A new year is upon us. Perhaps you've made some new resolutions and sincerely mean (meant?) to keep them. I would ask you to make one more resolution, and make it a priority, not a tongue in cheek possibility. I ask each of you to bring in one new member in 2007, not a guest, a MEMBER.
Lately, we have picked up several new members and they are quality members. That was a wonderful way to close out 2006. Now that we've got the ball rolling, please don't let it stop. We really need another dozen or two, including tenors and leads. Pete Stach, a new member, has agreed to take over the chorus manager position, and it would be a relief to him to be able to accept a performance date knowing that we would be able to count on enough members in all four parts to show up for the performance.
Some of you may have noticed that I was referring to performances, not singouts, in the previous paragraph. Why is that, you might ask. Very simple, when we accept a date to sing for a nursing home, a convention, a funeral, a church service, etc., we should be just as prepared for that PERFORMANCE as we are for our annual show or a competition. Our program should be laid out in advance and we should be well practiced enough to do it professionally. The songs should be tied together by a script put together by whomever will be our MC for the performance. In the past, we have done some very good performances. However, I don't think our Christmas season appearances can be looked upon as shining examples of excellence. Fortunately, we have the personnel that can work together to turn this around and I think we should start on that track at our January 6th planning meeting.
Our sympathy and wishes for quick recovery go out to MARTIN PFEIFFER after his heart attack and quintuple bypass. He is currently recuperating at home and would love to have visitors. Martin's address is 4155 Pinehurst Dr in the Fairway Hills addition off Sheridan Lake Dr.
And now I relate to you a REAL 9-1-1 call:
Dispatcher: 911
Caller: Yeah, I'm having trouble breathing, I'm all out of breath. Darn...I think I'm
going to pass out.
Dispatcher: Sir, where are you calling from?
Caller: I'm at a pay phone. North and Foster.
Dispatcher: Sir. An ambulance is on the way. Are you asthmatic?
Caller: No.
Dispatcher: What were you doing before you ran out of breath?
Caller: Running from the police.
Hmmmm.... And a Happy New Year for all of us.
At the December Board meeting, held at Coldwell Banker Realtors Training Center, Del Beck reported we are set for the Officer Installation Banquet on Saturday evening January 13, with cocktails beginning at 5:30 and dinner at 6:30. Menu items will be Prime Rib, Champagne Chicken, or Shrimp, and we will pay at the door. The Barbershopper of the Year for 2006 will also be announced.
In other business John Elving reported we can get the sign for Central High rehearsal site for less than $100, and the Board approved buying it. Painting of the trailer, perhaps by the same artist who did our set panels for the annual show, will also be explored.
At the COTS for Rocky Mountain District, the House of Delegates approved a $10 increase in the District dues. The Society has also increased annual dues by $5. This makes the RMD fee $33 and Society $92 per year.
The Board will hold a planning meeting at 5PM, January 6 to discuss goals and direction for the Chorus for 2007; if you have ideas to be considered, please contact any Board member. The meeting will be held at Coldwell Banker, and any Chorus members interested in taking part are chordially invited to join your Officers.
President Pete and the PR VP will pursue creation of a display window at the Civic Center; there are several currently available for a very nominal fee.
The new Chorus brochures will be ready for hand out at the caroling performance at the Rushmore Mall on December 16.
It's a long way off, but the Chorus has been asked to sing in Custer on September 14, 2007, for the State Rotary Club Convention.
Considerable discussion was held about getting serious about recording the National Anthem, both DVD and CD to meet numerous requests from schools and other groups; a formal CD of music was also in the mix. We as a Chorus need to decide if we are willing to put in the time and effort necessary to produce a quality product; we should not accept anything less than our very best.
The final acceptance of the Articles of Incorporation from the State of South Dakota was recorded, and the Standard Bylaws of the Barbershop Harmony Society/SPEBSQSA were adopted with appropriate blanks filled in as they relate to the Mt. Rushmore Chapter.
The January Board meeting will be held in conjunction with the Planning meeting on January 6.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, and may all our chords bring much joy to our ears and hearts, as well as to our audiences.
Did you enjoy the Christmas caroling? The Shrine of Democracy Chorus recently performed a most worthy service to itself and to this community through its caroling programs. Caroling is a highly rewarding activity in a number of ways. Judging by the number of members who turned out for four different caroling performances, it appears to have been a rewarding experience for the performers. Feedback from the audiences indicated that our listeners were pleased, touched and highly appreciative of our presentations.
The caroling activity is a great public relations opportunity. Every time we present our hobby in public we create a positive, negative or neutral effect. May it be our mission to make every public contact a positive one. Our performances in December provided opportunity to give something special to folks in nursing homes, retirement centers and even at the mall. It's a good feeling to be able to give to others simply by sharing something you enjoy doing. Thank you to all who participated.
Although we haven't fully defined our musical goals for 2007 yet, we do have some things that we are wanting to do to improve our performances. As you will see in another article in this issue, we can perform at many different levels. We should want to perform at only the top level for our audiences - the paying public, so to speak.
In an effort to do that, we would like to try something that may seem controversial, but which will, I'm sure, prove to be a very good thing. As we all know, we have had trouble scheduling and regularly using section rehearsals. In an effort to help with that, we would like to schedule section rehearsals once a month for each section. They will be held 1/2 hour ahead of chapter meeting. Tenors will meet the first week of the month, leads the second week, baritones the third week, and the basses the fourth week. The biggest thing that we will focus on within the section rehearsal is creating a good unit sound. We will correct wrong notes, but not teach parts to songs. We hope to have learning CDs to teach parts to all songs. We will start these section rehearsals with the leads on January 11th. (Tenors, you get a slight reprieve this month.)
The second thing we want to start is a program of recording the chorus on one song each month so that we can each of us hear our improvement. Clayton has some awesome recording gear that we can use to evaluate our chorus and see where we can improve.
Along with this, I would like to suggest that we each have a small recorder of some kind that we bring to rehearsal each week. Don't worry! No one will be asking you to submit tapes. This is purely for your own personal use. You can record songs for interpretation so that we are all on the same page. And, I would suggest, (I personally will be doing this) we can all evaluate ourselves to see if we are doing what we think we are doing. (I find that I am often not singing the pitch I think I am, or I am not singing with good tone, or I am singing late. This will help me become a better singer, which will help the chorus become better.)
Thanks for putting your trust in me for this coming year. It is my sincerest hope that we will be able to move forward and become a marvelous performing chorus - the best in the area. If any of you have thoughts, concerns, ideas, or just want information I can help with, please feel free to call me or email me at any time.
Oh, and one more thing. Come each week prepared for some new fun activities. Things like becoming qualified in at least your part in all the Barberpole Cat songs. (try all of the parts, sometime. You will have fun and learn a lot.) See our chapter quartets and guest quartets perform their new repertoire. Watch performances from international competition. Sing in quartets (Valentine's Day is coming up). Learn new tags. Woodshed. Learn all over how to play tag. The possibilities are (nearly) endless. So much fun - so little time! See you at the next meeting.
Looking for some new tunes for your iPod or other MP3 player you got yourself for Christmas? Fear not! Help is on the way.
The entire library of ACOUSTIX recordings is now available on iTunes. ACOUSTIX recently partnered with Naked Voice Records to make their music available online, and are very excited to announce this release.
In addition to iTunes, ACOUSTIX music can also be found on the following online music retailers:
Audio Lunchbox, BurnLounge, DestraMusic, eMusic, GroupieTunes, MusicNet, MusicNow, Napster, OD2, Passalong, Peer Impact, Pure Tracks, Rhapsody, Ruckus, Snocap, Sony Connect, Starbucks, T-Online, Veriszone, and more.
Recently, ACOUSTIX was invited by Bill Gaither to appear on his next Homecoming Video.
The invitation will involve a trip to Nashville for a two-day video shoot in February 2007. There is a portion of this video that will focus on hymns, and Mr. Gaither was enthralled by the ACOUSTIX recording of Jim Clancy's "Hymns of the Cross" medley. As such, that song will likely be featured along with something else that we have not yet decided upon.
Sincerely,
Joel T. Rutherford & ACOUSTIX
There are several positions open for men who want to make our meetings and performances run smoother, leaving us more time for rehearsal and other fun activities. Would you be willing to spend a small amount of time for the betterment of the chapter? If so, please contact any of the chapter officers. They will know what things need to be done, and get you set up in your new job. Low pay, High rewards! Don't wait. These positions will fill fast!
All your favorite champs in one great barbershop show - the Association of International Champions Tickets went on sale Wednesday, December 20 at www.barbershop.org/denver
The "AIC Show of Champions" will be Thursday evening, July 5th at 7:30 pm in the Pepsi Center in Denver.
Performers will be (in no particular order):
Order before March 1st to receive Early Bird discounted prices!
*plus convenience and/or handling Select your seats to one of the most anticipated shows of each International Convention!
Any questions please contact Holly Beck - Hbeckbari@aol.com
A thousand pardons, I beg of you, red faced as I am. I need to amend a couple of things from last month's newsletter. First, I had the wrong date for the Installation Banquet. If you are with us, you know. And if you show up and no one is there, you also know that it is wrong. For those who are supposed to be there but are missing it, it was held January 13th.
Secondly, I need to credit Jim Gogolin with naming Miss June. He thought of the name and said it first, mostly due to the fact that his eyes weren't popping out as far, and his tongue wasn't dragging as far on the ground as the rest of us. Sorry, Jim, for the oversight.
You may be interested in how the BHS Contest & Judging Handbook treats choruses. The following is taken from the Singing category description:
I attended a major 2007 Convention Steering Committee meeting late in August, a meeting in which the International Society Convention/Events Manager, John Schneider met with us to hear an update on our progress and deal with any questions we had at that time. The Steering Committee has about 50 members with lots of Denver MountainAires in that group. My approach to involving the chapter in pre-planning for the convention will be to minimize the time we spend on this activity in chapter meetings.
A lot of us will be working with the local Convention Chairman Dennis Cook and will be spending a lot of time planning activities. The best way that all of us can contribute to the success of this event will be to volunteer for as many hours as you can during the week of the International Convention, July 2-9, 2007. I will be asking for volunteers for the Registration activities, starting next year, and Tony Pranaitis will be looking for volunteers for all other convention activities.
"For those people who want to work, but don't want to pay the $150.00 or more to attend competition sessions, they will not have to do so."
This will be an excellent chance for all of us to attend an International Convention and I hope many will do so. I sure enjoyed the one in Indianapolis this year. Dennis Cook has made it clear that he would like for all of (the volunteers) to be in for the whole week. However, he has clearly indicated that for those people who want to work, but don't want to pay the $150.00 or more to attend competition sessions, they will not have to do so. The registration package will include tickets to the Quartet and Chorus competition and one must have those tickets to attend these events.
So if you want to support the Denver chapters by volunteering to work this week, you can do this without purchasing a registration package. More details as we go along.
Congratulations go out to Jeff Elving, our youngest tenor, for being one of seven Rapid City students from grades 4, 5 & 6 chosen to be in the allstate elementary honors choir. He and proud pop will be in Brookings on Feb. 8th for the festival and concert. Needless to say, mom & dad are VERY proud! (And you thought he could only sing some barbershop tenor!)
I've been thinking and experimenting a lot with notions of musicality, not particularly as expressed by what the director suggests in terms of musical direction, but in terms of what the individual singer can contribute. Here are some thoughts about it.
There are a lot of issues related to ensemble that are the province of the singers. They need to have an ensemble attitude, singing with their ears attuned to the others singing their part. Each part should sound like one voice and so each singer has the responsibility to be a blended part of that voice. That can be practised in small groups and extended to include everyone in the chorus singing a particular part - a great way to encourage the musicality necessary to blend one's voice, contributing, not overpowering or hiding out.
Singing word sounds the same as the others in your part is also an element of ensemble musicality and worthy of focussed work in small groups, then in the whole.
Barbershop features many situations where two parts or three parts sing together with the same word sounds while another part sings something different. Sometimes there are two duets, each duet singing the same word sounds that are different from the other duet. Making this work is a good individual focus.
Any part singing one against a trio has special responsibilities to sell their part alone and make it significant, beautiful. In fact there are songs where a melody is sung as a part alone, a bass, for instance carries a rhythm different than the others, and the other two parts duet. Almost any combination occurs and needs particular attention musically with each singer taking on the task of featuring the musical elements of his part.
Arrangements feature parts in swipes, and every swipe or echo has a musical reason for being which the individuals singing it can take on as their musical responsibility.
Voices sound different when they are expressing the music through a "heart filter" so to speak. When the emotions inherent in the musical line, the run of the harmony, the sense of the lyric, the feel of the rhythm are felt deeply and expressed fully by an individual singer, a musical treatment of the song is present and able to move the listener. This ought to become the goal of every performer - a goal to refine exquisitely into the future that extends from the time that there is enough command of words and notes to do so. Often perfection in notes and words becomes our goal and the imperative for their musical expression, always an individual musical responsibility, goes unconsidered and undone, leading to the absence of musicality and abrogation of the power to move the listener.
Musicality in many things is the province of the singer who will likely benefit from the musical wisdom and "direction" of the man up front.
Onward and Upward,
Charlie
Another barbeshop icon has joined the great chorus in the sky. On January 3rd, early in the morning, Lloyd Steincamp passed away after a gallant battle with cancer. Some of you will remember "Unkalloyd" as the society staff member that helped found, establish and charter this chapter. His quick wit, love of all that is barbershop, turning youth on to our music, his arranging, and his untiring work to help any chapter in need will be missed.
This is the fifth and final part of a five part series written by Bill Biffle, BHS director, music category judge, Society board member and newly elected Executive Vice President of the BHS.
Well men, we've come to the end of this five part, five month, discourse on vocal technique. If you've been diligently practicing these techniques, they have become habitual with you and you're enjoying singing as you never have before! If you haven't been working, you're still making about the same contribution to the sound of the Shrine of Democracy Chorus as you were three months ago. (Shame on you!)
Now the good news is that it's not too late to put these techniques into action. If you have the past four issues of The Voice of Rushmore, you can refer to the ones you missed and BEGIN NOW to improve your enjoyment of this great hobby, and increase your contribution to the chorus. If you don't have the past issues (you mean you don't bind them in hard covers and store them in your walk-in safe deposit box?), I'm sure your happy editor will gladly give you a full set. Just let him know. (Past copies are on the website. Ed.)
Well, to recap the steps to good singing and a healthy attitude:
Now for the LAST STEP. Keep the face as involved in the act of singing as is the rest of the body! You must raise the cheeks slightly (SLIGHTLY) and express the emotion of the song in your face. We call this the "active" face and it is not only essential to your stage presence, it really affects your sound in a positive way, too. I repeat, the facial expression you have is as much a part of vocal technique as is good posture, breathing, or anything else we have discussed. This is the "UP" face as opposed to the "DOWN" face . "UP" is better! (Remember to keep the lips off the teeth and shape the mouth in a more "vertical" rather than "horizontal" way. Keep the corners tucked in slightly for all vowels).
Spend five minutes a day in front of a mirror, singing your part. If you look like a singer, you'll be a better singer. It's really that simple. Watch your posture, your inhalation and exhalation techniques, your mouth shape, and YOUR FACE! If we would all spend just FIVE minutes each day for a few weeks doing this simple task, the chorus's contest scores (and audience appeal) would SKYROCKET - I MEAN SKYROCKET! Let's really dedicate ourselves to being the best chorus member we can be.
Thank you for your attention these past months. And remember, if you want a complete package of these steps to better singing, just let your fearless editor know. Good luck and good singing!