I find it depressing how fast the summer goes by. By the time John gets this put together and printed it will be September.
The Aspen are already turning gold in several areas up in the hills. I don't remember the Aspen turning this early before. Must be drought related.
You guys should be proud of the Harmony Happening. I think the massed chorus performance was the best sound ever. Rick was very pleased with the turnout and the performance. I'm sure he would like to come back again. People I talked with who had never been to Mt. Rushmore before were very impressed with the quality entertainment at the monument.
OK, that's enough resting on the laurels. Time to get back to work. Big performance coming up Sept. 14 at Crazy Horse for the district Rotary convention. We need all of you there. After that is the Hospice grand opening Sept. 16. Clear your calendars for those dates.
And then in October, it appears that Saturday, 10/20 will be our Oktoberfest. It'll be quite different from years past as it will be held in Lacroix Hall in the civic center in conjunction with the new Scarecrow Festival event. We won't have to set it up, decorate it, sell the beer or food, or tear it down afterwards. We'll sing our polkas and enjoy the rest of the evening, collect our check, and leave. What a concept!! We're even going to make a profit on this one. WOW!!!
It's time once again to nominate a slate of officers for next year. I've asked Jim Olson to chair the Nominating Committee. He will be asking some of you to step up and serve this chapter we enjoy so much. It can't go forward by perpetual motion gentlemen. Someone must take care of the administrative chores, and those of us that have done it for the last umpteen years are TIRED! Please save Jim some time and volunteer to take a board position. Thanks.
For those of you who didn't know... A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well. Ya can't win.
The August board meeting was held August 14 at President Anderson's office at Agents of Insurance. The minutes of July's meeting were approved as corrected, and the Treasurer's Report accepted.
Because of the very positive attendance and feedback from the Silver City outing, we will try to have a special day quarterly. Jim Gogolin has offered the Anchorage Bed & Breakfast for a November session, with much more detail to come later.
The Music Committee recommended, and the board approved, the Chorus will not compete this fall in Albuquerque. We simply cannot put a group on the stage which will represent us well, with such a shortage of both leads and baritones. Start purging your calendars for late September 2008, because the Shrine of Democracy Chorus WILL compete.
President Anderson is arranging a special get together at the Westside Millstone Restaurant, so we can present the plaque to the owner - details soon!
All is as ready as we can make it for Harmony Happening, and Jim Gogolin offered a room at the Anchorage Bed & Breakfast for Rick Spencer for Thursday evening's lodging. Rick will be at our chapter meeting on Thursday for rehearsal. Billings Big Sky Chorus is bringing 20 members, with at least two quartets. The Mt. Rushmore Chapter will pay the registration for its members.
It's time for the nominating committee to reconvene, and in addition to Past President Steve Ferley, President Anderson will ask Jim Olson and perhaps Al Pitts to serve.
The Music Team, led by VP John Elving, presented a proposed rate structure, mission statement (seen in last month's newsletter) and chorus standards for membership and performance for the Board to review, discuss and approve at September's meeting.
The Hospice House dedication has been rescheduled to 3 pm on September 16th so our Chorus can participate.
The Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau has asked us to participate in a "Scarecrow Festival" in October. This would give us the opportunity to have an Oktoberfest without most of the work! We can still sing the polkas and spend some time serving and selling food. More to follow!
A Cappella Showcase has invited us to appear on their Christmas shows December 8-9. Due to the conflict of the Newcastle Concert Association performance, we will only be available on Saturday evening December 8.
The next meeting is scheduled for September 4 at the Agents of Insurance offices, convening at 7:30 pm. All chorus members are welcome to participate.
As in past years, Harmony Happening officially started off early Friday morning, August 18, with the by now famous climb up Mt. Rushmore. The hardy (and some would say, foolish) group started up the mountain at 0-dark-thirty, at least by President Pete's timetable.
Rick Spencer proved to be a better climber than some un-named past clinicians from Kenosha (now Nashville). He actually came down the mountain a step at a time, not trying to beat the other climbers by rolling down head-over-teakettle.
For the SOD Chorus, things started off on Thursday evening with Rick leading our regular chorus rehearsal. Working on the songs we would be doing in the massed sing put us a step ahead of the other singers as far as what he was going to be doing when they joined us on Saturday.
Friday evening was a great time just to greet all those who came from some distance, sing a few tags, and get out of the rain! It was great to meet, talk with and sing with the guys from Eastern South Dakota, Colorado, and especially the chorus from Billings, Montana.
Saturday was the real workout as we met together to sing. As always, some of the attendees didn't have any music with them, and some had not ever looked at the music beforehand. (We need to fix that!)
Saturday evening it all came together in our performance at Mt. Rushmore. A larger crowd than in past years was on hand, and appreciated the great show. It was also a great time singing for Rick. Look for bigger and better next year!
Feel, Look and Act like Singers - Involved, improving, bring the best of yourselves
Active Face
Vowels that Look Right
In-line Singing - Focused Singing
Part Responsibilities
Lead - Personality
Bass - Foundation
Baritone - Dignity
Tenor - Sparkle
Director
Bring the Whole Singer
From the Beatri-Tone
Dan Wiedel, Editor
What kind of question is that, what kind of runner am I? Humph. I don't run much at all actually. (Although my doctor highly recommends at least some form of it.) Heck, I have heard of people who go out running and then have a massive heart attack and fall over dead. The more I think about it, I don't want to be a runner at all - sounds like it can be bad for your health. I am much more comfortable sitting in Section D, Row 131 with my 32-ounce brewski and my nacho-macho-jalapeno-covered-multi-platter on my lap and my Pepto in my pocket. Yep, that's the life for me. Yes sir.
Well, OK, if - and I mean if - I was going to be a runner, I wouldn't have the first clue how to begin to train, or stretch, or whatever it is those guys in the spandex do before a race. Heck, I am just a rookie, and really don't belong running in any race anyhow. Maybe I was right after all; I belong back in Section D with the rest of the old gang.
What? You really think I should participate? Oh, it's just a short race? Yeah, right. You can teach me? Sure, you can. I can probably make it through with no injuries or near-death experiences you say? Oh, sure, you'd use any old line to get me onboard with the exercise thing, wouldn't you?
OK, let's say I'm remotely interested. But I warn you, if I am, it's not because of anything you said or did. I am interested because I like a challenge, and this running thing sounds like it might - MIGHT - be something I can sink my teeth into. I have to tell you, though; I would really like to start with a short event, maybe just a few weeks long. I think I can get myself up for that, at least to start with.
It might be kind of cool, having all the people along the route cheering me on. I have always enjoyed that feeling. And hey, running with some of my best buddies for a short while, that sounds pretty good too. Wow, I am just thinking - what if I win the Fastest Rookie Division Trophy? Geez, I don't know how I would contain myself! All of a sudden, I can hardly wait for the chance to do this running or jogging thing or whatever you call it. I am pumped!
And the more I think about it, eating that whole nacho-macho-jalapeno-covered-multi-platter sounds like it has it's own set of (burp) risks.
See you at the starting line.
Think about this "story" as we even now begin preparing for contest, September 26-28, 2008. It will be held in Colorado Springs, and the board has already committed to attending as a chapter and competing as a chorus. Let's begin the training now so that as a chorus we will be in shape. Remember all the training tips that Clayton gives us each week, and build our singing regimen so that we are ready for the entire race. Ed.
Get ready for a new and different experience with the 2007 issue of OKTOBERFEST. The old part is the chorus singing our familiar polka show in a public performance. The new part is our role in a concept brought to us by the Convention and Visitors' Bureau of the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce. The new title of the "Fest" is "OKTOBERFEST WITH SCARECROWS".
Businesses, schools and other organizations will be invited to create scarecrows to be exhibited, judged and sold as a fund-raiser for Rapid City's Christmas lights. This festival will begin just before noon on October 20 and continue until about 11:00 pm that night. Our portion, not new, is to perform our polka concert at 7:00 pm and arrange for a polka band to begin its festive music right after we complete our performance. The Civic Center will sell beer, brats, etc. We can concentrate on singing and experiencing der Gemutlichkeit.
Since the emphasis of this article is to be directed toward publicity and marketing, let's get to it. We have a renewed opportunity and responsibility to attract not only our audience of the past but a new audience which brings to us numerous folks who likely have little familiarity with Barbershop Harmony. Our job will be to sell our product so well that they will not only have an enjoyable evening, but buy tickets to our show and invite us to perform for their banquets, conventions and other special events.
Let us review a model offered by an instructor at our District's Chapter Operations Training Seminar (COTS) which is designed as a basic procedure for publicity in our organization. Visualize a target and concentrate on the bull's eye. That center represents "me", or every barbershopper. Every one of us is at the center of the target. The first circle around "me" represents the guy next to me. If he doesn't show up for rehearsal, call and tell him we missed him. Keep everyone involved. Be a partner. The next circle represents the family and friends. We want those very important people to support us. The next circle in the target represents our audience which has been supporting us right along. Be sure they are invited to the "Fest" or the next show, etc. The following ring stands for the community. This is a really big and perhaps a new group for the '07 event. We hope to attract a large number of folks who aren't familiar with our hobby. It is super important that we truly impress them and get their support for the future. This would include new members. The last circle in the target suggests the attention of the media and the general public such as businesses and, yes, the Chamber of Commerce. With support from all of these areas we can achieve a whole new level of life in the Mt. Rushmore Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
Many young people are exposed to this wonderful world of barbershop harmony that we all love so well. But what is it that makes them want to stay in the barbershop world, or leave it as so many have? Here are some thoughts from young people themselves.
"The society has gained many young kids due to the songs sung by quartets like OC Times and Vocal Spectrum (not the old songs). It seems strange to me that the older guys in this hobby act like the young kids should like exactly what they like and that is how to attract young members. How wrong you are..."
Another:
"I will draw from the old adage that the attraction to barbershop is not as much the lyrics as the infectious ring of the locked chord.
I don't disagree that few say things to their gals like "Heart of my heart, I love you; Life would be naught without you". But as rusty, dusty and archaic those lyrics may be, is "Come fly with me... in lama land there's a one-man band, and he'll toot his flute for you" any less out dated and from another era? I submit to you a resounding "no".
Stuff (that) OC Times, Vocal Spectrum, Men in Black, etc. does is stuff from my grand parents era. The "old stuff" is from my great grandparents era. It is all old in its way, but the key is how much life is breathed into it."
And yet another:
"Many of you are right - ringing chords is fun no matter what song it is - and polecats make it more accessible to ring those chords. It's also right that those great musical performances and musical variety of champ arrangements are inspiring.
I honestly don't like singing polecats very much after chapter meetings, etc. because they're usually sung very unmusical. They're often done VERY slowly, with no thought to how the lyrics move the musical line, etc. I find that even many of our better singers fall into this trap with polecats for some reason. When Gotcha! sings a polecat like "Nellie" it's great because it's musical - not because, or in spite of it being a polecat.
Musicality, or lack thereof, makes all the difference to new members - much more so than the actual title of the song that they hear or are singing."
So - how do we come across in our singing? Are we going through the motions, or are we thinking about the musical message? Ringing chords adds to the thrill for anyone. However, conveying the great musical message is what sells it to our prospective members (and, by the way, our audiences).
Director Clayton Southwick has asked that this be published for all to see. Ms. Copley is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.
or 
or 
. Long tones never "sit".The summer band class was just getting underway when a large insect flew into the room. The sixth-graders, eager to play their shiny new instruments, tried to ignore the buzzing intruder, but eventually one student could stand it no more.
He rolled up his music book and swatted the insect and then stomped on it to ensure its fate.
"Is it a bee?" another student asked.
"Nope," He replied. "Bee flat."
What can we do to improve our chorus?
Am I a Competitor, Leader, Hobbyist, Affiliator or a Tag-a-long? "Where do I fit in my chapter"? Every chapter's membership roster consists of individuals who fit into one or more of the above categories.
This is not one of those panic, browbeating articles but it is an article of enlightenment.
At the COTS school, I heard a talk on the membership structure of our Chapters. This talk brought out the fact that each chapter has members that fall into 5 categories:
What is your chapter attitude and where do you fit in? Take a long look at your chapter, see if you can recognize any of the above member types. Now ask yourself, "Where do I fit in!" Is there room for improvement?
A chapter full of competitors is a chapter that wants to go to a national convention. And why not? In our lifetime, how many opportunities do we get to do something that really makes a difference. Think how exciting it would be to travel to a national convention and compete on stage with the best in the world. Wow! Win or lose, it's the experience that counts.
The non-competitors in our chapters need to analyze themselves and ask the question, "Why do I belong to my chorus?" Our common denominators are that we all love to sing and entertain, or we would not be here in the first place. Would our audiences rather hear the blah "Blahville Harmonizers" from Blahville, USA or the exciting (Westminster) chorus?
The Youth of the world are our future! Our youth today want to win! They are growing up with competition. A chorus cannot attract a youthful singer if they have the "Blahville" attitude. Our choruses must meet the new millennium with a year 2000 attitude.
Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. If we want to attract youth of the 21st century, we must become a chorus, a District and a Barbershop Society of the 21st century. Let's all sing with excitement, enthusiasm, focus, and then we will all have more fun. I for one have changed my mind about my attitude. I have decided to move up to the competitor level.
It seems to me, that if viewing a rainbow is exciting, imagine what it must be to find the gold.
Positions Available:
Chorus positions open in the tenor, lead, baritone and bass sections. Others need not apply.
Physical Qualifications:
Must be able to carry musical tones part way across the room.
Experience:
Must have sung, hummed or whistled in the bathtub, shower or car at some time or other.
Beginning wage:
Unlimited satisfaction and enjoyment in the creation of fourpart harmony.
Social Security benefits:
The security of social fellowship with other chorus members.
Hours:
Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:30 pm with opportunities for overtime during public performances throughout the year.
Retirement:
Recommended only when you stop having fun.
Contact the Classified Advertising Department of The Voice of Rushmore to place your ad in this section. Advertising rates available on request. Phone 555-1212 for further information.
In the introduction to his 1925 Book of American Negro Spirituals, James Weldon Johnson, a towering figure of the Harlem Renaissance - author, lyricist, composer, lawyer, civil rights leader, and founder of the NAACP- recalled a scene from his boyhood memories of Jacksonville, Florida in the 1880's. See if it doesn't sound familiar to you:
"In the days when such a thing as a white barber was unknown in the South, every barber shop had its quartet, and the men spent their leisure time playing on the guitar... and 'harmonizing.' I have witnessed some of these explorations in the field of harmony and the scenes of hilarity and backslapping when a new and rich chord was discovered. There would be demands for repetitions and cries of, 'Hold it! Hold it!' until it was firmly mastered. And well it was, for some of these chords were so new and strange for voices that, like Sullivan's Lost Chord, they would have never been found again except for the celerity [i.e., swiftness] in which they were recaptured. In this way was born the famous but much abused 'barber-shop chord.'"
In these days when controversies about what does and what does not constitute barbershop fester incessantly, it is reassuring to read an account from 125 years ago that describes exactly the same scene that takes place in nearly every corner of every barbershop harmony gathering around the world today. Never mind that these poor ignorant souls from the last millennium didn't know that they weren't supposed to use a guitar, or be unashamed about finding new chords with strange voicings - after all they didn't have the contest rules or the sages of the Harmonet to set them straight - and, truth be told they certainly would not have possessed the clean, polished sound of a Max Q, OC Times, Vocal Spectrum, or Realtime. They weren't singing for anybody but themselves, and they were loving every minute of it. A lot of things have changed, but that spirit that gripped those singers from two turns of the century ago is just as fresh and palpable today. It is that timeless spirit of barbershop, and music in general, that I want to talk about.
I bet that every singer in the room is here because at least one time (sic) in our life a musical experience changed us in a significant way. Thankfully, the good Lord has put me in the path of many life-changing musical experiences over the years, and most of them have been related to barbershop.
Most of us in this room know the gut reaction that accompanies latching on to a really ringing chord. It hits you like a drug, and it is addictive. You have to re-experience it over and over again. It is timeless - the quartet in James Weldon Johnson's memory felt the rush as strongly as we do today - and it does not discriminate based on race, religion, wealth, or age. Some of you found it later in your life, others like our friends in Vocal Spectrum or the wonderful Westminster Chorus find it early. I found it early as a second-generation barbershopper with two extremely active barbershop parents. While still in single digits, I accompanied my dad every week as he went to rehearse with a small bunch called the Daniel Boone Chorus. In 1975 at the age of eleven, I was allowed to join as a full-fledged member singing tenor. Neither I nor anyone else in the chorus at that time could have imagined that 29 years later I would be directing the chorus, now known as the Ambassadors of Harmony, to our first - and thanks to the Westminster Chorus so far our ONLY - International Championship. Though formed before I was born, the chorus I joined was small - maybe 25 men on a good day - and struggled to keep a respectable performance level through several director changes. We hit our lowest point in about 1979 when we came in last place in the small chorus contest. In other words, of all the choruses in our district that chose to compete that year - and the small ones to boot - we were deemed to be the worst.
Then something incredible happened that changed everything. It stirred us like a tornado. Its name was David Wright. David came to us with a vision that the Daniel Boone Chorus could actually become a great singing ensemble, and immediately began to raise the level of expectations. He made the chorus stand up to rehearse. A few guys quit in protest. He instituted auditions in order to become a member. A few more guys quit in protest. For every change David made, people quit. And yet within a few years we had more than tripled our size and found ourselves competing in our very first International Competition.
Now you don't really care to hear about the history of my chorus, but I tell you about these events because I associate them with a phrase that I heard repeatedly from men who disagreed with David's initiatives. It is a phrase that I think all barbershoppers, male and female, have heard and possibly uttered on more than one occasion. The phrase: It's only a HOBBY! Several of us chuckle because we know that the word hobby doesn't begin to describe our obsession. But here's what I find troubling: for many of us, there is mingled with our laughter a measure of guilt - guilt for letting our "hobby" (consume) our lives to such a degree.
I have an American Heritage Dictionary at home that defines hobby as "an activity or interest pursued at one's leisure for enjoyment." Certainly barbershop can be categorized as such an activity. But in my 32 years as a barbershopper, I've come to discover that barbershop is infinitely more, and it is time for us to stand up and state proudly that barbershop is not just a hobby. It doesn't just fill your leisure time. It feeds your spirit. It changes your life and the lives of everyone for whom you sing.
This was made very clear to me not long ago. Many of you are aware that my brother, and the man I stood next to for sixteen years in the Gas House Gang, died of esophageal cancer in 2003. Not long after that I found myself in the office of a dear Christian counselor as I was dealing with my depression over losing my only brother, concern over how our family dynamic had changed, and a desire to discover how God wanted me to proceed with my newly redefined life. During one meeting, I mentioned to him that I had for years been carrying around a gnawing feeling that I had let God down. You see, when I was in high school I was sitting in church as the preacher started talking about how God calls us to His purpose. All of a sudden, I was overtaken with the feeling that God was calling me to be a music minister. But I didn't follow through with any training for the music ministry. I went to college to get my public school teaching certificate. Then I went to graduate school. Then I started singing with the Gas House Gang. Then I started directing the Ambassadors of Harmony. Then I became a college music professor. Before I knew it my call from God was 20 years in my past, never pursued. I mentioned this to my counselor. He listened to my lament and then asked me, "How long has your quartet been singing together?"
After an exchange of questions and answers, he looked me in the eyes and said, "Jim, you've been a music minister for 18 years. And you've reached more people through your ministry than most church musicians ever see."
His words engulfed me - "your ministry" - and I started to cry. I have not called barbershop my hobby since that day. It isn't a hobby, it's a calling, a ministry.
I went through a low period as a director when all that mattered to me was winning a gold medal. Little by little I started losing my joy. And the chorus suffered for it. Then one day the apple fell off the tree and conked me in the head. I had a revelation: It's the JOURNEY, stupid, not the destination! To paraphrase one of the Ambassadors, Michael Kunz, it isn't THE gold medal that you need in your life, it's the gold medal moments, the little gold medals you win every time you stand with your friends and master a new skill, or finally ring that bear of a chord, or first receive that brilliant arrangement that you know is going to knock people on their butts, or rejoice at the birth of one of our fellow chorus member's children, or weep at the death of their spouse or child. How many gold medals do we win even before the warm-up is over on an average chapter meeting night? THE gold medal is awarded for a seven-minute performance. How many gold medals do we win the other 31,535,580 seconds of the year? Thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Millions?
But the great thing is that we not only receive these gold medals, we have the power and privilege of giving them away - to the people we sing with and the people we sing for. How many lives have we changed? How many souls have we fed? How many men have we made vulnerable enough to call their wives and whisper to them "I love you?" How many troubled teenagers have been stirred to make a better future for themselves because of a song they heard us sing. And to what extent do the actions that we inspired in one of those people impact all the other people that are a part of that person's life? Really, have you ever tried to fathom how great is your impact? I'm not talking to the Barbershop Harmony Society, or your chorus, or your quartet; I'm talking to you - your impact. I'm sorry; this isn't just a hobby. We're not collecting stamps here. We are creating art in an age when art is being systematically shoved out of every school in the country. And we are making a positive difference, one life at a time, to a world that is in desperate need of it. Music does that. Now, you see, we have a viable reason to sing well. For the better we perform, the more gold medals we give to our audience members and, in turn, the more we receive ourselves. And, yes, along the way, if we keep getting better and perform well enough at a barbershop contest, we win a shiny gold medal to pin on our coat or wear around our neck. Only now it has a real value because it is a tangible representation of the innumerable gold medals that have poured into us and out of us all year long. It represents the lives of every person that has been changed, including your life, because you worked so hard and devoted so much of your self to be great at your craft.
And what is particularly magical about singing in a good chorus or quartet is that there isn't a single one of you that could by yourself impact people as profoundly as all of you can together. You are so blessed. You've been given the ability to sing at a high level. Better than that, you've been given a spirit that drives you to improve your ability. Better yet, you have found in this life other good, quality gentlemen who share your talent and passion, and who want to sing with you. Still better, you have been given musical and administrative leaders who not only know how to make you and your soul mates better, but dedicate themselves to it. You are so blessed.
And that's the way it is for all of us. We're only given so many notes to sing in this life. So many people go to their grave with their music still in them. But not you. That is why you must embrace the gift of music you've been given, and this great organization that has provided you an outlet for it. Don't squander your notes. Sing every one of them with care and beauty and craftsmanship, as if it were your last. Don't take your chorus for granted. Go to every rehearsal, prepared, in the moment, and ready to find greater heights of artistry. Directors, spend as much time learning how to conduct as you spend on your golf swing, and use every resource to make your chorus a great singing ensemble. Singers, build on your craft. Work that craft every time you sing, be it in a shower, your car, or a stairwell with a bunch of tag singers. Don't take a half-hearted effort to audiences and proclaim "this is barbershop." Don't just sing as if it were a hobby, sing as if it were your life. Sing with the fullest measure of your intelligence and spirit. For, you see, it isn't just a hobby; it is a ministry. You might not consider it a Christian ministry, but it is a ministry nonetheless. You are making a positive difference in people's lives, and your own. You're bringing beauty and art to the world. Don't value barbershop over God or your family as many have done, but don't minimize it either. And don't you dare be ashamed of it. As a matter of fact, anyone I find not singing as skillfully and from the heart as he possibly can this week will be SENT HOME!
In 1513, Machiavelli wrote to a friend, describing how he found consolation from the cares of the world:
"I go to the library, and as I cross the threshold I cast off my everyday clothing, covered with filth and mud, and put on the costume of the royal court... Thus honorably clad, I enter the classical court of the Ancients. They welcome me warmly, and I feast on the nourishment for which I was born. And there I make bold to speak to them and ask the motives of their actions, and they, in their humanity reply to me. And... I forget the world, remember no vexation, fear poverty no more, tremble no more at death; I pass indeed into their world."
This is what our barbershop music making can be for us - not just a hobby or a sport to win, but an opportunity to cast off our troubles, if only for a while, put on our royal clothing, and come face to face with our predecessors: The Flat Foot Four, The Buffalo Bills, Val Hicks, Lou Perry, Mo Rector, Ed Waesche, Lloyd Steinkamp, and that quartet of nameless African American men from the 1880's who we would never know about except for the impact they made on James Weldon Johnson - the gold medal they gave him, if you will - as they gathered in a non-descript Southern barbershop latching on to a chord that filled their spirits, souls, and bodies to the point that they had to cry out "Hold it! Hold it" and repeat it over and over again as they attempted to relive that glorious moment of absolute musical, spiritual, and fraternal synergy. And our modern day master composers, arrangers, and directors like David Wright, Jim Clancy, Freddie King, Tom Gentry, Aaron Dale, Clay Hine, Joe Liles and so many others. To listen to what they have to say to us through their music; to respond to them by magnifying their music with the music of our own souls; and then to offer this glorious new creation to others, each of whom will receive it in their own unique way, wrapping it inside their own sensibilities, and finding a place in their hearts and minds to keep it for the rest of their lives. This is our calling. It is our ministry. And it is an awesome one.
Wednesday, July 4, promised to be the "longest" day of International, for that was the first round of the quartet competition! There were 49 quartets all dreaming of wearing the crowns at the conclusion of Saturday night's final. Session one began at 11 AM, with the first 25 quartets beginning their quest. Oh, by the way, the "mike testers" were a group called Power Play (2003 Champs!).
Of special interest to me in this session were our own RMD and April show guest quartet IGNITION!, OC Times from the Westminster Chorus, SEP (Bobby Gray and Allen Gasper of Saturday Evening Post fame) and the expected favorites Max Q. In addition to those four groups doing well, other eye-openers were State Line Grocery, Reveille, Late Show and Rounders.
One of the crowd favorites of the afternoon was the quartet from Great Britain, called Pitch Invasion. Dressed in formal British attire, including bowler hats and carrying briefcases as they stiffly marched on to the stage, they soon had the crowd in the palms of their hands and howling with delight with the hilarious parody of Love's Old Sweet Song. The song highlighted the problems proper English accents and pronunciations create when performing for judges expecting Americanized words and phrasing. It was a great way to end the afternoon.
The evening round forced me to make another tough decision. The Rockies were playing the Mets next door at Coors Field, and the game was designated Barbershop Harmony Society Night with special seating and fireworks following the game, OR round two of the quarterfinals which began at 7 PM. Since this was my first International (hence the Rookie in the title), I wasn't about to miss the chance to see and hear mike testers Realtime (2005 Champs), Wheelhouse, Flipside (Rick Spencer's the tenor), Men In Black, and our RMD quartets NeXus, Mojo, and Storm Front.
About midway through the session, however, and after roughly 35 or 36 quartets having performed on that day, and it becomes difficult to remember who was who, you find yourself hoping for a group to blow you out of your seats. A new quartet called Glory Days, with Joel T. Rutherford of Acoustix fame singing bass, did just that! They started the final grouping of the evening with a bang, and revitalized most of the audience. Also in that final segment were Men In Black, Mojo, Flipside and Storm Front, and all did well. I was particularly proud of Storm Front, for they had drawn the very last slot of the day, and even though it was well after 11 PM, they came out smokin'!
How the judges made it through that marathon day is beyond me. Talk about dedication and perseverance (and probable overload!!!)
In spite of the late night (and really long day), the quartet semifinal round with the top 20 quartets moving on kicked off promptly at noon on Thursday. Three of the four RMD quartets made it into this round, and Mojo finished 26th. The mike tester quartet was another Westminster quartet The Crush, which was also competing in the Collegiate contest, where they finished in second place. Keep an eye on those boys!
All three of "our" quartets sang very well, and I thought IGNITION! nailed it. I was really surprised (and disappointed) when they didn't make the final 10 (they were 12th), and I thought they were better than at least two quartets who did! MAX Q was awesome, and did a rendition of Little Pal which was the most beautiful presentation of that song I've ever heard. Nexus finished in the number 19 slot.
At intermission, our good friend and Harmony Happening guest, Jim DeBusman, was presented with the MENC/Barbershop Harmony Society Award, which is "to the individual who, through his talent and dedication, has made outstanding contributions to the furtherance of music education in the schools and in the promotion of the barbershop style as an American Musical art form." It was one of the few times I've heard Jim D at a loss for words! Very well deserved, good friend.
As I mentioned in part 1, the AIC Show was on Thursday evening, and built around The Music Man theme. The theme part of the show was spectacular, and the AIC Chorus was very special as well. FRED had the arena in stitches, and gave Vocal Spectrum a "special" welcome to the AIC. Power Play, Realtime, and GOTCHA! each performed. Happiness Emporium's set was essentially a tribute to groups who had influenced this awesome quartet, and you'd swear the Four Lads, Mills Brothers, Four Freshman and several others were on the stage - that's how perfectly HE duplicated their distinctive styles!
Classic Collection hasn't lost their touch either, and the celebration of the 25th anniversary of their gold medal victory in their hometown was extra special. I knew I'd met George Davidson before, but it wasn't until all the old pictures flashed on the big screens that it finally dawned on me how long before that was! We have the old programs of the shows where they were our headliners in our file cabinet!
Finally, the day arrived which was the main reason I came to Denver - the CHORUS CONTEST!!! I wanted to see how the "big dogs" did it, and what an event this was all by itself! Going in, I knew Westminster was the talk of the town, having given The Vocal Majority such a scare last year, and that Ambassadors of Harmony were the defending Champs, having struck gold in 2004. Of course I was cheering for home-town Sound of the Rockies, and excited to see and hear The Northern Lights, Voices in Harmony (directed by Greg Lyne), Midwest Vocal Express, Alexandria Harmonizers, The New Tradition Chorus and Jim Bagby's Heart of America Chorus.
The competition was simply unbelievable and far exceeded my expectations. The presentations, stage presence, in some cases costuming and special set pieces, and, of course, the quality of sound have to be seen and heard to be believed. The videos simply cannot compare to the thrill and excitement of being in the hall. The only down side was the inordinate amount of time the logistics of getting one chorus off stage and the next one on and ready to sing took.
As you all know by now, the "kids" from Westminster edged out the Ambassadors of Harmony by a tie-breaker score of 11 points in the singing category. The Westminster men had been in the house for the Ambassadors' set, and John Elving overheard them say, as they came out as a group into the concourse at the set's conclusion "We know what we have to do - game's on!!!" Sound of the Rockies finished third, The Northern Lights fourth and New Tradition was fifth. The Vocal Majority, as is the tradition, "sang away" the trophy. Again, being a "rookie" at International, I wasn't aware of that tradition, and was thrilled to see and hear the VM in person!
Still another highlight of the Friday evening events was the Society Hall of Fame presentation. Inducted were Larry Ajer, The Confederates Quartet, Lloyd Steinkamp and Joe Liles. Mr. Steinkamp was the gentleman who presented the Mt. Rushmore Chapter with its Charter, and of course Joe Liles has written or arranged so many great pieces of music, including the fabulous America the Beautiful Overlay, which we just performed at Mt. Rushmore. I was thrilled to finally get to meet in person the gentleman who has been so helpful to me during my time as the Chapter Secretary and in my searches for music and arrangements.
In Perfect Harmony,
David
Inquiring minds want to know, will there be a part Drei? Hopefully there will be more to come, including some other articles from others who went to Denver for the 2007 International Convention. (Hint, hint!) Ed.
The fall District Convention held in Albuquerque, NM this year will soon have come and gone. Another year of the Shrine of Democracy Chorus not attending, and coincidentally, competing.
I'm not suggesting that we are a "competition" chorus. However, we are a very good performing chorus, as evidenced by our recent requests from around the area to perform. Why not show other barbershoppers how well we perform!!!
The Board of Directors has decided that there wasn't enough interest among the chorus members to attend this year. There wouldn't have been a reasonable representation of what we are capable of doing.
They did, however, say they were making a commitment to go next year. It will be closer - Colorado Springs, CO. Set aside the dates of September 26-28, 2008 so that you will be able to go.
I know that it means time off from work for most of us, even if it is time off from doing the "honey-do" lists to which our wives keep adding. Set aside those days, take the wife and kids, and let's party together in Colorado!
Sing-cerely & Humm-bly,
An era is ending in Kenosha, Wisconsin this week.
After 50 years in this city on the lake, the Barbershop Harmony Society is uprooting itself to make a new home for itself in Nashville, Tennessee.
Around the world, Kenosha has been to Barbershoppers what Cooperstown is to baseball fans: the single place synonymous with their beloved hobby.
And throughout that time, the Society has been faithfully served by scores of employees who also called Kenosha home. Some were Barbershoppers who came to Kenosha to work for the Society; others were Wisconsin natives who took employment at the stable, reliable Society, and gave good measure for reasonable pay for many years.
As it happens, only two of the "natives" have chosen to relocate their lives and families to Nashville. And so, at the close of business Friday, (August 24) the retirees will gather their personal items, kiss goodbye, and walk out of the barbershop world - in most cases, forever.
Hundreds of years of accumulated knowledge, experience and good will goes with them. Thousands of cheery hellos; thousands of familiar greetings to volunteers they've worked with shoulder-to-shoulder at conventions, Harmony University, Leadership Forums, etc.
Our barbershop world celebrates its barbershop heroes above all, and certainly our staff Barbershoppers give their time and energy unstintingly, publicly, all year long. But the world will little know and little honor the daily contributions to the hobby made by the mail room, the shipping department, the accounting and convention and membership processing and library staff. These are the largely anonymous toilers who have kept the blood circulating for so long.
A few have worked for the Society for more than three decades; some for less than two years. Some will be retiring from the work force. Some are early-career workers who will move up. Some are mature workers who will be taking stock of their next careers. The Society is providing severance packages and job search assistance to ease the transition. But please say a prayer of gratitude and support for each of these good people in the hard months to come.
As you do, take pride in this: In many organizations, workers facing layoff would in the last week of employment be "running out the clock," until the whistle blows for the last time. Not here. All of our "retiring" staff have been hard at it up to the last minute, sorting out problems, preparing handoff materials for their successors, serving our customers until the end. It makes me proud to be their co-worker.
So hail to our Kenosha staff. Hail to good work done quietly, faithfully, constantly. Godspeed and good fortune to all.
(Do you think that what our director and coaches tell us about singing only applies to us? Are we the only ones with problems like this? Do others have similar problems? Check out what the third place International chorus, "Sound of the Rockies," has to think about so they can improve as a chorus. ED)
Musically, We are FINALLY capable of singing a more demanding musical plan. I have held off on this until a lot of the singing groundwork was in place. To be honest, it has been the least of my concerns as we have been, building this chorus. But now we need to challenge the guys to make every word meaningful and musical with direction.
Visually we still have MANY guys who don't understand 1) when they check out, 2) what checking out means and 3) how it affects the overall performance. I would love to do some small group and individual work, whether with DVD examples, or recording ourselves and playing back, so that (coach) Cindy (Hansen Ellis) can pull out individual guys who can take the heat, and start with making individual performances better. It could be very educational.
Singing wise, we still need to take a big step! Each section needs to make better choices, and here is what (is) still heard:
NOISE: Is there a way to demonstrate this effectively to the guys? And what different types of mistakes sound like? I think it will help the learning process.
Basses: Generally too many guys still singing without a forward placement, especially in the extremes of their range! Still occasional bad vowels, and bad choices in mixing in the upper range.
Baritones: Huge development in this section in the last 6 months, BUT still heavy in the lower third of their range, lots of late to tune and late to vowel target issues here.
Leads: Still have several mistakes in the amount of head voice being used. Everything can be a more musical choice in this section.
Tenors: Need to lose all heaviness and all muscle in the section sound.
And finally, there is still some major disagreement in the bass and lead section sound at times. We need to address it. AND, we need to learn how to sing the upper dynamic ranges with more RING and more FREEDOM!
(Think about what they need to do and apply it to what we need to do to become better singers.)
Telling the story . . .
Many times we have heard to sing conversationally and tell the story.
Charlie Parker, the famous jazz saxaphonist, is quoted as saying, "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn."
The same is true with singing!
For those of you viewing great barbershop on YouTube, here's a little tip for your viewing pleasure.
You can use Real Player 11 (available free at http://www.real.com/ (select "Get real player free"). Install Real Player 11, then when you go back to the website, hover over the video. A tab will appear at the top right that says: "Download this video". This will save it locally and allow you to play it any time you like from your library in the Real Player program.
If you don't like to use Real Player due to invasion concerns, check out VideoDL.org - http://www.videodl.org/
VideoDL is a quick AJAX application that allows you to download online video into your computer. It supports top 3 video sites - YouTube, Google Video, and Break.com.
Files download as flash. Very cool! Way Cool!!!
The Mt. Rushmore Chapter and the Shrine of Democracy Chorus shall promote, encourage and perpetuate barbershop-style singing in both chorus and quartets. We will recruit and welcome interested and motivated men who like to sing four-part a cappella harmony. We shall continually strive to improve our singing and performance skills, through the use of proper resources and opportunities. An attitude of fun, fellowship and teamwork will always guide our activities.