Our Director

Steve Kovach, (2001 and 2002 International Quartet Silver Medalist) became our  music director in January 2001 and brings to us an excitement, talent and enthusiasm. His knowledge and teaching ability has caused the Fun Center Chordsmen to raise the bar of accomplishment.

Steve was born in Cleveland and though he has only been a member of the barbershop society since 1994, Steve has been singing barbershop since his freshman year in high school. After lending his, then, tenor voice to a few quartets at that level, he began his career at Bowling Green State University.

BGSU has a long history of producing excellence in barbershop. International medal quartets from BGSU include, The Rapscallions, The Ritz and Yesteryear as well as the MBNA college champion quartet, The Real Deal and Catfish Bend.

The man behind that success is Richard D. Mathey. "R.D." has produced some talented barbershop singers including three of the members of Uptown Sound. Steve (Phil) Kovach (Baritione), David Calland (Lead) and Jeff Archer, the original tenor and Steve Denino (Bass) rounds out the original Uptown Sound.

Jeff Archer, the original tenor, regretfully had to resign from the quartet. His job responsibilities and a growing family prompted his decision. If a quartet ever had a fifth man, Uptown Sound says Jeff will always be a part of the group. The new tenor is Don Kahl of Rural Route 4 fame.

In July of 2002, in Portland, Oregon, the new Uptown Sound captured the Silver Medal at the Society's international quartet competition.


October 2004 was the last performance of Uptown Sound. They  announced their retirement from active competition and have  disbanded. We're sorry to see them go and wish them well in their respective endeavors.

This is Steve's second stint as a barbershop chorus director. His first chorus was the Black Swamp Chapter, Stateline Chorus in Sylvania, Ohio.  While in that area he was also the director of a local church choir and was an associate instructor of voice at the university. Steve has been an instructor at Harmony College and JAD Apple Corps teaching such courses as "How to be a great Baritone" and "Vocal Production and Techniques." Teaching at the university level started the ball rolling and he continued teaching private voice at the local high school after moving to Medina, Ohio.


Steve has performed everything from opera to pop music. While at Bowling Green State University he had many roles in the music programs opera department including the lead role in Die Fledermaus. Steve also performed for four summers at Cedar Point in the Red Garter Rockers...a rock and roll band that features songs from the 50s through the 90s. Steve's number one hobby, is of course, quarteting. His second most favorite hobby is cooking. He says that it was a close call whether to attend music school or culinary school. We think he made the right choice.

Steve and Kari

Steve is married to Kari (Car-ee) who also sings baritone. Kari is an
RN-BSN-OCN from the Medical College of Ohio, University of Toledo. She is the Breast Care Coordinator (Breast Health Education Nurse) for Barberton Citizens Hospital in Barberton, OH.

 In 1994, they met at a barbershop concert on a blind date, at Kari's Sweet Adeline's performance. They were married in December of 1996. Steve and Kari have been a valuable asset to the chorus.