The group, 29 Seconds, all began as a way to promote the Chordsmen. We started making videos on YouTube of short snippets of our repertoire, worried about copyright issues. The name stuck. It has NOTHING to do with ANYTHING other than that. Are we clear? Good–let’s make some good music!

Tenor, Dan Rendich, is known for his “on again/off again” facial hair. Lead, Rob Scholl, has an amazing supply of vegetarian “riblets” in his freezer, awesome for late night rehearsals. Bari, Scott Kruse, is best known for his practice trax and beat boxing. Bass, Erik Contzius, would like to stay in tune!

Freshmen Again! Is the latest in a long line of quartets that have emerged from the ranks of The Westchester Chordsmen. The quartet has performed with Swing Bands in the Westchester and Fairfield County area, street fairs, singing contests, and industrial shows. Freshmen Again! is not your conventional barbershop quartet. The group recreates the great jazz sounds of The Four Freshmen, popular in the 50′ and 60’s with classics like Route 66, Graduation Day, and It’s A Blue World.

Bill Kruse – A 43 year member of SPEBSQSA Inc, started his Barbershop career in Madison, Wisconsin with the Capitol Chordsmen Chorus. He has sung with the “Sharberboppers,” “Upper Johnnies,” “Three O’Clock Four,” “Broadway Joes,” and “Cap’n Billy’s Whizbang” quartets. In the Freshmen Again quartet, he enjoys singing melody in the highest voice part.

Steve Berkwits – Newest member of the group, sings the 2nd voice. He recently returned to singing as a member of the Westchester Chordsmen. He has done Cantorial work, has sung in high school, college, and church choirs, and performed in many amateur musical and operetta productions. In the Army in Europe, Steve won the Army Entertainment Contest, and sang in the chorus of the Frankfurt Opera. Steve has 3 grown children, and works in the computer field as a salesman. He is thrilled to have returned to the hobby he likes best of all… singing!

Stash Rossi – (the 3rd voice) Is Associate Director of the Westchester Chordsmen, and Director of the Golden Apple Chorus, a Sweet Adelines women’s chorus in Hawthorne, NY. Stash is the former Director of Music in the Mount Pleasant School District in Thornwood, NY. After 33 years of teaching, he is enjoying the fun and fellowship of making music in the Barbershop world.

Marty Taylor – sings the lowest voice. Marty taught Physical Education for 34 years in the NYC schools, and enjoys his hobbies of singing, playing the recorder, and sculpture.

Bill Kruse–Bill has been performing with a cappella groups for 50 years. He appears on two record albums with Leon Redbone and Joe Piscopo. His first love is barbershop quartet harmony with a broadway flavor. He has been the President of the Westchester Chordsmen several times and is now its music vice president.

Glen Allen–Glen sings with the Westchester Chordsmen and the choir of the Reformed Church of Tarrytown. He has been singing since the sixth grade with various school groups including: the Albany Statesmen Glee Club at Albany State University. He has performed in the White House, Carnege Hall, Italy and China.  Currently retired, Glenn is always willing to join you in song.

Len Sklerov–Len currently sings as  a member of the Westchester Chordsmen and Chorus of the Tappan Zee. He practices law in his spare time, he is happily married to his wife Sue and is the proud father of six children and several grandchildren.

This quartet was formed at a moment’s notice to appear on ‘Late Night with David Letterman’ back in 1995 to sing ‘The Top Ten List’. The producers of the show must have liked what they saw. The quartet has been invited back five times (on the show they are called the Westchesteraires). They have also had two appearances on ABC’s “The View” as well as having been seen numerous times on Westchester’s cable Channel 12. Because of their appearances on national television, they were mentioned in Harmonizer Magazine’s cover story as one of Our Society’s most influential quartets.