June 27, 2013  
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SORRY! GONE BARBERSHOPPING...
Harmony Hall closed during convention
Headquarters offices will be closed next week during convention, beginning at close of business Friday, June 27, and reopening on Tuesday, July 9. During that time, you can renew your membership online, access and update your records at ebiz.barbershop.org Enjoy a safe holiday week, and sing up a storm where ever you are -- at a family picnic, at a webcast party, or with us in Toronto.
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DOWNLOAD TODAY - LISTEN EN ROUTE TO TORONTO
Mammoth collection of champs released on iTunes
Just in time to tune up your ears for the world championship!
This one-of-a-kind package contains tracks from each of the 74 previous International Champion quartets, as well as several tracks by other groups that helped to establish the barbershop art form. Many of these performances have never before been available and this collection stands as the only source for much of this music. The full collection is available in digital form online for $49.00 on the iTunes Store with a la carte purchasing available as well. There will be no CD release of this collection, but you can purchase the downloads and burn your own CD if you like. Plus, if you purchase between June 25, 2013 and July 10, 2013, you will also receive as a bonus the six tracks from the yet-to-be-crowned 2013 International Quartet Champion when they become available.
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LEGENDS HONORED
The Nylons to receive Honorary Membership; Hall of Fame, anniversary quartets celebrated
Throughout the 75th Anniversary Celebration at Toronto, the Barbershop Harmony Society will honor several men and performers who have had a profound impact on the musical world. Watch for these special tributes throughout the week:
- Platinum-selling recording artists The Nylons will receive Honourary Membership in the Barbershop Harmony Society. The Nylons represent the birth of contemporary a cappella, bringing style, original compositions, and a dancefloor mentality to a broad popular audience that had never heard anything like them. In many ways, The Nylons were the godparents to a new generation of singers, inspiring a resurgence of collegiate a cappella over the last 20 years.
- The Association of International Champions show will include special anniversary tributes to the Town and Country 4 (1963) and Chiefs of Staff (1988.)
- Hall of Fame honors will be conferred on arranger/artist Greg Backwell, arranger/director/coach Greg Lyne, and Dapper Dans founder "Bub" Thomas.
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GET MORE FROM BARBERSHOP -- NEW WAYS TO LEARN AHEAD
 O'Neill tapped to head expansion of Harmony University
Mike O'Neill has accepted a new role as Director of Harmony University. Mike's responsibilities will include expanding Harmony University to include reaching an external audience through distance learning, making available certification programs for a variety of disciplines (not just musical directors), and building on the world-class education BHS already offers at the week-long event.
A part of the BHS staff since 2006, O'Neill has worked extensively in educational outreach, chorus director development and Harmony University program development. Mike is a past collegiate quartet champion, chorus director, and bass of the popular Lunch Break quartet.
More exciting developments are just over the horizon -- stay tuned!
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WORDS SLOW -- PICTURES FAST!
Instagram feed added to HQ social media mix
All the cool cats are doing it -- telling their stories in pictures and sharing them quickly with Instagram.
The mobile photo sharing service recently added capability for uploading 15-second video, making it perfect for quick tags, shout-outs and "wish you were here" pix from the convention.
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Smartphones like Joe the web developer
(formerly Joe the intern)  
A tip o' the LiveWire cap goes to Joe Traughber for building the new, mobile-friendly convention website at barbershopconvention.com
Schedules, news, and links to the webcast and social media will all flow through this site, making it easy to keep up with the convention on the go.
Recently hired after a term as an intern at HQ, Joe has been working closely with Infamous Eddie Holt to enhance our entire family of web sites, and we predict great things from this team. |
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TAKE YOUR CALL? YOU BET WE CAN!
BHS Service Center speeds processing of memberships, orders
Callers to Harmony Hall in Nashville may have noticed a few new voices recently -- and an old familiar one, too.
A redesigned Service Center team will now handle all member service calls that had previously been split between Harmony Marketpace, quartet processing and membership processing. Now, any service rep can handle any of these requests, reducing the need for transfers, callbacks and multiple orders. Caki Watson assumed leadership of this team in late April, and has been focused on training and supporting the group as it transforms into an even more customer-focused group. |
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Watch the webcast!
Out of driving range? We've got you covered. The 2013 Convention Webcast will bring all the contest action right to your computer or mobile device.
Choose the all-inclusive package for all contest sessions, daily sessions for as little as $35 a day, and even an audio-only stream for just $20! Add in a separate subscription for the Association of International Champions Show ($30) and you've got an awesome week of harmony. All the details are now live at www.bhs-live.com. Watch the promo video to test your current system and ensure you will be able to connect. (Note: past subscribers can log in using their credentials from previous webcasts -- save a few clicks.)
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