For her entire life, Vocal Harmonix director Lori Jo Whitehaus has been living her dream through music.

At a young age, Whitehaus received formal piano and clarinet lessons; she even taught herself how to play the guitar and ukulele.

"Music has always been important to my family," said Whitehaus. "My great-grandmother taught piano lessons on our farm in Montgomery County and we were all expected to read music."

Whitehaus discovered Lancaster County while attending Millersville University, where she majored in elementary education and double minored in music and urban studies. After graduating from the university, Whitehaus moved to the Harrisburg area to teach. Almost immediately, she looked for a musical outlet in the community. During her search, she discovered Sweet Adelines International, where her low range allowed her to join the group as a bass in 1978.

"Sweet Adelines is a nonprofit educational organization, and I took advantage of every opportunity to learn and grow as a musician," noted Whitehaus.

In 1994, the Lancaster chapter of Sweet Adelines, at that time known as the Red Rose City Chorus, was in need of a director. Although she was raising two children and teaching full time, Whitehaus applied for the position. She has maintained the role ever since.

Over the course of her vocal career, Whitehaus has been on the international stage five times. As a singer, she served as a bass in six registered quartets and competed with a quartet 10 times. Whitehaus was honored as a Master Director in 2016 and was awarded the Norma Moore Award of Distinction (Hall of Fame for Region 19).

"I can also proudly say that I've sung in a last-place quartet and, although it was a long time ago, directed a last-place chorus," said Whitehaus. "These memories keep me humble and help me understand the challenges that all of our choruses and quartets face as performers."

Twenty-four years after Whitehaus became director of the Red Rose City Chorus, the group rebranded as the Vocal Harmonix.

"We rebranded in order to distinguish ourselves from the existing Red Rose Chorus and to appeal to a wider audience beyond Lancaster County," explained Whitehaus.

Vocal Harmonix currently has members from Lancaster, York, Cumberland, Dauphin, Berks, and Chester counties. It also has one member who resides in Maryland. This year is the 60th anniversary of the group's charter, and it will celebrate throughout the year. Vocal Harmonix will host an alumni night via Zoom on Monday, May 3.

Prior to the March 2020 shutdown, the group rehearsed at Lancaster Church of the Brethren, 1601 Sunset Ave., Lancaster. Since then, rehearsals have been held via Zoom. For more information about Sweet Adelines, readers may visit http://www.sweetadelines.com or follow @sweetadelinesintl on Facebook and Instagram. Individuals with questions about Vocal Harmonix may email chelebassvhmx@gmail.com.