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Touring champs create unique opportunities
Rediscover the grandmasters
Greetings from Harmony Howl
Update chapter dues rates by Saturday
Barbershoppers got talent
So secret, we can't even give you a web site!
Six things you can't do at home
Sing with the Platoon
Grant application window deadline near
Visit our blog FROM THE BLOG
Touring champs create unique opportunities

We've mentioned before that 2012 champ Ringmasters has been aggressively seeking school visits to accompany their planned 2014-15 concert tours. They've been getting some nice media along the way, while wowing the kids as we would all expect. Here's a nice report from a recent stop in Bloomington, Illinois:


 

For Bloomington High School senior Brendan Donnelly, Thursday was a revelation."Everybody here has the same goal, and that's for everybody to succeed," he said. "It's amazing."  Donnelly was one of more than 500 students from 16 high schools to attend the 16th Annual Youth in Harmony Festival, an event co-sponsored by the Bloomington-based Sound of Illinois barbershop group that each year passes on the tools of the trade.

...

Ringmasters member Jakob Stenberg said he was thrilled to see so many boys at the festival - 175 boys versus 325 girls. "When I was young, it wasn't 'cool' to sing in the choir, especially for the guys," he said. "That seems to have changed."


 

See the full story and Ringmasters' schedule for more details.

LIKE FINDING A SAWBUCK IN YOUR SUIT POCKET
Back catalog has hundreds of classics you still haven't sung

 

Our favorite phone calls at Harmony Hall come from customers unfamiliar with some of the grandmaster barbershop arrangers. "Do you have this music by Way-esh?" "It looks like SAY-Boo."

 

Did you know you can search by arranger in the Harmony Marketplace? Try typing in Waesche, Szabo, or Latzko to see the hundreds of charts these men wrote. Then realize many of these guys wrote without being able to hear the Finale playback as a crutch. That's ace musicianship, guys.

 

And that's to say nothing of Val Hicks, Earl Moon, Roger Payne, Freddie King, and a dozen other past giants. Sift through and find some classic roots barbershop. Think "The Shadow of Your Smile" "Who'll Dry Your Tears?" "From the First Hello" and other iconic babashaaaawp songs.

 

Part of the pleasure of rummaging around the catalog is finding charts in the arranger's own hand. Yes, it's nice to read a clear, typeset sheet of music; but there is something thrilling and organic about seeing Walter's hand on "Emaline."


Here are a few faves you might recall.:

 

Good huntin'.
 

GREETINGS FROM HARMONY HOWL
 
Your HQ staff takes Halloween seriously. Last year, a few ghouls had some fun with co-worker Sherry Lewis's office, with amusing results.  

Happy Halloween
 

Meanwhile, in a more barbershoppy vein, here's 1995 international Quartet Champion Marquis singing "The Cockroach That Ate Cincinatti" with the Cincinnati Pops. 


 

Cincinnati Pops Halloween Special (2/6) - Danse Macabre, Barbershop Quartet
Chapter officers: update your 2015 dues by Saturday!

A reminder was sent earlier this month to chapter secretaries and chapter presidents, but in case you missed it: any changes to your chapter dues prices for 2015 need to be communicated before November 1. Believe it or not, our Customer Service Center staff will be in the office on Saturday to run renewals, despite the preceding night's massive trick-or-treating sugar binge.  

 

It is not necessary to phone Harmony Hall to change your chapter dues prices. Full instructions are on the website for making changes, which can be made by the chapter president, secretary, secretary online substitute, or treasurer.

"America's Got Talent" auditions set - it could be you!
Speaking of under-appreciated art forms... how about some barbershop in one of the biggest talent contests running?

 

The Americas Got Talent Audition website lists everything you need to know about being on the tenth season of AGT:

You can audition in person at one of the many cities we are going to, or send us a video of your talent.  Or you can do both!

TAMPA - NOV 2

NASHVILLE - NOV 5

RICHMOND (VA) - NOV 6

NEW YORK - NOV 8 & 9

CHICAGO - JAN 24 & 25

SAINT LOUIS - JAN 26

SAN ANTONIO - JAN 29

ALBUQUERQUE - JAN 31

SAN FRANCISCO AREA - FEB 7

SEATTLE - FEB 9

BOISE - FEB 10

LAS VEGAS - FEB 12

LOS ANGELES - FEB 14 & 15

Producers have expressed interest in great a cappella groups, and we have the best. Why not barbershop? Why not you?

So secret, we can't even give you a web site!
DEPT OF OMINOUS FORESHADOWING
What's Donny Rose doing to Harmony University?

SAVE THE DATE!  
Belmont University
Nashville
July 26-August 2, 2015.

Bigger. Better. Donny-er. (Rosier?)

MIDWINTER CONVENTION | January 6-11, 2015
6 things you can do at midwinter that you're unlikely to do at home
  • Sing very loudly in a hotel lobby at 1:00 am (well, maybe in New Orleans)

  • Walk up to a stranger in a lobby and say, "I've got two friends here. How about we go someplace quiet and make some beautiful music together?"

  • See five medalist quartets in two shows in two nights without driving out of town

  • Sing through world-premiere arrangements led by a quartet champion

  • Hear 500 young singers floor you with the raw energy of newfound love for barbershop harmony

  • Get a free drink from KJ McAleesejergens. (Oh wait, he can't do that; it would be unethical. Buy one for him instead!)

HARMONY PLATOON AT MIDWINTER | January 6-11, 2015 TRANSPARENT PLATOON LOGO
Sing the hottest charts with people who actually know them


Make your New Orleans Midwinter Convention experience better than ever by signing up for the Harmony Platoon, a quality quartet experience that is challenging, exciting, and fun.  Platoon registrations for Midwinter are due November 15. Questions: Don Salz, [email protected] (916) 813-2959 or www.harmonyplatoon.org 

First window for grant applications closes Friday 

A revitalized process for evaluating and distributing grant funds for outreach activities has yielded a wave of applications. Reminder: the first round of applications must be submitted by Friday, October 31, 2014. 

On-demand video webinars with Outreach Director Joe Cerutti are available now at www.barbershop.org/grants. For assistance with the WizeHive applicationsoftware, you can view archived webinars with Outreach Assistant Ashley Torroll.