Harmony Rag Quartet of Nations Newsletter, Region 31 Sweet Adelines International Winter 2010
Sleepless in Seattle FVC do International! Susan Snedden and Audrey Tainsh
After the shock of winning the very close-fought 2009 Regional competition wore off, Forth Valley Chorus embarked on preparations for our trip to Seattle for our 87 competing members (including our 3 out-oftowners: Catherine McDonald and Elizabeth Ewing from Hillfoot Harmony and Alyson Chaney from Lace City).
The chorus had a busy 18 months fundraising- the final total came to over £30,000 from a range of fundraisers including our 2010 calendar, Italian cookery demonstrations/ dinner parties (take a bow Nadia!), singouts by a specially formed small group, “The Seattlites”, and a 10k run! Our costume team designed a glamorous new pink costume for us, which we all had a fun time sewing! We had a challenging and enjoyable array of coaching sessions from Gail Jencik, Sandy Marron, Debbie Cleveland and Glenn Chaney. We even found time to appear on Britain’s Got Talent and Radio Scotland! By the time we left for Seattle, we were as prepared as we could be. We had also done our homework on Seattle and were all kitted out with rain gear! As Forth Valley’s only previous trip to International was Reno in 1995, the vast majority of us had never been to International before and we weren’t sure what to expect. We set off for Seattle hoping to learn a lot, enjoy our performance on stage and possibly even
beat our seeding of 30th place! As we came into land at Seattle, two things caught our attention- it was a beautiful city and the sun was shining! In fact, it stayed sunny for almost the entire week. We spent the first couple of days sightseeing and getting over the jet lag. Particular highlights included a big group of
us going on the Seattle Duck Tour in an amphibious vehicle captained by Bob La Blah, splashing in and out of Seattle’s beautiful lakes, and singing “YMCA” and “Tequila” at the top of our lungs to bemused passers-by! Seattle is famous for coffee and salmon. So, it is fair to say that we had our share of both while we were visiting. What better place to try these delicacies than Pike Place market? The market is vibrant and colourful and a must for every photographer. Pioneer Square was also worth a look for being the
traditional, older, more bohemian part of the city. On Tuesday we had our first rehearsal. We were honoured to be visited by International President Cammi McKinlay, who had come to see some fellow Scots in action! After
that, 16 intrepid FVC members ventured out for a kayak tour on Portage Bay. The sunny skies and t-shirt weather contributed to this being a wonderful trip, though the post-kayaking Margaritas may have blurred the memories a bit! On Wednesday we had a busy schedule with two wonderful Region 31 quartets to support in the Quartet semifinals. Finesse and Eu4ia both gave magnificent performances, which really spurred us for the Chorus semi-finals the next day. We also had a very special final rehearsal with some impromptu coaching from Marge Bailey and Ida
Bilodeau. Before we knew it, the big day had arrived! We were performing 28th, so had plenty of time to get into our competition finery. When we arrived for our final rehearsal it quickly became apparent that we had certainly achieved a unit lookjust about everyone in the chorus had one of three identical hairstyles, courtesy of the hairpiece stall at Harmony Bazaar! The traffic pattern was much shorter than at Regional and within minutes of arriving at the Key Arena we were backstage ready to go! It was a great feeling being so far from home but seeing Scottish flags unfurling around the auditorium and hearing our supporters cheering for us. As always, the set went by in a complete blur, and it was difficult to judge how we had done, so we were absolutely delighted when we learned that we were 24th and had beaten our seeding by 6 places! We celebrated in the usual FVC style with a party, complete with a number of hilarious party pieces. A particular highlight was “Lulu’s back in Leith!” — a
very Edinburgh take on a barbershop classic! The rest of the week passed by in a whirlwind of shopping- (material and barber-style!). A particular highlight was the wonderful performance of Stockholm City Voices who were 7th overall, with only 37 members on stage. They delivered a beautiful, captivating set and were very inspiring to watch. Scottsdale were incredible to watch, and were very worthy champions. Overall, the Seattle experience was fantastic! We all enjoyed being away as a chorus– it was a real bonding experience and a good laugh! Having the benefit of a few days to prepare together brought a new energy and focus to our singing. We learned a huge amount from hearing and watching so many incredible choruses and quartets from around the world. We loved having our out-of-towners with us on this journey and we’re missing them already! It was an absolute privilege to represent Region 31 at International, and we very much hope we’ll get the opportunity to do it again someday. Throughout the run up to contest, our coach, Gail Jencik kept telling us how important it was that we deliver our best performance during our set stage time, reminding us frequently that, “It’s a lot of money for 6 minutes” and even made a t-shirt for David with the same message. Reflecting on it all afterwards I’m thinking of having my own t-shirt made. It’ll say, “It was worth all that money!”
Quartet of Nations Regional Newsletter
Eu4ia - 2010 - Seattle
After 10 years competing Eu4ia decided that our trip to Seattle would be our last attempt on the International stage and our last go at trying to crack the top 15! It’s tough emotionally and financially coming back to America to compete internationally. Since forming in 2000 we have competed every year including 4 Internationals and 2 European Championships - how did that happen?
Well it happened, I guess, because we have worked very hard to stay at the top for this length of time and have had fantastic support from our friends, husbands and coaches, especially our main coach in all that time - John Grant. It has also happened because we always have fun and friendship whatever happens – 12th place to 37th ! We couldn’t have survived without laughing quite a lot along the way. We had a great time in Seattle. We travelled
without our husbands which was a worry in case we didn’t get on without them. Clearly we missed them… but managed to get along with a mix of sightseeing (itinerary of Nancy), eating waffles and nachos (itinerary of Sandra), a few
drinks (one Martini for Jane during the whole week and four a night for Nancy!) some tears (37th place) and laughter (doing ‘Blue Steel’ photos with Becki Hine). We also loved the fantastic performance by Forth Valley – what an amazing job they did. We were truly touched by the support from our friends in Heartbeat and elsewhere who supported us on the webcast and our Heartbeat friends Claire, Emma and Sarah who came with us (and bought T-shirts with our names on!) as well as the new friends we made whilst there – Chris from Forth Valley who did an absolutely amazing job with four different hair types, Becki Hine was absolutely lovely to us and we had a ball with the Encore girls and Finesse. In general over the last 10 years we are thrilled to have achieved some of the highest scores in the regional contest, the highest placings internationally and a European gold and silver but it’s time for pastures new – Nancy has taken over as director of Heartbeat UK chorus – supported by Kate and Sandra on the music team and OOT singer Jane - and we all look forward to the next journey. We have learnt so much along the way and over the last few years we have started to share that in our coaching where we are also developing and learning all the time. Sandra was the choreographer and presentation coach for Cottontown Chorus who achieved A scores for presentation in the US this year. We’re not splitting up – we might find some interesting music to sing together and some other adventures – Stockholm City Voices inspired everyone in Seattle this year with their musicality, clean resonant singing and arrangements – so maybe we’ll just sing some songs! We look forward to seeing what is next for us all. Now that we have a bit more time – if you would like to contact us for coaching please give us a call ! Nancy, Jane, Kate and Sandra
The Sussex Harmonisers, one of the up and coming male Barbershop Choruses in the country, is looking for a new male or female
MUSICAL DIRECTOR. The Club has a seventy plus membership of enthusiastic ambitious singers with a full programme of events and they also enter national competition. Overseas concerts are also being planned. Barbershop quartet singing is also an integral part of the Club. They have a strong administration team, also an excellent music team and are ably supported by visiting coaches. The Sussex Harmonisers meet on Tuesday evenings at the large modern St Paul’s College, with its first class facilities, at Jane Murray Way, Burgess Hill, Sussex RH15 8GA which is close to the A23. They are looking for someone who wishes to expand their experience into this international exciting unaccompanied form of close harmony singing and help them realize their full potential. He/She will be an accomplished musician with experience of conducting a chorus, who is looking for a new challenge. Another essential attribute is the ability to lead exciting and enjoyable rehearsals to a high musical standard. Therefore if you or someone you know could fill this post to help in the continuing development of this relatively new club, please send details to, or contact Mick Bowles the Chairman on 01444 236809 at mickbowles@talktalk.net or Robin Pond at robinpond@onetel.com More about the Club at: http://www.sussexharmonisers.org.uk The payment of expenses will be by agreement 2 | HARMONY RAG | Winter 2010
Busy Birds, Bunkeys & Buzzards! Caroline Donovan from Phoenix writes
You know how you don’t realise just how busy you’ve been until you stop and think – I’ve just had one of those moments! Since Convention in May, life with Phoenix has been a whirlwind of activity and it shows no sign of stopping!
On a very hot day in May we sang at the Choir of The Year heat in Harrow, which was a bit of a bizarre experience, it has to be said. The venue was certainly far from ideal and it seems that COTY didn’t favour barbershop at all this year, but on the plus side, it was a chance for a sing and a coach trip – always fun! Another very hot day in June saw us singing in Hitchin Town Centre at the invite of a local wine bar – how could we say no?! Again, we had great fun, raised over £100 for the local hospice, and the half price (very cold) beer at the end went down very well! In July we started learning Christmas songs, oh yes we did, which is a first in Phoenix’s 32-year history! Those who know Lynda and her very strong aversion to Christmas songs will understand just how big a landmark this constitutes! The motivation was our upcoming show on 4th December, which has
kept the Show Team very busy in the months since then – more later. August saw the return of the wonderful Kim Hulbert, with her fiancé (now husband) Dale. We had another great weekend of coaching with Kim, and she and Dale were also initiated into the Phoenix “Party Club” (including Running Bear!) as we said farewell to our friend and choreographer Jenn before she set off on her travels. “Hooga chaga, hooga chaga…” In October, a group of us had a fantastic Strictly Showmanship weekend and were extremely proud of
the Phoenix girls involved in the organising (Fiona, Trina and Janice), and in our then fledgling
choreographer, Sue! It was also a chance to catch up with Our Ally (now world superstar!) and learn a new song (almost!). An altogether fab weekend of education that we are still putting into action. Well done RMT! At the end of the month we sang at the Finesse fundraiser and then, a couple of weeks later, watched very proudly as they put in a fabulous performance on the international stage in Seattle. Region 31 was represented so well out there: well done also to Eu4ia and Forth Valley – you all made your region proud! In November we
held a workshop, which attracted nearly 30 new faces to “learn a song in a day”. We had a great day, full of the energy and excitement that comes with sharing our wonderful hobby with new people. At the end of the day we performed our new song (Straighten Up and Fly Right) for friends and family. There were still quite a few “Bunkeys” and “Muzzards” to be heard but we didn’t care! We’ve had such wonderful feedback that we will definitely do it again! In the lead up to our show we did 2 sings in the Christmas Storyland display in Milton Keynes shopping centre, with all the fun and unpredictability that such sings bring. How we all kept singing while a beautiful tiny girl danced and clapped just behind Lynda, I’ll never know! And I think it’s the first time we’ve shared a “stage” with 2 giant Newfoundland dogs – one of which could do a “Hi 5”! And the show…? By the time you read this it will all be over and the Show Team (including me) will have collapsed quietly in a corner somewhere!! Hopefully, the “Birds” will have set Dunstable “On Fire” but we’ll tell you all about it next time! Happy New Year to everyone! Photos by LiquidPhoto.co.uk
France, Dordogne
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HARMONY RAG | Winter 2010 | 3
Quartet of Nations Regional Newsletter
A ‘GOING PLACES’ CHORUS Want to lead us where we are going ? Our current Musical Directors are leaving us to concentrate on a soon-to-be new arrival, so we are looking for a dynamic, charismatic and ambitious Musical Director who can build upon the successes of recent years. Near Portsmouth-based Spinnaker is known as a force to be reckoned with and has always carved an individual niche in Ladies’ Barbershop. If you are interested in taking us to the dizzy heights, we’d like to meet you ! We meet on Wednesdays. In the first instance, contact the President, maggi.mcewan@port.ac.uk Tel : 02392 357460 Post from Mid May 2011. Closing Date February 28th 2011. London City Singers are looking for a new director and/or persons interested in being part of a directing team. We meet on Tuesdays from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at City Temple on the Holborn Viaduct. We chartered in 2010 and competed for the first time last May scoring solid C+ and are looking for someone with masses of enthusiasm to lead us on our barbershop journey. Directing experience is not essential, but a good understanding of vocal production and the barbershop craft would be useful. Please contact Carolyn if you are interested: carofandango@googlemail.com
www.londoncitysingers.org
Come to Llandudno next May 50 Hours of Barbershop Singing, Entertainment & Fun! 37th BABS Annual Convention Venue Cymru - Llandudno 27th - 30th May 2011
A Great Barbershop Weekend for everyone! Ladies Scratch Chorus Sing-a-Tag-or-Two Sing-a-Long Sessions Barbershop’s Got Talent Interview with Crossroads Champions Masterclass
The British Association of Barbershop Singers invite you to come to Llandudno for their 37th Annual Convention. They are getting bigger and better, with more to do, more opportunities to sing and more chances to get involved.
The full weekend Registration is just £50.00, single and two day registrations are also available. Show tickets are extra and start from as little as £10. You can purchase your Registration and Show tickets direct from the Venue Cymru Box Office or securely online through the BABS website.
Quartet & Chorus Contests
Plus Lots, lot More!
www.singbarbershop.com
3 Great Shows
4 | HARMONY RAG | Winter 2010
2009 International Gold Medal Quartet
At last year’s convention, over 2600 experienced a wonderful weekend of barbershop harmony and Sing 2011 should be no different. Come and experience a BABS convention for yourself, it runs from lunchtime on Friday right through to lunchtime on Monday.
Visit the BABS website for full details, including show information, schedules, event information, travel and much much more. There’s a great weekend in store for everyone and we look forward to seeing you in Llandudno next May.
Afterglows Each Evening
Featuring
Crossroads
Register Now! Online on the BABS website or
Telephone the Box Office
01492 872000
The British Association of Barbershop Singers
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, Elaine Hamilton, 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
Elaine Hamilton Forth Valley Chorus Edinburgh – 0131 334 2372 elainemrssh@aol.com
Valerie Taylor Prospective Vocal Dimension Chorus Croydon – 020 8660 8037 Valerie.taylor@privacysolutions.co.uk
Alyson Chaney (Regional Faculty Coordinator) Lace City Chorus Nottingham – 01636 814377 alysonchaney@yahoo.co.uk
Dorothy Main Aberdeen Chorus Aberdeen - 01224 782124 themains@talktalk.net
Gwen Topp Aberdeen Chorus Aberdeen – 01224 575366 gmtopp@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
Michelle Walker Lace City Chorus Nottingham – 0115 965 4524 shelbywalks@yahoo.co.uk
Dates for your Diary International Convention 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 AAA International Education Event 22 – 23 July 2011 California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pennsylvania. USA
2011 Visual Leadership Conference “And the Music Shall Lead Us” 15 – 17 July, 2011 Toronto, Canada Regional Convention Dates 6th – 8th May 2011 Birmingham 11th – 13th May 2012 Birmingham BABS Convention 27th-30th May 2011 Llandudno
rag
harmony
We are excited to announce the refresh of our regional magazine – the new look Harmony Rag, full of Region 31’s news and views, will be published in Spring 2011. Guidelines (as well as deadlines!) for submitting articles as well as a short questionnaire so YOU can tell us what YOU want in your regional magazine will be sent out by the end of January, but in the meantime, if you have any questions, input or ideas do let me know – I would love to hear from you! The RMT would like to thank Rose Paxman for being a fabulous editor over that last few years – thank you so much Rose! On behalf of the RMT, I would like to wish you a healthy and happy 2011! It’s going to be an exciting one for Region 31! Emma A. Duguid, Region 31 Marketing Coordinator duguidemma@gmail.com
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 Elaine Hamilton - Education Coordinator Forth Valley Chorus 0131 334 2372 elainemrssh@aol.com 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 Emma Duguid - Marketing Coordinator Prospective Vocal Dimension Tel: 07815 114476 duguidemma@gmail.com HARMONY RAG | Winter 2010 | 5