April 07, 2016 
Visit our blog
Past issues: bit.ly/livewirearchive 


Storm Front celebrates National Barbershop Quartet Day on FOX!
Advertise with us in Nashville
HU Class Highlight: Mixed Harmony
Remember Dr. Jim Richards and his Harmony Wheel
VIDEO: The Ritz
Volunteers make those handsome charts possible
Contest season update
Foundation prepares farewell to senior officer
A tribute to Bob Welzenbach and The Oriole Four
Follow us

WITH SOME HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS

Storm Front celebrates National Barbershop Quartet Day on FOX!

Set your DVRs! Fox & Friends begins broadcasting 6am EDT

The award-winning Sweet Adeline quartet ClassRing and our 2010 International Champion quartet Storm Front will be joining forces on the nationally-televised Fox & Friends to help celebrate what most of us already know: Barbershop Quartets are awesome.

April 11 marks the annual celebration of the venerable Barbershop Quartet and the uniquely-American art form of close harmony it continues to bring to the world. Founded on April 11, 1938, the Barbershop Harmony Society has made it its mission for the past 78 years to preserve and encourage Barbershop quartet singing in America and abroad, and together with our sisters in harmony we continue doing just that.

Be sure to tune in to Fox and Friends and enjoy what will no doubt an exciting and memorable experience for everyone!


Calling all businesses! Exhibitor space, big screen ads, and program page ads are now available for the Nashville convention. Pricing, applications, and technical requirements can all be found on our web site

Questions? Contact Mark Holdeman at [email protected]

HARMONY UNIVERSITY HIGHLIGHT

Over 100 HU classes available at International Convention

Looking for a little more OOMPH from your convention registration? Then you don't want to miss all of the great classes taking place all week long.... including private lesson opportunities. Our list of offerings have something for everyone! 


REMEMBER THIS?

Is one of these in your collection?
The late, great Dr. Jim Richards (BHS Hall of Fame, originator of HU's Physics of Sound) invented the Harmony Slide Rule to give technical information to each part of a quartet on tuning, based on the note they were singing in the chord. 

Using a series of clear wheels set to a specific place on the circle, each note would be given and then Jim's invention explained how many cents higher or lower you needed to sing the just pitch to make it actually in tune. This is commonly known as Pythagorean tuning, and came about in response to the tempered scale attributed primarily to Bach. (In a tempered scale, octaves are in tune with each other but all scale degrees are equally divided, which does NOT follow the way overtones stack.) The wheel would be turned to each part to show each guy what to do on any chord. Highly technical, but fun!

Jim passed away February 20, 2016, still active at age 90 as a singer. His friends in the Minneapolis Commodores put together this loving tribute to the great quartet man, judge, past international president, and friend.
CAN'T MISS TICKET OF THE WEEK
VIDEO OF THE WEEK: The Ritz!
During the quartet's active career, The Ritz focused on having great concert performances and producing studio recordings. They produced nine exciting and successful releases. We can't wait to see our 25th Anniversary Champions reunited for this terrific show!

Make sure to pick up your tickets to see Instant Classic make their AIC debut in Nashville this summer, appearing at the incredible Schermerhorn Symphony Center for two star-studded shows.


The Ritz - She Didn't Say No
VOLUNTEERS FOR THE WIN!
Who makes it happen? These guys!
The BHS Music Publications team is very fortunate to have several volunteers that assist with music editing, cleanup, and general preparations on a vast number of our charts. A big thank you to all the guys in the "No Hurries, No Worries" group who are so generous with their editing talents and music notation & typesetting skills. These guys are an incredible asset to the Society and the time and effort they donate is astronomical.

 A special mention of gratitude to Doug Arrington, Nathan Mitts, Mike Rosen, Jim Hoover, and Rich Dombrosky who have been so helpful to new A&R Manager Scott Harris as he settles into his new role at BHS. To everyone who helps and volunteers in this area, we couldn't do it without you!
CONTEST SEASON CONTINUES
This weekend: EVG, JAD, ONT Prelims
Spring Convention season heats up this weekend with three qualifying contests! 

Evergreen District - Eugene, OR 
Johnny Appleseed District - Worthington, OH
Ontario District - Scarborough, ON

Visit our web page for the latest on quartets qualifying for the Big Show in Nashville this summer. Scores can be found courtesy of the Harmonet Reporter page.

Harmony Foundation logo transparent

HFI prepares to say a fond farewell
Harmony Foundation International announced this week that Senior Director of Development Ryan Killeen will be stepping down from his role with the Foundation. Ryan will be relocating to Florida with his family September 30, 2016, to assume a new leadership role in a family endeavor and begin serving on the board of a local private school near the Killeen's new home. Prior to his departure, his work will focus on completion of the Every Voice Matters campaign and finalizing the fiscal year.
 
Foundation CEO Clarke Caldwell called Ryan's tenure with the foundation one of the most impactful in its history and referenced his passion, dedication, personality and skill as key to the organization's overall growth and development.
 
Ryan said: "I never thought I would work anywhere but here. I have seen, up close and every day, ordinary people do extraordinary things through giving. I have seen people's lives changed for good because of those extraordinary people. I have seen Marty Monson and Clarke Caldwell transform the minds and hearts of Barbershoppers to see themselves as pioneers in stepping out of their silos and into their communities. The thought of not having a front row seat to this exchange between selfless givers and the world that needs them so desperately is the most difficult thought to endure."
 
Ryan will participate in the search to fill his position and stay on board to work alongside the new chief development officer in an effort to make the transition as smooth and seamless as possible. An announcement of the position will be posted in the coming days.
RIP BOB WELZENBACH
Remembering The Oriole Four

The passing this week of Bob Welzenbach, tenor of 1970 champion Oriole Four, sent producer Jeremy K. Gover plunging once again into the archives for this lovely tribute to the champ and his much-loved quartet.
CONNECT WITH US!
Flood your social media feed with BARBERSHOP

Like us on Facebook         Follow us on Twitter         View on Instagram         View our videos on YouTube

Barbershop Harmony Society | 110 7th Ave N | Nashville | TN | 37203