Harmony Rag Quartet of Nations Newsletter, Region 31 Sweet Adelines International Spring 2010
Harmony For Haiti An evening of song, socialising and fundraising was Apple County Chorus’s response to the Haiti earthquake. Joining forces with the Rivertones (Taunton’s Male Barbershop Chorus), Apple County hosted a fantastic event, ‘Harmony for Haiti’, to raise funds for the victims of the Haiti disaster earlier this year. The venture took only two weeks from conception to performance. The aim was to raise enough money to provide three ‘SHELTERBOXES’ for Haiti. Despite the recession – the event was a total sell out – all performers also
purchased tickets for this very worthwhile cause. The evening began with a show featuring both choruses and a guest quartet from Bristol known at the ‘Forget-menots’, entertaining the packed audience with a variety of songs from traditional barbershop to old favourites from shows and films. The singers gave of their best and the audience loved it! The evening continued with a delicious buffet provided by members of both choruses. A Shelterbox was on view courtesy of Wiveliscombe Rotary Club – this generated much interest
and gave everyone the opportunity to see what the money was being raised for. A small stage area offered the opportunity for further entertainment: an ‘open mic’ session provided further performances from both
Shelterbox adds extra sparkle to Champagne! In common with the rest of the country, here in the far South West of the UK we started 2010 with such unusually cold weather that all was sent into chaos.
people of Haiti lost so much more in that terrible earthquake. The whole world was anxious for aid to reach these people and the logistical problems made it so difficult. Just
Whilst almost everyone knows that Cornwall has a wonderful coastline and a great tradition of singing, fewer people know that it is also home to the disaster relief charity - Shelterbox.
Still, whilst we bemoaned the loss of opportunities to join in harmony with our chorus friends, the
like everyone else, we helplessly watched their plight and all wondered what we could do to help.
Founded in 2000, by a member of the Helston, Cornwall, Rotary Club, Shelterbox has now grown
choruses and quartet, with additional appearances from Apple County’s Music Team, ‘Highlights’, and quartet, ‘Topnotch’, plus something entirely different with a duo playing Sea Shanties on guitar and fiddle much to the delight of the audience who joined
in ‘proms’ style!! A great time was had by all and more importantly the final figure raised during the evening was just over £2000.00, enough to not only reach our target, but enough to buy FOUR boxes and provide shelter for 40 people!
For information about Shelterbox and the great work done by this organisation based in Cornwall visit their website www.shelterbox.org to be supported by Rotary clubs around the world. It specialises in providing an extended family of up to 10 people with a tent and essential equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless. Typically, each box contains: a 10 person tent, thermal blankets, insulated ground sheets, multi-
fuel stove, wood burning stove, cooking utensils, tools water containers and purification equipment and a child’s pack. The organisation uses a strong and extensive support base of volunteers both in the UK and worldwide in order to keep overheads to a minimum. One of the members of Champagne has been a Shelterbox
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Quartet of Nations Regional Newsletter
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volunteer helping to pack boxes since there was an appeal for help following the Tsunami. Back in 2005, Shelterboxes which were sent to provide aid in New Orleans following the flooding there. It seemed odd sending aid boxes from Cornwall to the US!! All of those boxes were funded by contributions from Rotary clubs across the US who recognised the expertise of this organisation in matching the relief aid to the needs
of the people affected by natural disasters. Whilst respect for the work of “Shelterbox” grows across the World, we in Cornwall still see it as a Cornish charity and it is always very well supported both by people simply calling into the warehouse to try to be of use packing boxes and by local collections. Members of Champagne received e mails just before our first meeting in January inviting us to contribute to fund a Shelterbox for Haiti.
We were told that if 35 of us contributed £14 each, we would have enough for a whole Shelterbox! With the previous rehearsal having been cancelled due to snow and ice, a recruitment evening in progress and a weekend concert to prepare for, there was no time for a formal collection. A box was put out for donations. Then, a snatched whisper along the risers had asked “is that the donation box or the suggestion box?” (They DID look very
similar!) It was thought advisable to ensure that donations went into the correct box, but apart from clarifying which box was which, members were left to somehow find time themselves to add their donations. There was very little time! When it was confirmed at our singout the following weekend, that, after such a “low key” collection, we had passed our target of £490 for a Shelterbox and that most of the donations were also gift aided, the
whole chorus was ecstatic. Judging by the response we received on the Sunday from our audience, our extra sparkle was apparent to all. As the photograph of the chorus gathered around a Shelterbox was being taken, some members of the audience handed in more donations. Thank you Shelterbox for giving us the opportunity to feel that we have helped in a small way the people of Haiti and also, through this, helping us to entertain others!
New Year Inspiration
Two Phoenix members, Anna Raab and Rosalind Johnson, write about their recent inspiring barbershop experiences … Phoenix started 2010 in style! Forget the usual slow ease into January, regretting that last mince pie and making a new year’s resolution to join the gym!
Phoenix had no time for that, because January began with two amazing evenings of coaching from international showmanship judge and Melodeers choreographer, Renee Porzel. If a woman can be described as a whirlwind, then Renee fits the bill perfectly! Enthusiastic, upbeat, energetic and wonderfully inspiring, Renee’s visit was Phoenix’s first foray into showmanship coaching – and boy, did we take to it! With an emphasis
on character, Renee encouraged us all to “become” the woman we’re portraying in our up tune. We pictured ourselves in long, slinky dresses and the highest of stiletto heels, oozing magnetism and allure. By the end of the second evening with Renee, our efforts at showmanship turned us into a bunch of show offs! Each and every member of the chorus released their inner goddess and became the ultimate performer on the risers. Renee’s visit was so inspiring and we’ve absolutely loved putting her coaching into practice every Tuesday evening at rehearsal. There’s no better
2 | HARMONY RAG | SPRING 2010
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Finesse! It’s been an action packed, sequin-filled few months for Finesse! On the eve of Halloween in Cheltenham, we were thrilled and delighted to become the 2009 LABBS Quartet Champions. We had an amazing weekend and loved seeing so many of our LABBS and Sweet Adelines friends. One of the many highlights had
with it all… well… what can we say…??!!! In January we spent an amazing, fun-filled weekend with the wonderful Ivy League chorus at their retreat. Nicky has the privilege of being their permanent coach whilst the other three are busy raising future members! It was an honour to be asked to work with such an inspiring
Champagne Cornwall Chorus
25 Anniversary Concert th
Friday 2nd July 2010 ts s e u G l ia From Region 26 (Canada),
to be meeting and singing with the Four Bettys who were LABBS’ invited guests for the weekend. They were an inspiration to us all, as not only were they fabulously talented singers and performers but delightful, kind, humble ladies who were wonderful ambassadors for Sweet Adelines and our ‘hobby’ as a whole. They helped to make an already wonderful weekend even better and trying on their crowns within an hour of winning when we were still giddy
group of young singers. Next on the calendar was the education weekend with the Four Bettys in February, where we met up with all our friends all over again ! Not long now and it will be time to point the Finesse bus northwards for what promises to be another fantastic weekend in Gateshead. Excited? Oh yes! We can’t wait – see you there! With love, Helen, Beth, Tan, Nicky FINESSE www.finessequartet.co.uk
Spec
City of Gardens Chorus with Master Director, Julie Smith and Mevagissey Male Voice Choir Directed by former BABS gold medallist, Graham Willcocks
Put the date in your diary and come help us celebrate in St Austell, Cornwall. For more details contact: Janet@champagnecornwall.co.uk
DORDOGNE, FRANCE House with pool to let in Dordogne area Sleeps 8. Attractions locally include Rocamadour, Sarlat, Gouffre de Padirac. Available April - June 2010.
Details at www.gitevisit.com .T: 0033 5 65 38 66 60 or email: rgmb55@yahoo.com HARMONY RAG | SPRING 2010 | 3
Quartet of Nations Regional Newsletter
Busy Start To The Year For Dalediva We had a very busy and enjoyable musical festive season and had a great time at our Christmas party.
Each section put on an act to entertain the rest of the Divas - and to give you an idea of the kind of things we get up to, here’s a
X FACTOR DIVAS: Bari section leaders (from left) Katie as Louis Walsh, Harriet as Dannii Minogue, Claire as Cheryl Cole and Liz as Simon Cowell ‘judged’ their team’s singing to the delight of the other sections.
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photo of the bari section leaders hamming it up as the X Factor judges in their barbershop send-up of the hit TV show. The New Year got off to a great start too, with sales of our debut CD ‘Definitely Diva’ boosted by a day singing and bag-packing at our local Sainsbury’s store in Matlock. It was a great profile-raiser as well as fund-raiser and thoroughly enjoyed by all the Divas. Sainsbury’s enjoyed us too and said the feedback from customers was amazing. They’ve already booked us for next Christmas and asked us to go back at Easter. Our first sing-out of the New Year was an intimate performance at Willersley Castle, a small venue in Cromford where we’re based. It was for a group of retired holidaymakers on their last evening in Derbyshire and was a very enjoyable performance where we won a few more fans and sold lots of CDs. Preparations are already well underway for The Sage of course and there’s the excitement of getting to grips with our competition songs and enjoying some extra choreography rehearsals to perfect those moves. We also have four new members who’ve joined us since last convention who have the excitement of taking part in their first national competition. This is especially good news for us because three of DaleDiva’s current line-up will have to miss The Sage this year because they’re all having babies! (Ally’s now said that anyone planning a family in future should check the singing diary first!) We’ll miss them of course but looking on the bright side - just one more and we’ll have a YWIH quartet... By the time you read this we’ll have performed in a charity concert to do our bit for a global fund-raising effort in partnership with Rotary International and US computer giant Bill Gates to raise millions of dollars to eradicate Polio throughout the world. We’re proud to be involved and pleased to do our bit for this most worthwhile cause. Next month we’re off to Milton Keynes to take part in an audition for BBC Radio 3’s Choir of the Year competition then on April 24 we’re hosting our second annual show at County Hall, Matlock, which last year really helped to put us on the local map. This year we’ll be very proud again to welcome the 2009 BABS quartet Champions Evolution as our guests on stage as well as Tuxedo Junction directed by Rob Barber - and a performance by our own quartet Farenheit of course. We’ve come a long way since our first annual show last February, have learned a lot and made lots of new friends. We’re really looking forward to it - and it’s all good practice for Newcastle of course! It would be great to see some of our Region 31 friends there so please visit our website if you’d like to order some tickets. Liz Tomes - PRO www.dalediva.co.uk
Fund Raising ONE DAY WORKSHOP
✪ A Smashing Way to Bring Money into Your Chorus ✪
Daniel St.Pierre / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
If you’ve thought about applying for sponsorship, grants or money from funding bodies and simply do not know where to start or you never seem to get anywhere, this is the Workshop for you.
Date
Saturday 19th June 2010 Venue
BVSC, the Centre for Voluntary action, 138 Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 6DR
CoSt
up to and including 5 June, £30.00 per delegate. after 5th June, £40.00 per delegate. the cost is inclusive of all sessions, coffee, lunch and tea. th
BaRBeRShop In haRmony
this Workshop is a joint endeavour by BaBS, LaBBS and Sweet adelines International, Region 31. With a collective voice of over 6000 singers, the three associations are working together to promote and raise the profile of barbershop singing in the uK.
RegISteR noW
please send your form and cheque by post to mrs Jacqui edwards, 112 hillside, Banstead, Surrey, Sm7 1ha. Cheques should be made payable to: Barbershop in Harmony. If you have any queries, please ring Jacqui on 01737 355306 or email her on: jeedwards@btinternet.com
Quartet of Nations Regional Newsletter
Young Singers Foundation Following an enquiry from a Member in our Region, I contacted the Foundation as to how we can relate our education system to that of the USA and received the following reply: “In reference to your inquiry about Foundation scholarships and grants I have the following information. In the United States, university or college students generally take four to five years to complete a degree. A student in the UK would be eligible for a Foundation scholarship if they are entering at least their second year of university in an accredited institution pursuing a degree from an accredited institution in vocal music performance, music education or music therapy. Kate Veeder, Chair of the Foundation,
is from New Zealand and is familiar with the British education system. Kate will be helpful in clarifying the differences in the education requirements of the UK. In order to be considered for a Foundation scholarship a student must be entering their sophomore year or above and pursuing a degree from an accredited institution in vocal music performance, music education or music therapy”. The deadline for applying for a Scholarship is 15th February each year and Grants are awarded twice a year with deadline of 1st June and 1st November. Unfortunately, it is too late to apply for a Scholarship this year but a student could still apply for a grant. With escalating costs of books and university fees, it would be worth applying
for a grant this year with a view to apply for a Scholarship for next year. The
competition is really high but it is worth a try. As I have said in past years, it would be great to have someone from our Region receiving a Grant or a Scholarship in the future. It is possible if a student (male or female) takes the time and trouble to apply. All they would need to do is write down why they should be a recipient of a Scholarship or Grant, what their aims for the future are and fill in an application for which they can get from www. youngsingersfoundation. org. All the information
needed is contained in this website. Unfortunately we cannot have a bucket collection at the Sage but if you wish to make a donation to the YSF – please contact Fran Pocock at franpocock@ mypostoffice.co.uk or check on the website. I know you will think “why should we donate to something in the USA” but we really could have someone from our Region getting some of the benefit. The more money donated worldwide the more applicants will benefit. Fran Pocock
uartet Q e n i m Z Z Ja
Director Certification Program We have a number of participants currently going through this program.
I am very privileged to be the coordinator for the program in our region as it continues to grow in leaps and bounds and it is great that so many people are signing up for the program or enquiring for the future. It is not always easy to find time in our busy lives to study but many of you are in the process of working your way through the program and well done to you all. However, there are some members who have signed up but not yet started on the program or are taking a break. I hope, that once Convention is over, I will hear from you all again. You don’t have to be a director/co-director or an assistant director to start on the program. Whatever your role in the chorus the program will help you to
understand some of the qualities we need to be a good member in our chorus or quartet. It is hoped that we may get some classes organised at workshops in the future for those on the program. However, our members do need to let the RMT know that is what they want. Please let your EDC, Directors’ Coordinator or your DCP Coordinator know what you would like to see on the curriculum. I have already passed on the comments from those who replied to the email I sent out in February but we need more input from you all! Good luck to everyone in competition this year. We may see some more Master Directors in our Region. Fran Pocock – Region 31 DCP Coordinator franpocock@mypostoffice. co.uk
6 | HARMONY RAG | SPRING 2010
Wanted....
a dynamic join s singer to s a b r o e n barito rtet ladies qua s u io it b m this a
About us... We are 3 experienced medalist quartet singers We rehearse in Fareham
About you... Able to learn music quickly Have had previous quartet experience Ambitious to achieve high standards
If you are interested - please send us a note to tell us all about you! We will contact you if we would like to invite you to try out with us. Please contact Becky at becks2010@hotmail.com We look forward to singing with you! www.jazzmine.singwell.me.uk
Did You Know???
Each year, the RMT receives funding from SAI to go towards the cost of a chorus receiving an official RMT visit. In this Region, these visits can be made either by members of the RMT, or the Regional Faculty, dependant on the specific area with which the chorus would like help. The RMT does not receive many requests for RMT visits, but this may be because choruses do not fully understand the funding issue and/or the reason for the visit. We also regularly receive
feedback from choruses that they have not received a visit from the RMT and, whilst we try hard to visit all choruses over a 2 year period, this is not always possible simply because the RMT are volunteers and most also work full time. However, if your chorus would like a visit, all you need to do is email any member of the RMT. (This information can be found on
Good Luck to all Competing choruses and quartets at Region 31’s convention in Gateshead
the Region 31 web site. www. sweetadelines. org.uk/) Whilst visits should not be seen as a way to book a coach for free, do remember if it is a specific musical need that your chorus has, then perhaps a Faculty member may be the most appropriate person to visit. This way, you would get access to one of our trained
Faculty, without having to pay for their travel or accommodation costs. Perhaps your chorus would benefit from some help with marketing, membership retention, finances, or other nonmusical area. In this case, the RMT would be able to provide assistance, using who they consider to be the most appropriate person from the team, depending on availability of course. Remember, it is SAI that pay for the travel and accommodation costs. Something for nothing - yes it’s true!!
Somerset Hills Chorus Presents
T W I ME O H S at the Wellesley Theatre Wellington Somerset
Don’t forget to get your stories in for the full colour, printed,
Saturday 20th March
Harmony Rag
Contact Jenny Rowe on 01823 652735
on
Tickets £7.50
HARMONY RAG | SPRING 2010 | 7
Quartet of Nations Regional Newsletter
Regional Faculty The Regional Faculty is our own group of trained coaches and educators. They can help in a variety of ways including chorus and quartet coaching, as well as management and administrative advice. Please feel free to contact them to see what they can do for you. Alternatively if you are unsure who to contact, your Education Coordinator, Valerie Taylor, can advise you on who would be best for you. Fees and expenses should be agreed with faculty members in advance. Anne Cargill Aberdeen Chorus Aberdeen – 01224 704627 acargill@lochside.fsbusiness.co.uk
Dorothy Main Aberdeen Chorus Aberdeen - 01224 782124 emmandee@tiscali.co.uk
Gwen Topp Aberdeen Chorus Aberdeen – 01224 575366 gmtopp@yahoo.co.uk
Alyson Chaney Lace City Chorus Nottingham – 01636 814377 alysonchaney@yahoo.co.uk
Rebecca Middleton Coastline Harmony Chorus Fareham – 01329 2354491 becks2010@hotmail.com
Michelle Walker Lace City Chorus Nottingham – 0115 965 4524 shelbywalks@yahoo.co.uk
Glenn Chaney Lace City Chorus Nottingham – 07960 112732 glennsings@yahoo.co.uk
Mike Taylor Spinnaker Chorus Southampton – 01489 600134 mike@singwell.me.uk
Elaine Hamilton Forth Valley Chorus Edinburgh – 0131 334 2372 elainemrssh@aol.com
Valerie Taylor Surrey Harmony Chorus Croydon – 020 8660 8037 Valerie.taylor@privacysolutions.co.uk
Dates for your Diary International Convention 2010, October 19-23, Seattle WA 2011, October 18-22, Houston TX 2012, Oct. 30 - Nov. 3, Denver , CO 2013, Nov. 5-9, Honolulu , HI 2014, Nov. 4-8, Baltimore , MD 2015, Oct. 6-10, Las Vegas , NV 2016, Oct. 11-15, Las Vegas , NV 2017, Oct. 10-14, Las Vegas , NV
IES Events
2010, July 8-10, IES East, Pittsburgh , PA 2010, J uly 15-17, IES Central, St. Louis , MO 2010, J uly 21-24, IES, West, Rancho Mirage, CA 2010, Nov. 11-13, IES Pacific Rim, Auckland , New Zealand 2011, September, IES Europe , Glasgow
LABBS Convention
29th October - 31st October 2010 Llandudno
Regional Convention Dates
7th – 9th May 2010 Newcastle 6th – 8th May 2011 Birmingham
Education Dates
24th – 26th September 2010
BABS Convention
28th-30th May 2010 Harrogate
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DEADLINE for the next issue 28th May 2010 Contact the Editor: Rose Paxman 69a Muskoka Drive, Sheffield S11 7RH Tel: 07891 269212 Email: rosesings@gmail.com 8 | HARMONY RAG | SPRING 2010
Regional Management Team 2009 – May 2010 Chris Bentley - Team Coordinator Forth Valley Chorus Tel: 0131 539 1247 chrisbentley963@hotmail.com Tracey Bailey - Directors’ Coordinator Champagne Cornwall Chorus Tel: 01726 63937 allthebaileys@aol.com Nuala Hobden - Finance Coordinator Spinnaker Chorus Tel: 02392 231569 nualahelen@aol.com Valerie Taylor - Education Coordinator Prospective Vocal Dimension Tel: 020 8660 8037 valerie.taylor@privacysolutions.co.uk Petrina Bache - Events Coordinator Phoenix Tel: 07772 932432 trinabache@btinternet.com Deborah Lamble - Membership Coordinator Spinnaker Chorus Tel: 01202 487287 deborah@lamble.plus.com Jean Graham - Communications Coordinator Mayflowers Plymouth Tel: 01752 783724 jean.graham2006@btinternet.com