The Downeasters Soundings Weekly is an email newsletter of the Downeasters Barbershop Harmony Chorus www.downeasters.org -Please send any Notes of Interest, Barbershop Stories or requests to be removed from, or added to, the distribution list, etc. to soundings.ed@gmail.com. -This, and all Soundings are available online at: http://www.issuu.com/downeasters
And away we go…
Downeasters Chorus Rehearsals Downeaster Chapter Meetings Resuming on ZOOM starting 1/17/2022
Monday, January 10, 2022 Chorus Rehearsal Canceled 1/10/21 Music Blue Skies Can You Feel the Love Tonight Irish Blessing Nevertheless What a Wonderful World Bare Necessities
Rehearsal Covid Policy Until further notice - anyone wishing to participate must be fully vaccinated. *************************************************************
Music Notes…
Downeasters Rehearsal Updates Hope all of you are well and have had a Happy New Year so far! I wanted to briefly reach out with an update to our rehearsal schedule through the month of January. As you know, we canceled our chapter meeting on 01/03. We will again be canceling on 01/10. And on 01/17, we will resume meeting, but on Zoom. As with meetings during the initial run of the pandemic, we will be sending the link to join the Zoom call out to you well ahead of time, and we will ensure it makes its way to the Soundings as well! Now, here's where your part of the bargain comes in: we decided to postpone rehearsals until 01/17 to provide enough time to prepare for Zoom rehearsals properly. What this means is - I intend to move forward with all of our standard rep, including the two new songs, Bare Necessities and What a Wonderful World. This means that you are expected to be prepared with the new songs by the 01/17 meeting. Now, I'm not expecting perfection - if you still need your sheet music, that is perfectly fine. However, we will be doing sectionals during these rehearsals, working What a Wonderful World on 01/17 and Bare Necessities on 01/24 - I expect that everyone will be ready to actively participate in these sessions. You may ask yourself, "How will I ever find the time to prepare my music for 01/17? Well, on top of your daily/weekly practice routines, you have now been given three extra hours this week: next Monday 01/10 from roughly 6-9PM!
And, as a sneak preview, this will be the expectation going forward. We will still spend time on building the core sound of the chorus, but much of the focus for our growth during 2022 will be on the performance aspects of barbershop chorus singing. Many of these items require a full knowledge and understanding of the songs we sing, and they cannot be successfully done without that song knowledge. So, I encourage you to look at your personal song preparation process and determine if what you're doing is preparing you properly for our upcoming rehearsals. If you know the song well enough to "get through it", what do you need to do to upgrade that to "I'm ready to perform this song in public"? (And hintL those two are NOT the same thing...) Just "getting through a song" does not mean that you really KNOW it... Thank you all for your hard work in making this happen! Despite the remote rehearsal setbacks, I'm confident that 2022 is going to be a fantastic year for our chapter! I look forward to seeing you all on Monday, 01/17! Until then, happy learning, and Happy New Year! -Chris
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Status of Web Site (IMPORTANT) All, as of right now our public web site is at www.downeasters.org and our members-only site is at downeasters.choirgenius.com NOTE the ".com" at the end of the members-only site. Differences: 1. The member site is identical to what you are used to but you need to either use the new address or click on the big Members Site link on the new downeasters.org page. For now the choirgenius page looks like our old public site and you'll need to log in there but that will change at some point. 2. The public site is different now. 3. IMPORTANT. Email lists are no longer "xxx@downeasters.org" they are "xxx@downeasters.choirgenius.com". Most of us don't send to them but that is important to note. We are working on making the @downeasters.org emails work but that may take a day or 2 if it's possible at all. Questions to me or Chris Cutler-Wood George
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Upcoming Dates…
* 2022 *
* 2022 *
* 2022 *
Jan. 13-16 (Thu – Sun) What: 2022 MIDWINTER: PASADENA, CA Where: Pasadena, CA Links: https://www.barbershop.org/events/midwinter-convention https://www.barbershop.org/events/midwinter-convention/schedule-2022-midwinter Jul. 3-10 (Sun – Sun) What: 2022 INTERNATIONAL: CHARLOTTE, NC Where: Charlotte, NC Links: https://www.barbershop.org/events/future-conventions Jul. 10 (Sun) ** Downeasters Performance ** What: Ocean Park Show Where: Ocean Park, ME 04063 Links: http://www.oceanpark.org Jul. 13 (Wed) What: 2022 Yarmouth Clam Festival Booth Setup Where: Yarmouth, ME Time: TBA Jul. 15-17 (Fri – Sun) What: 2022 Yarmouth Clam Festival Where: Yarmouth, ME Links: https://www.clamfestival.com Sep 16-18 (Fri-Sun) What: THE 2022 NEW ENGLAND HARMONY BRIGADE RALLY Where: TBA Times: TBA Link: https://www.nehb.net
* 2023 *
* 2023 *
* 2023 *
Sep 22-24 (Fri-Sun) What: THE 2023 NEW ENGLAND HARMONY BRIGADE RALLY Where: TBA Times: TBA Link: https://www.nehb.net **************************************************************
Upcoming Birthdays!: Marshall Wagner
Jan 25
Arne Gronningsater
Jan 27
Brian Violette
Feb 14
David Cole
Mar 04
John Nelson
Mar 12
Coming up, the 95th birthday of “Father” Richard Wheeler! March 26
While a few months away, wouldn’t it be nice if we could send him many Happy 95th Birthday Wishes…
Richard Wheeler
86 Holiday Drive – Apt. 103 Portland, ME 04103 **************************************************************
Can’t make it to Pasadena for MidWinter? Stream all the performances straight to your TV! Barbershop is coming back — to the stage and to your home theater! The Barbershop Harmony Society 2022 Midwinter Convention will offer plenty of great barbershop LIVE on stage once again, and you can stream it all next week! Watch it your way, on your favorite device You won’t be chained to your computer to watch. FloVoice offers apps for most desktop, mobile, and connected TV devices such as Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Chromecast, plus many other smart TVs. Get the show on the big screen, with good speakers, and your comfy chair! Details & FAQ: https://www.barbershop.org/events/livestream Subscribe Today: https://www.flovoice.com/signup Jan. 13-16 (Thu – Sun) What: 2022 MIDWINTER: PASADENA, CA ************************************************************** From YouTube:
Video of the Month Ringmasters - Feeling Good [MUSIC VIDEO] YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJjhpYqglpQ Words & Music by LESLIE BRICUSSE & ANTHONY NEWLEY Arranged by the great Patrick McAlexander for Ringmasters 2020 This is a music video that we shot during the weekend of recording our broadcast show It's Showtime! together with ASKA and Lemon Squeezy. This track will be on the next Ringmasters album coming out spring of 2022!
Ending the year with this piece of music, we hope that many good things will come. We hope that you will find strength for the challenges that lies ahead. We wish you all well and a happy new year 2022! ************************************************************ From LiveWire:
Featured Performances Grandma's Boys - All the Little Toy Soldiers YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8BZ598zmkk This performance was released for the first time during Virtual Midwinter in January 2021 but has not been released as a stand alone performance until now. *** Performed live in Minneapolis, Minnesota during the Barbershop Harmony Society’s 1979 International Convention ***************************************************************
Mission Statement Enriching Lives Through Excellence In A Cappella Harmony Active Repertoire -> You can always Sing! Anytime at All Blue Skies Caroline Consider Yourself God Bless America Hello Mary Lou How Deep is the Ocean I Will Go Sailing No More I'm Gonna Live Till I Die If I Loved You
Irish Blessing with the new tag It's a Most Unusual Day Keep The Whole World Singing Longest Time Love Me O Canada Star Spangled Banner The Cop On The Beat Tin Roof Blues Wonderful Day Medley
New Music: Nevertheless From the First Hello Can You Feel The Love Tonight Softly, As I Leave You Sweet Caroline Hallelujah What A Wonderful World When You Wish Upon A Star How High The Moon Bare Necessities
Christmas Music: Angels We Have Heard On High Go Tell It On The Mountain Jingle Bell Rock Silent Night Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas O Holy Night We Wish You A Merry Christmas Do You Hear What I Hear Hark! The Herald Angels Sing O Come All Ye Faithful Winter Wonderland
Click here to go to the music library Debra Lynn Follow-Up @ downeasters.choirgenius.com -> https:// downeasters.choirgenius.com/node/3617 You can navigate to it via the members only menu: Documents->Music Team->Debra Lynn
Downeasters Practice Videos: Chris’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCGAv8zxVYf7KY9Lc-boIsQ Downeasters & Quartets Videos on YouTube: YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB2KEyK89e1G6-F0Un6EJr3NyHsMro3Lz ************************************************************** Downeasters Leadership for 2022 President Bill Bedford < wbedf0rd@nycap.rr.com > Primary: (518) 275-5627 Secretary Scott Kolda < mainiacsinsweden@yahoo.com > Primary: (207) 522-1020
Immediate Past President Fred Moore < fmoore@maine.rr.com > Primary: (207) 409-2738 Secondary: (207) 885-5822 Treasurer Roger Buck < rcbuck9@gmail.com > Primary: (207) 879-0643 Cell: (207) 749-9059
VP - Membership Rich Parsons < repdhp@msn.com > Primary: (207) 985-9196 Cell: (207) 232-7770
VP - Music George Feinberg < gmfeinberg@gmail.com > Primary: (207) 615-3748
VP - PR-Marketing Chris Cutler < christopherjcutler@gmail.com> Primary: (860) 808-9887
Board Member at Large Marshall Wagner <emwagner31@aol.com> Primary: (207) 232-1543
Director Chris Howard < crhlehigh@gmail.com > Primary: (201) 893-1173
Board Member at Large Jim Johnston < jimjohnston@maine.rr.com > Primary: (207) 619-7613 Cell: (207) 400-9760
Librarian Dwight Pensiero <DJPensiero@gmail.com> Primary: (207) 353-3244
Board Member at Large Mike Soper <gmichaelsoper@gmail.com> Primary: (207) 400-9184 Secondary: (207) 730-5624
"Soundings" Newsletter Editor Bruce Sturgis <BStur1@gmail.com> Primary: (207) 520-8354
Bruce Sturgis Soundings Weekly Editor email: soundings.ed@gmail.com Downeasters Barbershop Chorus
www.downeasters.org