Tonic Sol-fa
Tonic Sol-fa is an a cappella group that was created in 1994 at Saint John's University. Original members met in the Saint John's Men’s Chorus and came up with their name after an all-nighter. (Tonic Sol-fa is a system of key relations in musical notation based on do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, and do.) The alumni members and founders of the group were Greg Terhaar (’94), Cheston Lance (’94), Mark McGowan (’94), Shaun Johnson (’94), and Stephen (Steve) Smith (’93).
Membership of Tonic Sol-fa has evolved over the years. As of 2023, Shaun Johnson is the only remaining founding member of Tonic Sol-fa, joined by Greg Bannwarth, Jared Dove, and Theo Brown. Shaun Johnson also created his own band, Shaun Johnson Big Band Experience (BBE) in 2016.
Tonic Sol-fa aims to make their shows for all ages by blending humor and antics. They sing a wide range of songs, including Saturday morning cartoon jingles, opera, rock and roll, and country. They also incorporate audience participation in their performances. Throughout their career they have sold over a million CDs worldwide and have shared stages with Garrison Keillor, Jay Leno, Jeff Foxworthy, Lonestar, Montgomery Gentry, and others. They have also appeared on the Today Show, Minnesota Public Radio, and at Minnesota Timberwolves and Twins games.
