Great Northern Union
The chorus underwent substantial changes starting in 2020, when they took on Mo Field, "the first openly gay, gender fluid woman" who began to reshape the group.
GNU's focus is no longer barbershop music, and in efforts to remove perceived "toxic masculinity", the group now accepts "members of any gender".
The Hilltop chapter was first organized in 1985 by a dozen men in the Twin Cities area who were interested in founding a chorus based upon singing excellence and service to the community.
After conductor Dean Haagenson's decision to retire from conducting, Roger Williams returned to the chorus and attempted to bring the group back together spiritually and musically.
Fall 2004 brought GNU back to the winner's circle in the LOL District, winning the right to compete in Salt Lake City, where they won yet another medal, placing fifth with their second highest score in the chorus's history.
Finally breaking their streak of international contest performances, the chorus opted to sit out of the competition in 2007 in Denver and 2008 in Nashville to focus on concerts in the community, a Midwest tour, and recruiting more members.
In July 2009, they returned to the international stage in Anaheim and earning a third-place bronze medal, their highest yet ranking, edging out perennial medalist Sound of the Rockies from Denver by a narrow margin.
[2] That photo finish prompted a return to international the following year in Portland, where GNU earned a second-consecutive silver medal after posting the chorus's highest average score ever, a 95.0%, with a revamped "One of Those Songs" package.
Participants at the all-day event form two youth choruses and give a concert at the end of the day, singing alongside GNU in the finale.
[6] GNU is an active member and participant in the month-long Northern Voice Festival, a collaborative effort of several Twin Cities-area singing ensembles that similarly aim to promote vocal music.
Row 1 - Jim Halvorson, John Moksnes, Larry Halvorson, Al Hoppe, Scott Hagen, Roger Williams, John Korby, Roger Stanfield, Dave Roesler, Dave Nyberg
Row 2 - Bill Wigg, Jim Higgins, Larry Castriotta, John Theurer, Steve Haagenson, Mark Jurgenson, John Mostrom, Bob Klecker, Rolf Kragseth, Phil Wilson
Row 3 - Roger Meyer, Kirk Lindberg, Dean Haagenson, Jeff Hanel, Tom Mau, Ed Ricklick, Jerry Torrison, Vaughn Kettleson, Ron Lundquist, Jim Emery
Row 4 - Jeff Sjoberg, Mike Miller, Gary Cooper, Jim Weins, Rod Johnson, Ron Nelson, Clyde Eisenbeis, Paul Fagerberg, ??, Pete Bliss, Dave Slack
