The Alexandria Virginia Chapter SPEBSQSA Alexandria Harmonizers Chapter Orientation

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The Alexandria Virginia ChapterSPEBSQSAAlexandr
ia HarmonizersChapter Orientation

• Terry Jordan, Chairman

November 18, 2004
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Introduction - Terry Jordan

• Welcome
• Purpose
• Biography of Orientation Panel
• Questions

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History Terry Jordan

• General History of Society
• History of the Alexandria Chapter

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Society Headquarters Harmony Hall
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Vision Statements Alan Wile

• Society
• We enrich lives through singing.
• We perpetuate and celebrate the barbershop
  harmony style.
• We serve each new generation of singers through
  support of vocal music education.
• We serve audiences through an uplifting,
  wholesome variety of a cappella musical
  entertainment.
• We serve our members by sharing fellowship,
  performance skills, and leadership development.
• We help build better communities and a better
  world, bonding diverse people through the pure
  fun of a cappella harmony as we Keep the Whole
  World Singing!

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Vision Statements Alan Wile

• Chapter
• The Harmonizers will always endeavor to sing
  their very best, and will, at the same time, seek
  to enjoy the hobby of barbershopping to its
  fullest.

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Society Alan Wile

• Membership 31,152 (9-30-04)
• Chapters 818
• Headquarters Location
• Headquarters Salaried Staff
• Society Board and Committees
• Seniors Programs and Young Men In Harmony
  Programs
• Alexandria Members Serving in Society Level
  Leadership Roles

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Society Alan Wile

• Alexandria Members Serving the Society in
  Leadership Roles - They are
• Dick Newton, COTS Instructor
• Chris Buechler, COTS Instructor
• Terry Jordan, COTS Instructor
• Terry Reynolds, COTS Instructor
• Chuck Harner, Contest Administrator
• Gary Plaag, Presentation Category Judge
• Michael Gorham, Marketing and PR Committee
• Michael Gorham, Honorary Membership Committee,
  Vice Chair
• Alan R. Wile, Jr., Multicultural Task Force
• Richard Lewellen, Music Performance Committee
• John Hohl, Chorus Director Development Committee
• Jack Pitzer, Ways Means Committee

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Society Alan Wile

• Code of Ethics
• The Society Magazine The Harmonizer
• Website www.spebsqsa.org
• Harmony Marketplace
• Music Subscription Program
• Quartet Registration
• Society Service Projects

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The Districts
For administrative convenience, the Society is
divided into sixteen geographical district. Each
district is run by elected officers who promote
the best interests of the society and conduct
quartet and chorus contests within the
district.
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District Mike Gorham

• Mid-Atlantic District Association of Chapters
  Chartered by 12 Chapters October 26, 1945. Six
  chapters are still with us today. They are
• Wilmington
• Baltimore
• District of Columbia
• Richmond
• Teaneck
• York

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District Mike Gorham

• Society Presidents from the Mid-Atlantic District
  were
• Arthur Merrill (1955) Les Hesketh (1980)
• Roland Davis (1956) Merritt Auman (1982)
• John Cullen (1961) Bill Park (1986)
• Wilbur Sparks (1970) Ed Waesche (1999)
• Leon Avakian (1974)

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District Mike Gorham

• International Quartet Champions from the
  Mid-Atlantic District. They are
• The Garden State Four - 1946
• The Oriole Four - 1970
• The Regents 1974
• Reminisce 1995 International Seniors Quartet
  Champions

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District Mike Gorham

• International Chorus Champions from the
  Mid-Atlantic District. They are
• The Singing Capital Chorus District of Columbia
  - 1954
• Chorus of the Chesapeake Dundalk, MD 1961,
  1971
• Dapper Dans of Harmony Livingston, NJ 1967
  1970
• The Alexandria Harmonizers Alexandria, VA
  1986, 1989, 1995, and 1998

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District Mike Gorham

• District Officers from the Alexandria Chapter
  Serving on the Board of Directors They are
• Alan Wile Executive VP
• John Hohl DVP, Chorus Director Development
• Sam McFarland DVP Membership Services
• Gary Plaag DVP, Contest and Judging
• Michael Gorham District Secretary

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District Mike Gorham

• Mid-Atlantic District Association of Chapters
  1952
• M-AD 1 of 16 Districts
• M-AD Membership 4,035 (9-30-04)
• Chapters 96 (plus three pending)
• District Officers and Committees
• Division - Southern
• Alexandria Members Serving in District Level
  Leadership Roles

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District Mike Gorham

• Alexandria Members Serving in Mid-Atlantic
  District Level Leadership Roles - They are
• Gary Bibens, Chairman Events Team
• Keith Jones, Events Team (Housing)
• Michael Calhoun, Division Manager Northern
• Michael Gorham, Publisher Midl Antics
• Bob Sutton, Proofreader, Midl Antics
• Terry Jordan, Chapter Counselor and Editor Midl
  Antics
• Alan Wile, Chapter Counselor
• Ken Rub, Southern Division Membership Development
  Coordinator
• Kirk Riffer, District COTS Coordinator

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District Programs Mike Gorham

• Harmony Marketplace
• Chapter Operations Training Seminar
• Harmony College East
• Chorus Directors Scholarship
• Grants Committee
• Chapter Counselors
• Micro-HEPS (Divisions)
• Midl Antics (District Newsletter)
• Chorus Directors Workshops Intensive
• Judges Recertification
• Aid to International competitors

• International Convention Support (Pep Rally)
• Top Gun School
• Young Men In Harmony Program
• Spring Convention,Four Divisional Conventions and
  Fall Convention
• Submit Public Relations Officer of the Year
  Awards to Society
• Submit contestants for the Bulletin Editor of the
  Year Award from Society
• Fund Chorus and Quartet Coaching

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Southern Division Mike Gorham

• Southern Division is one of four Divisions
• Hold Division Convention Memorial Day weekend in
  Reston, VA
• Three Harmonizers (Chuck Harner, Mike Gorham, and
  Terry Jordan,) previously served as District Vice
  Presidents for the Southern Division

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Music Program Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Who are the Harmonizers?
• Performance
• Singing Quality
• Competition

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Music Program Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Chorus Requirements
• Annual Re-Audition (Vocal/Visual)
• New Song Quals (Vocal/Visual)
• Competition (Vocal/Visual/Participation)
• Chorus Expectations
• Attend rehearsals, fully engaged
• Work between rehearsals
• Participate in Performances

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Music Program Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Chorus Assistance
• Tape Evaluation/Feedback
• Visual Feedback
• 600 Choreography Review
• Monthly Vocal Production Workshops
• Sectional Rehearsals
• Learning Tracks (CDs, website)

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Music Team Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Music Performance Team Organization

Music Perf VP
Musical Director
Chorus Manager
Associate Director
Librarian.
Presentation Subcomm.
Assistant Director(s)
Recording Producer
Repertoire Subcomm.
Visual Pres. Team
Vocal Qual Vocal Asmnt.
Show Prod. Subcomm.
Section Leaders
Quartet Development
Quad Ldrs/ Fr Row Cpt
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Music Team Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Music Performance Team
• Musical Director Richard Lewellen
• Associate Director Terry Reynolds
• Assistant Directors Will Cox, Gary Plaag, Scott
  Risley
• MP Vice-President Steve White
• Vocal Coach Bob Wachter
• Section Leaders Tenor Rick Savage
• Lead Will Cox
• Bari Ken Ives
• Bass Scott Risley
• Presentation Dean Rust
• Front Row Captain Sam Brothers
• Quadrant Leaders
• Stage Right Rows 4-5 Chris Huber
• Stage Right Rows 2-3 Bob Blair
• Stage Left Rows 4-5 Chuck McKeever
• Stage Left Rows 2-3 Alan Wile

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Conventions Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• District Spring Convention
• (International Preliminary) Mid March
• Southern Division Convention
• May - Memorial Day Weekend
• International Convention
• 4th of July Week (Usually)
• District Fall Convention
• Early October
• International Convention
• 4th of July Week (following year)

Quartet Competition Paths
Chorus Competition Path
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BBS Theory Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White
Relative Frequencies of Notes
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C D E F G A B
C D E F G A B C D E
C D E F G A B
C D E F G A B
1 2
3 4 5
6 8 9 10
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BBS Theory Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White
Why Every Piano is Out of Tune
G A B C D E F G A
24.0 27.0 30.0 32.0 36.0 40.0
45.0 48.0 54.0 27.0
30.37 33.75 36.0 40.5 45.0
50.62 54.0
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BBS Theory Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White
Relative Frequencies of Barber Shop Chords
C E G Bb 4 5 6 7
C G Bb E 4 6 7
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G E Bb C
6 10 15 16
C G C E 4 6 8
10
C G E C 4
6 10 16
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BBS Theory Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White
Overtone Series of a Major Chord Or Why BBS
Tenors Sing Falsetto
R 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 5
600 1200 1800 2400 3 500
1000 1500 2000
2500
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Judging System Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Singing Category
• Quality of pleasing, in-tune, free and resonant
  ensemble singing
• Degree of artistic singing in barbershop style
• Elements of quality barbershop singing
  intonation, vocal quality, unity, expansion (lock
  and ring), and artistry

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Judging System Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Presentation Category
• Do the events of performance create a Mood and
  Impact - is it Entertaining?
• Does the emotional effect produced match the
  visual and vocal interpretation?
• Effect of Presentation elements entertainment,
  performing style, creativity, believability, and
  theme?
• Song type/theme opportunities lyric, melodic,
  rhythmic, harmonic, medleys, comedy

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Judging System Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Music Category
• Adjudicates the song and arrangement
• Attention to the musical elements melody,
  lyrics, harmony range and tessitura tempo,
  rhythm, and meter construction and form and
  embellishments
• Hallmarks of barbershop style?
• Artistic sensitivity to the musics theme?

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Judging System Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Shared Elements
• Elements that affect the quality level of each
  category
• Was it sung in the barbershop style?
• Was it sung in tune?
• Was it sung in good quality?
• Was the song suitable to the performer?
• Was the song performed from the heart?
• Not specifically scored!

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Judging System Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Scoring
• Each judge awards 0-100 points to each
  performance
• A 81-100 Excellent, Artistic
• Performances exhibit qualities of abundant
  excellence
• B 61-80 Good to Very Good
• Performers are in command
• Audiences are comfortable
• C 41-60 Fair to Mildly Interesting
• Basic competence is exhibited
• Audiences will tolerate easily
• D 0-40 Poor to No Value
• Little or no competence is demonstrated
• Audiences are very uncomfortable

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Origins of BBS Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Roots of the Barbershop Style
• (Compiled by David Wright)
• 11th/12th Century - Gregorian chants - unison,
  then octave, then perfect fifth
• 14th-16th Century - church music introduces major
  and minor thirds
• 16th/17th Century the seventh chord and variety
  of harmony progressions
• In Elizabethan England, barbers music used to
  describe spontaneous music
• In late 1700s barbers music transplanted to
  America
• 1840s - Concert quartets arise in New England
• Around 1850 Minstrel shows
• Mid 1800s songwriters produce simple melodies
• 2nd half of 19th Century black quartets arise
  in the South
• Later 1800s popular songs became even more
  singable

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Origins of BBS Reynolds/Lewellen/S. White

• Roots of Barbershop Style
• (Continued)
• 1890s Vaudeville gives the male quartet its
  prime medium.
• 1890s early 1900s - Edisons phonograph
• By 1910 the term barber shop is identified with
  a kind of harmony which features the seventh
  chord it is seemingly associated with African
  Americans
• Ragtimers like Scott Joplin further develop
  rhythm and harmony
• Early 1900s - amateur quartets under the
  sponsorship of clubs, churches, businesses, and
  even baseball teams.
• African American youths (shoe shine boys, train
  porters, singing waiters) form street corner
  foursomes. This is the golden age of the
  quartet.
• 1920s-1930s skilled harmony men carry the
  craft beyond mere woodshedding to the careful
  harmonizing of each chord, maintaining consonant
  four-part harmony at all times.

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Chapter Kirk Riffer/Ken Fess

• Officers/Board of Directors
• Committees and Tasks
• Events and Shows
• Financial Responsibilities
• Dues 171.00 (80.00/13.00/78.00)
• Regular Membership, Student and Seniors
• Scholarships

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Chapter Kirk Riffer/Ken Fess
Pres Ken Fess
VP Chap Dev Kirk Riffer
VP Mus Perf Steve White
VP PR Bill Aarhus
VP Mkt Michael Calhoun
VP CS Jim Lucey
VP Prog Rick Wagner
IPP Gary Bibens
Aux Pres Carol Mankin
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Chapter Kirk Riffer/Ken Fess
Secy Chris Buechler
Rcd Secy Chris van Netta
Trsr Bob Eckman
Asst Trsr Dave Welter
Unif Chair Mike Schwartz
Visual Present Dean Rust
Music Dir Richard Lewellen
Assoc Dir Terry Reynolds
Asst Dir Will Cox
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Chapter Kirk Riffer/Ken Fess

• Societys Members Only Page (change data)
  http//www.spebsqsa.org/members
• Harmonizer Homepage http//www.harmonizers.org
• Harmonizer Private Page http//www.harmonizers.org
  /private
• Chat Room for Harmonizers
• Harmonizers-Personals_at_yahoogroups.com
• Harmonizers Calendar
• Harmo-Calendar_at_yahoogroups.com
• Messages to Harmolist
• Harmonizers_at_yahoogroups.com

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Chapter Kirk Riffer/ Ken Fess

• Uniforms
• Casual Wear (Jackets, Shirts)
• Name Badges
• Harmonizer Recordings
• Chapter Members Mailbox
• Chapter Directory
• Chapter History (Breathless Moments)
• Chapter Auxiliary (Friends in Harmony)

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Chapter Kirk Riffer/Ken Fess

• Expected Participation by the Member
• Member Expectations from the Chapter
• City of Alexandria Sponsorship (Department of
  Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities)
• Alexandria Commission for the Arts

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Other Chapters in the Area

• Arlington
• Bowie
• Charles Town
• District of Columbia
• Fairfax
• Fauquier Co.
• Frederick
• Fredericksburg
• Hagerstown

• Inwood
• La Plata
• Loudoun Co.
• Montgomery Co.
• Mount Vernon
• (A Day-Time Chapter)
• Prince William Co.
• Tri-County
• Winchester

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Review and Wrap-Up Terry Jordan

• Questions and Answers