About Us

Members of Common Interest hail from the Ottawa area, from Kanata in the west to Rockland in the east. They are all active members of the Capital City Chorus, the Ottawa Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

  • Jonathan
  • Rod
  • Denis
  • Jerome
Jonathan

Jonathan Pratt - Tenor

Jonathan has sung in numerous choirs, including the University of Western Ontario Choir, Guelph Choir, and Hart House Choir at University of Toronto. Jonathan stumbled upon the Capital City Chorus upon moving to Ottawa in 2001, believing it to be a typical SATB chorus. He got hooked on the camaraderie and music, and has been singing with the Capital City Chorus tenors since that time. Jonathan's favourite hobbies are based around spending time with his family--his 11-month old daughter has already shown an affinity for barbershop music and his 5-year-old son is showing promise as a future director!

Rod

Rod McKenzie - Bass

Rod has enjoyed singing his entire life but never so much since he discovered Barbershop Harmony 30 years ago. Rod sang and directed the First Capital Chorus in Langley, B.C. in the Barbershop Harmony Society's Evergreen District. Moving to Ottawa in 1990, Rod was quick to join the Capital City Chorus which he directed for three years. He now serves as Assistant Director. Rod has been an avid quartetter all his years in Barbershop. He is currently registered in several quartets including Common Interest where the Interest in vocal quality is high and the singing is anything but Common!

Denis

Denis Laflamme - Lead

Denis is married to Sweet Adeline Aileen Carney and is the proud father of Guillaume 8 and Melissa 6, both very promising barbershoppers. He has been a member of B.H.S. for 12 years now, and is presently the musical director of The Capital City Chorus. When not singing with Common Interest, he also performs with Satin & Suede, a mixed quartet (with Aileen and Rod) and also serves as V.P. Marketing and P.R. for the Ontario District. During the day, he is a mortgage specialist in Ottawa.

Jerome

Jerome Gobuyan - Baritone

Jerome is the newest member of Common Interest. He has been singing since he was a child and has competed in children's choirs in the Philippines. He has sung in a few choruses over the years but he became hooked on a cappella since first joining the Nepean Northern Stars in 2001. He also has fun singing with the Pouch Cotatoes, a contemporary a cappella quintet, and with What A Blast!, the Fall 2006 Ontario District Novice champions. He currently serves as an assistant baritone section leader of the Capital City Chorus. As a graduate of the University of Waterloo, Jerome is a certified geek working in the high technology field and is the Ontario District Webmaster. When not singing, he may be seen on the slopes of Mont Tremblant.

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