The Downeasters Soundings Weekly is a weekly email newsletter of the Downeasters Barbershop Harmony Chorus www.downeasters.org
-Please send any Barbershopping news, Chorus news and show dates, Quartet news and appearances, Notes of Interest- including Chorus Shows and other Public Entertainment dates from around New England, requests to be removed from, or added to, the distribution list, etc. to soundings.ed@gmail.com.
-Deadline for submission of articles of interest to the chorus is 5:00pm Thursdays.
-This, and all Soundings are available online at: http://www.issuu.com/downeasters
And away we go…
Downeasters Chorus Rehearsals
Downeaster Chapter Meetings
Lunt Auditorium, 74 Lunt Rd, Falmouth, ME 04105
Monday, March 13, 2023
6:00pm – 6:45pm Competition Chorus Rehearsal
6:45pm – 9:00pm Chorus Rehearsal
All singers should be individually warmed up upon arrival to each chorus session.
DEBRA LYNN WARMUP EXERCISES:
https://www.downeasters.org/dbpage.php?pg=view&dbase=rep&id=41
In general Zoom will not be started. But, if it is, members will be notified. ~George Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92996428874?pwd=dFNFbFVMNlJSVmdCWE0rZmxDckJTZz09
Meeting ID: 929 9642 8874
Passcode: 9b275y
Music
Good Luck Charm I Have Dreamed
Hello Mary Lou
Irish Blessing
Cop on the Beat Caroline
What a Wonderful World
How High the Moon (March 20 rehearsal)
Covid Policy Reminder
"The Downeasters Chorus takes the health of our members very seriously. Members and guests are welcome to come to our meetings, as long as you are feeling well. We generally follow CDC guidelines. We require that you can produce evidence of at least the first two Covid vaccines if asked. Plus, do not visit us for at least 10 days after a flu-like illness or if you tested positive for Covid, and wait 5 days if you believe you have been in contact with someone who is ill or tested positive for Covid. If in doubt, please take a Covid test the day you plan to come."
Well, last Monday night was a whirlwind rehearsal with a ton of highs and lows - thanks to all in attendance!
For the general chorus session, we spent a lot of time focused on rhythm in various different ways. From agreeing on timings in Bare Necessities, to making the tag of Irish Blessing flow more smoothly, to fixing the errors in the rhythms in Hello Mary Lou... All of those are examples of just how important rhythm is to each of those songs, as well as how critical it is that we match. We also expanded our volume explorations by expanding the scale to 1-10. Thisi also came with a reminder that, whenever the director's arms swell, expand, or just get bigger, we get louder; when they get smaller, we get quieter.
We aso reinforced two really important aspects of continued improvement for the chorus. First, never be on auto-pilot - that's an easy way to miss queues from me out front about the musicality throughout a song, including volume and emotional moments. Second, when we give the list of songs ahead of time, please work at home to be prepared for the following rehearsal - showing up and 'hoping for the best' is not a successful method.
In the competition chorus, we spent the time on the first half of I Have Dreamed. We discussed opportunities to swell throughout phrases, emphasized the importance of the echoes throughout the song, and agreed to rehearse both of the contest songs in such a way as to never throw away any words - as a result, we have made tremendous progress in two short rehearsals, despite missing most of our basses AND leads last night!
Next week, we'll spend more time with Hello Mary Lou and Irish Blessing. We'll also spend some time with Cop on the Beat, Caroline, and What a Wonderful World, with the national anthems on standby for another run of each. And finally, a reminder that in 2 weeks, on 03-20-2023, work begins on How High the Moon - get that off paper so we can begin to have some fun there!
See you Monday!
Downeasters - Volunteers Needed for Yarmouth’s Got Talent - March 31
What is the best way to build membership and foster the culture of a strong music community? By volunteering your time to help others like us! I'm looking for 4 of us to help out Yarmouth's Got Talent student performance event. Pretty sure I can make it, so I'd like to see 3 more of us help if we can (more is okay). Details below:
• When: Friday, March 31 at 7:00 PM (volunteers may need to get their a little earlier)
• Where: Yarmouth Performing Arts Center at Yarmouth HS, 286 West Elm Street
Mar. 31 (Fri)
What: Yarmouth's Got Talent - Student Performance Event - Volunteers
Where: Yarmouth Performing Arts Center at Yarmouth HS, 286 West Elm Street Times: 7:00 pm
~Mike SoperDowneasters Annual Show! Apr
(Sat)
What: Downeasters Annual Show
Where: First Parish in Portland, Unitarian Universalist Church
425 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
Times: 4:00 pm
Call Time: 2:30pm
Tickets to be sold at the door. Cash, Venmo, Stripe, PayPal accepted!
General Admission (Adult) - $25
Students - $15
Groups (four or more) - $20
Children (age 5 and under) - FREE
Music Medics Announcement
Attention Music Medic Singers!
Things are moving right along. There are now a number of songs and song tracks that you can read and listen to in the Downeasters song list under Music Medics. We will be having a short meeting and practicing some of these songs next Monday, March 13th at 5:30 pm before all regular chorus practices. For those that cannot make the meeting...do not worry. We will be looking at other times that may be more convenient in the upcoming weeks. We have committed to sing in the spring at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and we are getting closer to that season. Please take some extra time and start going over this music.
Thanks, Glenn WaltonUpcoming Dates…
NEDistrict Calendar Listings: https://www.nedistrict.org/calendar-lists
-Listing NED events and Chapter Shows!
* 2023 * * 2023 * * 2023 *
Mar. 11 (Sat)
What: Nor'easters, FairWinds Mixed Chorus, Windjammer Quartet and Ebb Tide Quartet
Where: Topsham Library, 25 Foreside Rd. Topsham
Times: 1:00 pm
Free admission, public invited.
Mar. 17-19 (Fri – Sun)
What: The Mixed Harmony Brigade of New England
Where: Boxborough Regency Hotel and Conference Center
242 Adams Place
Boxborough, Massachusetts
Links: https://www.mhbne.org
Mar. 31 (Fri)
What: Yarmouth's Got Talent - Student Performance Event - Volunteers
Where: Yarmouth Performing Arts Center at Yarmouth HS, 286 West Elm Street Times: 7:00 pm
Apr. 6 (Thu) ** Downeasters Performance **
What: Sea Dogs Opening Day
Where: Hadlock Field, Portland website: www.milb.com/portland Time: 6:00pm
Call Time: 5:00pm
Apr 15 (Sat)
What: Fundraiser for the Bath-Brunswick Respite Care Program
Nor'easters, FairWinds Mixed Chorus, and quartets Windjammers, Ebb Tide and Heart 'n Soul
Where: United Methodist Church, 320 Church Rd, Brunswick
Times: 2:00 pm
Tickets are $15 at the door
Apr 14-16 (Fri-Sun) ** Downeasters Performance **
What: Eastern Regional Convention & Contests
Where: Resort & Conference Center at Hyannis
35 Scudder Avenue Hyannis, MA, 02601
Link: https://www.nedistrict.org/calendar/2023/4/21/ned-eastern-convention
Apr 22 (Sat) ** Downeasters Performance **
What: Downeasters Annual Show
Where: First Parish in Portland, Unitarian Universalist Church
425 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
Times: 4:00 pm
Call Time: 2:30pm
Tickets to be sold at the door. Cash, Venmo, Stripe, PayPal accepted!
General Admission (Adult) - $25
Students - $15
Groups (four or more) - $20
Children (age 5 and under) - FREE
Jul. 2-9 (Sun – Sun)
What: 2023 INTERNATIONAL: Louisville, Kentucky
Where: Louisville, Kentucky
Links: https://www.barbershop.org/events/2023-international-convention
Aug 3-6 (Fri-Sun)
What: Harmony Explosion Camp
Where: Worcester State University Worcester, MA
Times: TBA
Link: https://www.nedistrict.org/calendar/2023/8/3/harmony-explosion-camp
Aug 18-20 (Fri-Sun)
What: 2023 Meredith Bay Barbershop Jamboree
Where: Meredith, New Hampshire
Times: TBA
Link: https://www.nedistrict.org/jamboree
Sep 22-24 (Fri-Sun)
What: THE 2023 NEW ENGLAND HARMONY BRIGADE RALLY
Where: TBA
Times: TBA
Link: https://www.nehb.net
Oct 27-29 (Fri-Sun) ** Downeasters Performance **
What: NED '23 Fall District Convention & Contests
Where: TBA
Times: TBA
Link: https://www.nedistrict.org/calendar/2023/10/27/ned-23-fall-district-convention
What: CHRISTMAS PRELUDE - CHURCH AT THE CAPE
Where: 3 Langsford Road
Cape Porpoise, Maine 04014
Link: https://www.churchonthecape.org
* 2024 * * 2024 * * 2024 *
Upcoming Birthdays and/or Now Showing -> Member Anniversaries!:
11 Mar Chris Cutler-Wood and Tessa Cutler-Wood's anniversary
15 Mar Bill Ringwall's birthday
15 Mar Clarence Rand - member of Downeasters Chapter of BHS 1 years
19 Mar Sam Elliot's birthday
21 Mar Jim Kew - member of Downeasters Chapter of BHS 8 years
22 Mar Tere Porter's birthday
24 Mar Dan Clark - member of Downeasters Chapter of BHS 8 years
25 Mar Jim Johnston - member of Downeasters Chapter of BHS 11 years
25 Mar Cy Kendrick's birthday
28 Mar Jack Baggs and Priscilla (Cilla)'s anniversary
30 Mar Mike Soper's birthday
From LiveWire: Bank Street - I Miss Mother Most of All
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_loncRwKlLE
Performed live in Atlanta, Georgia during the Barbershop Harmony Society's 1998 International Convention
From YouTube: Chicago Chord of Trade - For Me and My Gal
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A-Ne08I8r4
Performed live at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri during the Barbershop Harmony Society's 1989 International Convention
From YouTube: Westminster Chorus - Oh! Look At Me Now
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGNvxkLAWDM
Performed live at Sommet Center in Nashville, Tennessee during the Barbershop