Mike asked if Roy would audition to fill a vacancy in Strangers, Roy leaped at the chance to add his vocal blend to the group.

The rest, as they say, is history.