Our partnership with the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) continues to expand ways that music professionals see and hear quality barbershop. On February 20, 2014, the Westminster Chorus opened the ACDA Western Conference meeting with a spectacular performance that brought the crowd to its feet in a thunderous ovation.
|
|
SONG OF THE WEEK - FANBOY EDITION
Sing some faves from Westminster
We'll go ahead and 'fess up that we're a bit Westminster-crazy this week, following the outstanding ovation earned at last week's ACDA Western Conference showcase. It's worth noting, though, that while this chorus is garnering fame in choral circles for some incredible non-barbershop performances, they made their bones singing material we'd all recognize as part of our barbershop heritage. We're featuring a few of those titles this week:
"Have A Little Talk With Myself" has been sung by the Westminster Chorus, Max Q, and of course, arranger Gary Parker's quartet, 1973 Champion Dealer's Choice. Get analyzin', criticizin', organizin', ostricizin' and singifyin' this fun little ditty, called a difficulty level 4 on the 1-5 scale. Harder than the average bear, but upbeat, uplifting, and really gets in your head. "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring" is an Aaron Dale take on the classic Four Freshmen song. If you don't know this song, go on YouTube right now and do some homework. You owe it to yourself; this is a choice ballad, a classic tune, revived by the impeccably clean Westminster chorus.
|
 FROM THE BLOG
It's great in its own right, but also instructive behind the scenes. Harmonizers Marketing Director Noah Van Gilder explains: Rather than spend a lot of time and money to hire a professional to compose this video, the Harmonizers took advantage of Animoto.com, one of the online services that facilitate in-house video creation. Using a few photos, 20 minutes of copywriting, and 30 minutes of production, we were ready to roll this in a single evening of work Many of the elements of 'classy' marketing can now be accomplished just as easily by YOUR chapter using such online services, include high-quality email newsletters, flyers and posters, signs, buttons, branded apparel, and website design. Working smart amplifies the value of working hard. Use tools that make hard things easier, so you can focus on the brain work instead of the tech work. |
|
WRITERS WRECOGNIZED, PROOFERS PUZZLED
 PROBE bulletin contests underway
In many chapters, internal communications begin and end with the chapter bulletin, a venerable barbershop tradition dating back to the days of manual typewriters, mimeographs and pint after pint of Wite-Out.
PROBE, the Society's subsidiary for Public Relations Officers and Bulletin Editors, supports and recognizes the mostly-unsung editors who dutifully, gleefully create these little masterpieces each month or week. The annual International Bulletin Contests are now underway, for both traditional hard-copy bulletins and those distributed electronically. Get full details for entries, scoresheets, and judging online at probeweb.org/Contests/index.html. Entry deadline is April 1, 2014.
|
| Remix madness: a new Las Vegas promo video appears
Look who else is doing cool stuff: James Halvorson of the Far Western District just put out this nice promo video plugging this summer's contest. He knocked this out in iMovie--$4.99 on your IOS devices, $14.99 on your Mac. Pro-quality production doesn't need to be expensive. Sweet!
|
|
June 29-July 6, 2014
"It's the music" means YOU do the singing
We hardly need to tell you of the infinite reasons to love Las Vegas for its non-barbershop entertainment: shows, gaming, food, and amusement attractions of all kinds.
Did you have any idea just how much ACTIVE BARBERSHOP FUN we're cooking up?
Take a look at that logo: "It's the music." That means that there's more to this convention than sitting in theaters watching other people sing, although we have the best of that, unquestionably.
You should go to Vegas so you can sing more than at any convention in the past. Here are just a few of the ways you can SING at the convention in Las Vegas, without ever putting on a tux:
-
Harmony University - General Sessions Each day, we'll offer a general session led by top vocal teachers and musicians, to give you a solid warm-up that will keep you singing healthy and strong through the late nights.
-
Harmony University - Music reading sessions We have an aggressive schedule of new music publications slated for 2014, and you'll get a chance to sing through a heap of them. Take an hour to enjoy the simple pleasure of sight-singing, and maybe find a new gem (or unbury an old treasure) for your quartet or chorus package.
-
Harmony Platoon - Mix and match quartet experience
Learn a packet of great charts in advance, then sing them in quartets with other people aching to sing challenging material well.
-
Tag all night! There's no such thing as "last call" in Vegas. Nothing to stop that perfect happenstance quartet from going until 4. Or 5. Or 6.
-
AHSOW Woodshedders Parlor
A beloved fixture for decades, the Ancient Harmonious Society of Woodshedders offers instruction and a haven for the manly art of singing by ear, unburdened by sheet music or self-consciousness.
-
Harmony University - Next Generation Chorus While not strictly an open-invitation event, you should be interested to know that more than 60 young men will attend the convention at no charge, their registrations underwritten by a cadre of generous Barbershoppers who stood up at Harmony University and said, "I want that kid to go to the convention!"
-
Hospitality rooms, chorditoriums (chorditoria?), parties, district rallies One great advantage of being all under one roof is that you can hit several parties every night, without ever leaving the MGM Grand. More parties in one place means more places to sing!
If you're not actively singing two hours every day, then friend, you just aren't trying. Register now: www.barbershopconvention.com/vegas
|
FROM THE BLOG: MARTY MONSON, CEO
We're making more friends - give them a listen!
 One of the great pleasures of attending ACDA conventions is forging friendships and partnerships with singing groups across the entire vocal spectrum.
While attending the ACDA Western Division Conference, I had the pleasure of meeting Don Decker, a Barbershopper in the Southern Gateway Chorus, and an alumnus of the acclaimed Purdue University Varsity Glee Club. He mentioned Purdue's director, Bill Griffel, is also a Barbershopper in the Kentucky Vocal Union, and that the Purdue group was soon to embark on a tour of California. (Get tour details.)
Which reminded me: there is an incredible amount of music criss-crossing the continent every week, as high-quality musical organizations like this take their acts on the road. Wouldn't it be great to have a barbershop presence at these shows! Think of the ways you can help, no strings attached:
- Buy a block of tickets, share them with your family, friends and fans, and show up en masse to support vocal music in your community.
- Ask high school music educators if they'd like tix for their students--and buy them!
- Even better: with enough advance notice, engage one of these groups to perform in an event WITH you.
Want to find them? Start with the Intercollegiate Men's Choruses, Inc. or their Facebook page for links to dozens of performers, and including the biennium IMCI festival being held March 6-8 at Rutgers University.
|
|
NEXT EVENT: TUESDAY, MARCH 4, NOON
Be our guest: Dusty will be your host
Make the Most Out of Your Convention Experience
March 4
Dusty Schleier, Director of Meetings and Conventions
Want to get more out of your convention? We will discuss reasons to attend even if you aren't there to compete. Topics will include:
- Reasons to attend your District Convention
- Tips to get more out of your District Convention
- Highlights, Information & tips on upcoming Midwinter & International Events
Voice Lessons for Barbershoppers
March 11
Steve Scott
Visions of Excellence - Book Review
March 18, noon
Joe Cerutti
Many think the book is geared towards chorus directors, and it is for directors of all levels, but it is also a great resource for all chorus leadership, chorus singers and barbershop fans of all ages. We'll talk a bit about the origin of the book and its predecessor in the choral music genre, "In Quest of Answers" by Carole Glenn. We will reference the ACDA review recently published in the Choral Journal and dissect the variety of the questions asked and the directors interviewed. We'll also leave time for a short Q&A. It is not necessary to have read the book, and the hour session might actually serve as a great introduction to the book for those who love the culture and history of the barbershop chorus.
Click here for details and registration.
|
| Harmony University Registration is now online!
With all those tantalizing promises of the greatest week ever, your mind has been made up for weeks. Now, you can do something about it. Sign up today!
|
NAME THAT TEACHER
Harmony U faculty mystery
You already knew that we have the greatest faculty in the world, truly names that everyone know. In fact, we don't even have to tell you their names: with just a few clues, you can probably name these famous people yourself!
So check out this bio: This two-time Sweet Adeline International Queen of Harmony is on the SAI International Faculty, a sought-after coach and soloist, and is Director of Choirs at Gaither High School in Tampa, FL. She will be co-directing the FIRST EVER YWIH chorus and will be assisting with the Next Generation Chorus.
Got her? Great - go to our Harmony University page on Facebook to see if you're right; hit LIKE on the page, and we'll enter you in a drawing for one of her CDs. It's just another way we're feeling the excitement for Harmony University this summer; you can almost hear the buzz around the office as show time draws closer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
