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SwitchBack performs in lottery commercials
A new series of television and radio spots for the Iowa Lottery feature SwitchBack on stage, smiling broadly and singing to the camera. The members of the quartet, outfitted in eye-catching silver jackets, sing a harmonic jingle about the lottery's "Make My Day™," "Make My Week™," "Make My Month™," and "Make My Year™" instant-scratch games.
SwitchBack was chosen by a selection committee for the lottery spots from many video and audio files featuring quartets from across the state. The commercials were produced by a music arranger, an advertising agency and production studios based in Iowa.
SwitchBack's members are: John Hayden from Blairstown, Lee Thomsen from Marion, Erik Sherard from Cedar Rapids and Terry Blessing from Iowa City. All four have collegiate singing experience, three are members of the Harmony Hawks Barbershop Chorus in Cedar Rapids, and two are music educators in school districts in Linn and Benton counties.
Read the full story at bit.ly/lotteryquartetbackground
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LEARN AT HOME
Harmony U Online lineup announced
Harmony U Online debuts with a Basic Music Theory class on Friday, January 17, the first in a slate of new classes being offered. Here's a preview:
(All times 12:00pm Central)
January 24
How to Plan a Great Guest Night
Rick Spencer
February 6
Voice Lessons for Barbershoppers: What YOU Really Need To Know
Steve Scott
February 10
Facebook For Dummies
Becca Grimmer
February 13
Basic Music Theory, 2nd Edition
Adam Scott
February 20
'Visions of Excellence' Book Review
Joe Cerutti
February 25
PR/Marketing For Your Chapter
Brian Lynch
March 4
Make the Most out of Your Convention Experience
Dusty Schleier
Check back often for details as they emerge.
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Midwinter webcast? You bet!
Yes, you know what a great time we'll be having in Long Beach at the Midwinter Convention. And yes, you probably really do wish you could get there yourself, but the new job's a hassle and the kid's got the flu....
So be reassured that there is light in the depths of late January gloom, in the form of the Midwinter Convention webcast. Registrations are now open at www.midwinterwebcast.com! Prices start at just $20 per individual sessions, or only $39 for the full ride (all sessions)! The first stream will be viewable on Friday, January 31, 10 a.m. Pacific time with the Youth Chorus Festival! Archives on-demand are included and will be available the following week. For extra enjoyment, subscribers will have live access to all scheduled sessions and webcast archives starting sometime Monday, February 3, 2014.
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Seniors quartets hitting hard on YouTube 
Last week's feature on Seniors Quartet Contest entrants is drawing some nice views on YouTube. Many more have been posted--catch up with them all in this YouTube playlist at bit.ly/seniorqts2014.
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SIT UP WHERE YOU BELONG
You are invited to...THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE!
If you've ever wanted to test out your judging chops, you can bid on a seat in the Judging Area and be a "Judge for a Day." Harmony Foundation International and the Contest & Judging program are auctioning off the Best Seat in the House at Midwinter in Long Beach, California. Bidding ends Friday, January 17 at noon Pacific.
BID NOW at www.BestSeat.org for either contest session (Youth Chorus Adjudication or Seniors Quartet contest). You will sit with the judging panel. You will be able to (unofficially) score contestants. You will discuss the contest afterwards with the judges, and you will participate in the evaluation sessions that follow. You will have the same privileges as the official panel. Why would you want to sit in the back when you can SIT UP FRONT?
Funds raised by the BSITH program will be applied to the programs and projects supported by Harmony Foundation.
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FREE SONG OF THE WEEK
"Free" is always "Welcome"  Lest anyone forget, the Society offers a wealth of sheet music at NO CHARGE to members and fellow travelers. Always with an eye to Keep the Whole World Singing, let's not a buck stand between a prospective singer and a taste of chord happiness.
This month's offering, "Welcome Song," is just what it claims to be: a gathering song to welcome singers to our meeting, our culture, our world of barbershop. Writer/composer Einar N. Pedersen (1917-2005) was one of the Barbershop Harmony Society's finest songwriters, famous worldwide for "I Love to Hear That Old Barbershop Style," among other faves. Grab your freebies: Men's Voices or Women's Voices , and browse all the offerings in the Free Music section. (Recommended: "You'll Never Know the Good Fellow I've Been," which includes free learning tracks!) |
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DESIGN CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Need a poster for Singing Valentines? Here you go!
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SING FOR NEW AUDIENCES!
Harmony Sweepstakes regional contests now accepting entries 
There's more than one way to own the stage! Now in its third decade, the Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival has been the melting pot of top-notch a cappella talent from around the world.
Barbershoppers always make a good showing when they bring our unique sound and entertainment value to the contest, and there's an impressive roster of national champs to show for it: Da Capo (2011), Maxx Factor (Sweet Adelines) (2007), Hi-Fidelity (2006), The Perfect Gentlemen (2002), and Metropolis (1998) -- and that's only national champs!
The 2014 Schedule is firming up, and you can register now at www.harmony-sweepstakes.com
Represent! Share quality barbershop with our a cappella brethren and sistren!
And while we're talking about great a cappella to be heard...check out the many great shows and contests of the International Championships of Collegiate A Cappella and International Championships of High School A Cappella at www.varsityvocals.com
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