INSIDE: Get more education at District Conventions • New updates to judging rules, language
September/October 2018
International
September/ October
2018
VOLUME
LXXVIII NUMBER
5
www.barbershop.org
2018 International Convention
www.youtube.com/BarbershopHarmony38
www.facebook.com/barbershopharmonysociety
The 2018 International Convention is behind us, but the recap is just ahead. The best quartets and choruses competed in three contests over eight sessions, and other men’s, women’s, and mixed groups showed the growing varieties of barbershop available. That accounted for the “watching” parts of the convention—but most of the action took place away from a stage.
12 Quartet Quarterfinals 18 Next Generation Varsity Barbershop Quartet Contest
Twitter: @barbershopnews Instagram: @barbershopharmonysociety
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Lorin May, Editor, The Harmonizer
24 Quartet Semifinals 28 Association of International Champions Show 30 International
Chorus Contest
47 Saturday Night Spectacular 48
Quartet Finals
On the rsc:over
After Hou on ional Champi 2018 InteRErnADatPHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO BY
Departments 2
THE PRESIDENT’S PAGE
Two can’t-miss weeks: Convention, Harmony U
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STRAIGHT TALK
Accepting multiple “hows” to barbershopping
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TEMPO
Contest & Judging publishes revisions for 2018 Easternaires, Ray Danley in Hall of Fame
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HARMONY HOW-TO
Get great education at district conventions
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SHARE THE WEALTH
Let’s help each other build better chapters
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
How barbershoppers care for their own The 2,400 mile Valentine gig
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MEMBER SERVICE DIRECTORY Where to find answers
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THE TAG
“Everyone in Harmony!” in four or eight parts September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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THE PRESIDENT’S PAGE Skipp Kropp, Society President • Skipp.Kropp@steptoe-johnson.com
Two can’t-miss weeks: Convention, Harmony U
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hen many of us were in grade school, we would return to school every year and tell our teachers what we did over the summer. In the summer of 2018 I went to the International Convention in Orlando and also got to attend Harmony University with my chorus.
International Convention in Orlando Everything was amazing. After Hours scored a record 94.7% on its way to winning the gold medal, and The Vocal Majority essentially tied its highest gold medal score ever (97.1%). The contest sessions were, as always, a showcase of the best singers in the barbershop world. We celebrate the skills of those who are fortunate enough to qualify to sing at our International Contest, and congratulate those communities of artists on their achievements. They are the best of the best, and every time they perform they prove that the barbershop style is alive and well. The non-contest parts of the convention also feature the best of the best. For example, there were a record number of Harmony University classes this year, plus record attendance. Every year, For those unable to attend, we are now able to preserve the content of some Harwe told our mony U Orlando classes and they will teachers what soon be available online as well. The Harmony University area in Orwe did over the lando was a buzz of activity all week, a summer. Allow testament to HU director Donny Rose and other staff, and, of course, all of the me to share talented educators who spent countless preparing and delivering their the two biggest hours huge gifts to us. Please thank them anythings I did. time you see them. I love the camaraderie at conventions— it may be the part I most look forward to. I love that thousands of us gather each year, sometimes twice a year if we also go to Midwinter, and can pick up conversations where they left off a year or so ago. Some friends I’ve had for decades I only see at International, but each year we catch up about families and chapters and just socialize. If you haven’t been to an International convention, make time to attend the next one. You’ll be glad you did! Harmony University at Belmont My other big activity this summer was attending Harmony University with my chorus, Circle City Sound from the Greater Indianapolis Chapter. I’m so glad that our music team and board decided our entire chorus should participate in the Performing Arts College track that provides daily chorus coach-
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The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018 • www.barbershop.org
ing for the week. It was one of the best barbershop experiences of my life. Belmont University in Nashville is a beautiful campus, and the dorms are much nicer than what I inhabited in college. Classes are held in numerous buildings across campus, and the distance between is very manageable. The cafeteria was well run and the food was delicious. The traditional Harmony University evening ice cream fest was also alive and well. The chorus coaching sessions were nothing short of phenomenal. The intense week of coaching, in two blocks of two hours every day, allowed our coaches to engage with us to depths of the art form that we had not experienced before. We sang, we laughed, and we cried every session, and we learned more about what makes Circle City Sound tick than we had ever realized. Our coaches became great friends, and we became even better brothers in harmony to each other that week. I believe that Circle City Sound came out of Harmony University a better chorus and, more important, Greater Indianapolis Chapter emerged from Harmony University a better chapter. If you want your chapter to be a better chapter, however your chapter defines “better,” and if you want your chorus to sing at the best level that it can sing, I recommend that you put Harmony University high on your chapter bucket list. I hope you all had as great a summer as I did.
Skipp.Kropp@steptoe-johnson.com
September/October 2018 Volume LXXVIII Number 5 Complete contact info: pages 58-59 The Harmonizer (ISSN 0017-7849) (USPS 577700) is published bimonthly by the Barbershop Harmony Society, 110 7th Ave N, Nashville TN 37203-3704. Periodicals Postage Paid at Nashville TN and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Harmonizer, 110 7th Ave N, Nashville TN 37203-3704. Advertising rates available upon request at harmonizer@barbershop.org. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts or artwork. Postmaster: send address changes to editorial offices of The Harmonizer, 110 7th Ave N, Nashville TN 37203-3704 at least 30 days before the next publication date. (Publications Agreement No. 40886012. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor ON N9A 6J5. Email: cpcreturns@wdsmail.com) A portion of each member’s dues is allocated to cover the magazine’s subscription price. Subscription price to non-members is $25 yearly or $5 per issue; foreign subscriptions are $35 yearly or $7 per issue (U.S. funds only). © 2018 The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. dba The Barbershop Harmony Society. Printed in the USA
STRAIGHT TALK Marty Monson, CEO / Executive Director • CEO@barbershop.org
Accepting multiple “hows” to barbershopping
H
ow are your local discussions going regarding the option to either remain an all-male chapter or to formally welcome female chapter members in some format? Do some chapter members want to expand your community singing offerings to include separate male, mixed, and female options under a single chapter umbrella? Are you considering the formation of a new mixed quartet? I believe there are no two chapters, quartets, members, or associates in exactly the same place. We all go through change differently, and that’s okay. Everyone in Harmony does not mandate a deadline by which everyone must make a decision. There is no expectation that we all must end up in the same place, let alone at the same time. In reality, we (chapters/quartets/members) are all different. This has not changed.
The struggle to evolve my own thinking If you sometimes struggle with change, well, I do, too. I’ve listened to thousands of members since I was first hired as your Executive Director/CEO in August 2012. These conversations, combined with data and formal feedback, have caused me to change my mindset—sometimes profoundly, and not always easily—on a number of concepts over these six years. My mindset around “the how and what” of barbershop has especially needed to evolve. One of my big mental adjustments (and I continue to adjust) is around the culture and identity of chapters. I’ve had to come to terms with the many reasons not As the data all members have, or even want to and feedback have, the same view of chapter life that I’ve held for decades. flowed in from My chapter experiences (and quite our membership frankly my choral/singing experiover the years, I ences) have been a way of life, not a hobby. (I bet we could have a lively realized I needed discussion on this topic.) In fact, one of my first days on the job, I told the to listen to the staff that I didn’t want to hear the other points of word “hobby” used within Harmony because we were accountable view and recraft Hall to the entire organization, which is not a hobby. For a long time I found my message. myself trying to convince everyone regarding the ideal way of life within a chapter. But that was just my personal bias. In reality, while barbershopping is a way of life for some of us, for others it is truly “just” a hobby. Until the Society Vision Statement change in June 2017, I was convinced I could get everyone to understand that barbershopping is a way of life, because
that was my reference point towards impact and gratification. However, as the data and feedback flowed in from all of our membership and volunteer leadership over the years, I realized I needed to listen to the other points of view and recraft my message. Once I started listening, I began to realize there were a lot more ways to barbershop than I imagined. I’ve always thought I was a good listener (my dad told me we were born with two ears and one mouth) but I needed to realize my experiences were different, even though the outcomes and impact were the same. The “how” doesn’t matter as much as I thought it would. There are too many variables that make up the identity of a chapter or quartet ... I don’t have to tell you all about that. However, once a group or community identifies its personality, things start to click. Once What’s on Marty’s daytimer? you’ve found that identity, • Sept. 16-17, SBOD then you have to allow it to Meeting, Nashville breathe and shift as the world • Sept. 20-23, RMD Convention, Coloshifts around you/us. As the rado Springs saying goes, the only consis• Sept. 24-25, Boise Idaho tency in life is change. Youth Festival • Sept. 27, DIX ConvenFind your own version tion, Oxford, AL of Everyone in Harmony • Oct. 16-17, Sweet AdeEven with 36 years of experilines Convention, St. Louis ence being a part of SPEBS• Nov. 1 -2, Harmony, Inc. QSA, I still have a lot of Convention, Orlando learning and listening to do from all of you! Everyone goes What’s Marty learning? through change differently. • Magic in Harmony There is no change deadline Song book for you; our wish is for everyone to find their own how What’s Marty listening to? of “Everyone in Harmony,” • Smile, Main Street whatever that may be. • How Can I Keep Now, if I can just find a betFrom Singing, ter understanding as to why Crossroads our world believes “singing” is a noun instead of an activity. Follow Marty In my opinion, this is a much bit.ly/martyfacebook bigger societal barrier to our twitter.com/Marty_Monson future to influence a whole new blue ocean of barbershop harmony. But that’s a whole ‘nother story for another time! Cheers,
CEO@barbershop.org September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018 • www.barbershop.org
TEMPO Timely news
Contest & Judging publishes revisions for 2018
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s part of its regular review process, the BHS Contest & Judging Committee recently updated its Handbook and the Official BHS Contest Rules. None of the changes alter the definition of barbershop harmony, the methods of judging, or ensemble performance or preparation. However, these regular revisions correct technical errors, reflect evolving changes in practice, and enact instructions of the BHS Board of Directors or BHS Executive Director. Here are some highlights: Minimum invitations increases to 50. Due to the increasing numbers of high-caliber qualifiers, 50 BHS quartets, at minimum, will be invited to international contests, up from the previous 45. Additional affiliate quartet invitations are not included in this number. This change only applies to how many potential “wildcard” qualifiers may be invited to contest. As before, a 76% qualifying score or the top district score always qualify a quartet, even if this number exceeds 50.
Competing in multiple quartets. Unlike at International contests, division and district competitors may compete in multiple quartets. A rule update clarifies that additional quartets must be comprised of at least two different members. For now, only male singers have contest options. While gender considerations for membership were removed in June of 2018, to preserve the current contest system the Handbook was amended to state: “The terms ‘member’ or ‘members’ within these rules for official BHS contest eligibility apply to male Society members only ... With the integration of female members into some Society choruses and quartets beginning in 2019, the Society Board and staff will be considering potential additional official BHS contests for female and mixed harmony groups.” Our contests will remain the same for the 2018-2019 contest cycle. Official mixed and women’s contest options may be available in the future. Requests to sing first. Choruses at international conventions can continue to request to sing first, prior to the random draw. The rule has been extended to include both choruses and quartets, and now makes the option available at district- and divisionlevel contests. Breaking ties. Before, tie-breakers only applied to ties for first place. From now on, all ties will be bro-
ken. This ensures event teams can bring all needed awards in advance, no matter the outcome. Additionally, most competitors say they don’t like ties. The tiebreaker will continue to be the higher Singing score, and now the second tie-breaker will be the Performance score rather than the Music score. As before, any scores that persist across all three categories will remain a tie. Clarification of “Four-Part Texture.” In chorus performance, the presence of more than four parts will now be adjudicated by the Music category as a rule violation, rather than simply an element that lowers the Music score. This clarification does not alter how ensembles are judged or how they perform. More precise technical terminology. In the interest of accuracy in music terminology, the “Definition of Barbershop Harmony” has replaced the word “homophonic” with the word “homorhythmic.” This clarification does not alter the way in which songs are judged or performed. The passage now reads: “Barbershop harmony is a style of unaccompanied vocal music characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a primarily homorhythmic texture. The melody is consistently sung by the lead, with the tenor harmonizing above the melody, the bass singing the lowest harmonizing notes, and the baritone completing the chord. Occasional brief passages may be sung by fewer than four voice parts.”
A couple of ads for Project Fi (Google’s phone plan) prominently feature a barbershop quartet ... and one includes a screaming goat. Barbershop harmony is treated respectfully, with three good singers harmonizing until part four enters the picture and ruins the harmony. Links to both ads are at www.barbershop. org/harmonizer. September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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TEMPO
Easternaires, Ray Danley inducted into 2018 class of BHS Hall of Fame
Danny Heyburn, Bob Bohn, Eddy Ryan, Bill Annichiarico on Broadway in 1961 The Easternaires Quartet. Considered ahead of their
CONVENTIONS 2019 Salt Lake City June 30-July 7 2020 Los Angeles June 28-July 5 2021 Cleveland June 27-July 4 2022 Charlotte July 3-10 2023 Louisville July 2-9
HARMONY UNIVERSITY Nashville July 22-29, 2019
MIDWINTER
Nashville Jan. 22-27, 2019
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time by many, as top-level entertainers the quartet remained popular with barbershop and general audiences for decades. Thousands still sing baritone Bob Bohn’s creative arrangements. They appeared on national TV multiple times, including The Arthur Godfrey Show and on Keefe Brassell’s Variety Garden in the 1960s. They were the replacement “School Board Quartet for The Buffalo Bills in The Music Man on Broadway, and again for several years of the road show. There were 13 members over the quartet’s life. Six were inducted: Eddy Ryan (T), Danny Heyburn (T/L), Tommy Dames (L/T), Bob Bohn (Br/Bs), Bill Annichiarico (Bs), and Dave Mittelstadt (Br). The quartet competed from 1956 through 1976, always finishing in the top 20, while earning three medals and nine top 10 finishes. The quartet’s sole surviving member, Eddy Ryan, accepted the award at the International Convention in Orlando. Dr. Ray Danley. Ray is best known for
directing the Scarborough Dukes of Harmony to championships in 1977 and 1980, the first two for Canadian chrouses. His importance to the Society and Ontario District in particular spans 60+ years of BHS membership. Ray helped create the Society’s first Chorus Director’s Manual in 1973 and was Harmony U faculty 1976-1982. He was a seven-time semifinalist as baritone of The Canadian Heritage (1973-79). As the director of his local Simcoe Chapter, Gentlemen of Harmony (1958-1967 and 2001-2015), Ray increased the membership from 32 in 2001 to 84 in 2015. He is legendary in the Ontario district as a top-quality director who generously gave of his time to develop singers, directors, and teachers. He holds an Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto (ARCT) in vocal performance and earned his Doctorate from the University of Toronto in 1980.
The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018 • www.barbershop.org
Carolyn’s Corner
Participation is key
Our mission is to connect people through charitable giving to enrich lives through singing; for Harmony Foundation International to continue to be successful fulfilling our mission, we need to find as many different revenue streams as possible to diversify our income and provide more stability to our granting abilities. One of our focuses in the upcoming fiscal year will be to nurture the relationships we have already started with other institutions that provide funding for missions like ours. As they assess whether or not our mission and case statements for community need are a good fit for their funding options, a big determining factor is around internal participation in financial support. If there is a low percentage of internal participation, there is a lesser chance of receiving outside institutional support. Why should they financially support our mission if our own community doesn’t? Participation is key. Of course, we realize not everyone is financially able to be a President’s Council member or even an Ambassador of Song. Luckily, participation means just that … participation at any gift size you are able to contribute. The most meaningful financial gifts to non-profits are those that take some thought and sacrifice to accomplish, no matter how large or modest it may seem. By participating at any level, you are helping us: • have a better chance at qualifying for institutional gifts. • by combining your gift with thousands of others and collectively making a greater impact. Out of the roughly 20,000 Barbershop Harmony Society membership households, approximately 4,200 participate in contributing to Harmony Foundation International. That’s 22% participation, and unfortunately wouldn’t give us a very high likelihood of qualifying for institutional financial support. On the plus side, we have room for significant growth internally. If we focus on increasing our overall participation percentage, and all current non-participating BHS member households all gave at least $10 annually, that would increase our support by $148,000! That additional funding would help close the gap on the many applicants who requested financial aid to attend Harmony University but were turned down due to a shortage in funding.
New Chapter Recognition announcement!
The top 5 chapters with the highest percentage of participation will be recognized on the International stage with a Gold, Silver or Bronze level of recognition. More details to be announced during District Conventions this fall. If you are ready to make a contribution to Harmony Foundation International, you can do so online at HarmonyFoundation.org, toll free at (866) 706-8021, or by mailing a check to 110 Seventh Avenue North, Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37203. n In harmony, Carolyn Faulkenberry Chief Financial Officer Harmony Foundation International cfaulkenberry@harmonyfoundation.org (866) 706-8021 ext. 3041
HARMONY HOW-TO
Get great education at district conventions
B
y the time this issue arrives in your mailbox, we’ll be deep into the fall district convention season. Much is involved in this process: hotel reservation, travel to a convention site, and event registration. For those competing, you might have further preparations such as costume acquisition and cleaning, note learning and polishing, lyric memorization, and, perhaps, performance preparation. Before you clip on your name badge, I invite you to consider three educational opportunities barbershop convention experiences afford: craft classes, contests, and competitor evaluation. Education classes Many districts offer craft classes, including free chorus or quartet coaching. You might also take leadership classes, arranging classes, or singing or performing classes. Our finest Harmony University faculty and coaches are recruited from the ranks of the district education classes. Consider arriving a little earlier to participate in these opportunities. Many of my best learning and teaching opportunities took place at district conventions.
BHS Music Education Chair sscott@ barbershop.org
This has been the best experience I’ve had for both chorus and quartet at a contest for consistent, meaningful feedback. The knowledge and skill of our judges is improving with each contest. Our quartet includes two music
Judge Eddie Martinez provides chorus coaching at a Carolinas District convention, the day after judging the quartet contests. Many districts provide expert coaching and feedback both for competitors and non-competitors at district conventions.
Competing The contest experience itself is one of the most powerful educational opportunities in the Barbershop Harmony Society. Some participants see contests as a means to an end, but contests can be so much more. In the same way that tests help students focus on mastering course content, so competition helps participants hone their singing and performance skills. Competing encourages performers to explore their own voices, discover new music, sing in musical and meaningful ways, and present entertaining and heartfelt songs that engage audiences. Further, contest audiences especially appreciate barbershop singing and know the work that goes into contest preparation.
Steve Scott
provided by our certified judges. These comments from recent competitors describe experiences with their evaluations.
Evaluations I’ve judged other professional and amateur vocal and choral competitions, and I can categorically state that the BHS contest and judging system is the finest in the world. Judges take what is arguably a subjective experience and efficiently quantify the competitor performance in such a way to help them in their singing journeys. Perhaps the crowning jewel in the convention education experience is the evaluation
educators, one of whom is a retired Singing judge. We were all impressed. Perhaps you’ve had a negative competition experience in the past or are worried that you’ll receive a low score. If you approach the contest as a vehicle for education, the score can serve as an effective guidepost on your music-making journey. Consider these comments from recent competitors: All judges were very clear with their comments, supportive of us as competitors, understandable, and agreed with each other from different judging category perspectives. Each demonstrated what they told us by having us sing and experience how suggestions would help us. We placed near the bottom of the competing choruses but I felt that their rating and comments were quite aligned with where we are at. Great job! We came in the lower quartile. Still, appreciate the judging experience. It’s helpful to me as the director, as it serves as an outside view. Thank you. Even if you have competed many times, you can September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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HARMONY HOW-TO still learn much. Consider these remarks from longtime competitors: The evaluation was out of this world. Probably the 4th or 5th time we’ve had Alan Gordon (SNG) as an evaluator and he gets better every time. Our chorus got a better feel for how to ring chords and move the song; evaluation was the best part of day! Perhaps you have not had the opportunity to compete and are nervous about the competition experience and evaluation process. Consider these remarks: The evals were all great and very appropriate to our quartet and where we are in our development. We all walked away feeling good about them, and our two new barbershoppers, who have experience in other choral environments, including adjudications; walked away feeling it was a very positive experience, with one singer commenting that it’s a
All three judges focused more on our opportunities to improve than on little things we need to fix. They didn’t pull any punches, but they were also positive the whole time, creating the perfect atmosphere for evaluation and feedback.
Last, perhaps you sing in an ensemble that has no intention of winning. What good does competing serve? Consider these comments:
Finally Some convention-goers leave without ever socializing or hearing another group perform! Conventions are opportunities to greet old friends and make new ones, to sing and socialize, and to watch our barbershop brothers and sisters make beautiful music. You need not compete to have a meaningful convention experience. If you do choose to compete, I invite you to think of it as more than a contest where there are winners and losers. Recognize and celebrate how much learning and skill acquisition occurs in preparation of the performance, and use the contest for the learning and guidance it provides competitors. In that way, we all win. n
Steve Johnson (MUS) gave us some overall feedback rather than specifics on the contest songs, since we have two performances coming up. Appreciate taking our needs into account. Rik Johnson’s (SNG) advice for us to practice in front of mirrors and to focus more on what we can improve than what we need to fix will radically reshape the way we rehearse; we’re really excited to see how our sound improves as a result of that. Candidate Judge Kim Newcomb (SNG) also added
A BETTER WORLD THROUGH SINGING A BETTER WORLD S I N G I N G C H A N G E S L I V E S . JOIN THE CAUSE. THROUGH SINGING A BETTER Our mission is to WORLD THROUGH connect people SINGING A BETTER through charitable WORLD giving to enrich lives THROUGH through singing. SINGING A BETTER WORLD MORE INFO AT THROUGH HARMONYFOUNDATION.ORG SINGING 8
some great technical advice.
great competition process. Being new to barbershop, I really appreciate how the contests are designed to make all participants better! It’s not really something I’ve seen elsewhere and it’s a great way to do things.
The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018 • www.barbershop.org
A BETTER WORLD THROUGH SINGING
We fulfill our mission by partnering with singing organizations and funding programs that enable, encourage and enhance singing experiences for all ages ensuring everyone has access to the life-changing power of singing.
WE PROVIDE PROGRAMS THAT: { educate audiences about the benefits of singing { maximize investment potential
WE FUND PARTNER PROGRAMS THAT:
{ provide singing and training opportunities to middle school through college-age youth { provide singing and training opportunities to choral directors and singing educators { provide support and resources to communities of singers and their leaders
SHARE THE WEALTH
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Help prospective members feel welcome
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f you’re reading this, you’re probably a Barbershopper. But whether you joined your local chapter last month or you’re a 32nd-generation harmony lover or anywhere in between, you probably haven’t always called yourself a Barbershopper. So when did you, consciously or subconsciously, make that transition? Slapping a name badge on guests and throwing them on the risers with a bunch of sheet music can be a good beginning. But inclusion is not simply the act of inviting others to be included and passively waiting for your invitation to take hold. To be inclusive is to take constant action so that others may feel welcome in your group on their terms and not yours. Feeling welcome in any setting is very personal. Think about your journey as a Barbershopper, and when you attend your next chapter meeting, ask the person to your right or left on the risers. Your stories are likely very different. I hope you enjoy a few examples of what sparked that transition in others. Use these anecdotes not as a prescription to apply to new visitors to your chapter, but simply as a lesson that being humane and showing genuine interest in others as people instead of potential members goes a long way.
“I was first showing interest and going through the process of joining my chapter when I was 18 and 19, and one member in particular watched out for me during that time. I called him my guardian. He encouraged me and helped me feel good about my hard work and the much-needed enthusiasm I was bringing to the chapter. It was also clear that he valued me as a person, and not only because I was helping lower the average age of the chapter.” – Josh Arizmendi, 7-year BHS member James Pennington
Chapter Success Manager jpennington@ barbershop.org
Steve Scott
BHS Music Education Chair sscott@ barbershop.org
about my recent move and almost immediately I received a private message from a member of Central Standard who invited me to a rehearsal. He even arranged a carpool for me, as it was a little distance away. That one act spurred me to join that chorus, where I might have used the excuse that grad school would keep me too busy. The instant fraternity and care from that group kept me coming back.” – Steve Scott, 20-year BHS member “After 33 years on the west coast, I flew across the country to my new home. The same day my flight landed, I attended a local chapter’s rehearsal. During a break, a few members went out of their way to invite me to the afterglow, where I connected with many more members and sang tags and polecats until about 3 a.m. When I arrived back at my friend’s apartment where I was staying that night, I reflected on my first night in this new city, my new home, and upon the hospitality, camaraderie, and the sound. I hadn’t even been there 24 hours, and I was already plugged into a community and met dozens of people ready to share their music and friendship.” – Jude Thomas, 11-year BHS member
Want to share your story of how someone made you feel like you belonged? Let us know at chapters@ barbershop.org. n
“I heard that a popular coach was going to work with another chapter in my district, and I really wanted to see him in action. Since I was coming from way out of town, one of the members volunteered to host me overnight so that I could attend the afterglow. He even drove me to the Amtrak at the crack of dawn just so I could make it to work on time! My original intent was just to observe, but I was so impressed by how hard-working and welcoming the chorus was that I ended up joining the chapter.” – Rafi Hasib, 10-year BHS member “I had just moved to Lawrence, Kansas to begin grad school. I posted in a barbershop-related Facebook thread
From “Share the The Wealth,” May/June 1968 issue September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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Lorin May
Editor, The Harmonizer LMay@barbershop.org
LORIN MAY
BOTTOM IMAGES BY KURT HEINECKE; BACKGROUND IMAGE BY LORIN MAY
LORIN MAY
READ PHOTOGRAPHY
September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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JIM BAGBY
Nice touch. We showed up to find this was the Hyatt Regency front desk uniform for the week Cooler outside, hotter inside. The unusually mild weather was a big plus for all the folks who packed both a pitch pipe and a pair of mouse ears. All the heat was onstage, with some of the best performances ever to grace the international stage rewarded with the highest quartet scores ever. But it wasn’t just a week of contests—it was a true convention, with more than 100 Harmony University classes throughout the week, Tag Zones with expert help, an Everyone in Harmony Chorus that was open to all comers. And, of course, plenty of socializing and singing, and everything within walking distance. Enjoy the recap—but it barely scratches the surface.
Starting at 22? Regarding the opposite page: Also, the convention commentary is laid out by round, and the competitors from that round are listed in order of finish. 22nd-place was a tie, while 21st-place Rhapsody mic-tested the Semifinals and appears in that section. 11thplace mictester Clutch appears among the finalists. It was the least we could do for two quartets that likely would have sung for score in those rounds had they competed in any other year.
Photos and commentary on pages 12-53 by Lorin May, except where noted
harmonizer@barbershop.org
QUARTET QUARTERFINALS Three cheers for three Quarterfinals rounds! Might as well start this convention run-down with a controversial headline! That’s one cheer for our stomachs, one for our posteriors, and one for our sanity. This comes from the “someone who watches every single performer” point of view. On Tuesday night, when this author noticed that we would be done for the night after quartet 34, it was as if Christmas had come early. Everyone else benefitted, too. The sanity-friendly schedule meant nobody had to choose between the contest and lunch, their favorite quartet or dinner. For the quartets, it meant no more fear of drawing the afternoon “dead zone” where everyone’s napping or eating—where nobody but your parents or wife claims to have seen your set, and you
suspect even they accidentally slept through it. So glad to hear that we’re probably doing it again next year. Suit Up! By the time lead R.J. Esquivias hit grade school, bari Brent Graham was a quartet finalist. R.J. has learned a lot about singing since then, and Brent still knows how to pick a lead with huge pipes. Semifinals-level performance, with no Semifinals. Groups that scored high enough for the 2017 Semifinals included Rhapsody, Route 1, Late Shift, Midnight Croon, Suit Up! and Fleet Street. Too bad this was 2018. Tough year to be on the bubble, because most of last year’s top 20 returned, while Studio 4, Trocadero, Maelstrom, Frontier,
Tuesday, July 3 Wednesday, July 4
BoomTown, and Pacific Ring either didn’t compete last year or showed up vastly improved. Rhapsody posted the highest-ever score for a non-semifinalist. It’s a shame the others didn’t get to show us their second sets. Playback. If you want to show off a great lead-bari match, Kevin Harris and Lee Sperry can oblige. Admittedly, they’ll probably sound a little better if the bass and tenor sing, too. St. Croix Crossing. They call the open division a young man’s sport, but our current Seniors champ defies stereotype and age. You should hope to sing so well when you’re in your late 60s (which all of them are), but let’s get real—most of us have never sung that well at any age. KURT HEINECKE
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The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018
22. Route 1 (MAD)
22. Late Shift (CAR)
Hershey, PA; Lansdale, PA
Columbus-Greenwood, IN; Greater Indianapolis, IN; Terre Haute, IN
Brandon Brooks (Br), Thomas Moyer (Bs), James Isley (L), Brian Schreiner (T)
route1quartet.com; facebook.com/Route1Quartet
Tim Martin (T), Andrew Myer (L), Adam Winans (Bs), Bob Kendall (Br)
facebook.com/LateShiftQuartet
24. Midnight Croon (LOL)
25. Suit Up! (FWD)
Greendale, WI; Madison, WI; Greater Indianapolis, IN; Nashville, TN
Frank Thorne; Salt River Valley, AZ; Santa Fe Springs, CA
Josh Umhoefer (Br), Jake Umhoefer (Bs), Tim Zielke (L), Patrick McAlexander (T)
midnightcroon.com; facebook.com/MidnightCroon
Brent Graham (Br), Rodney Armstrong (Bs), R.J. Esquivias (L), Justin Klemballa (T)
facebook.com/SuitUpquartet
26. Fleet Street (CSD)
27. The Simple Life (SUN)
Lincoln, NE; St. Charles, MO; Western Hills (Cincinnati), OH
Frank Thorne; Miami, FL; Nashville, TN
Matt Suellentrop (T), Aaron Zart (L), Eeyan Richardson (Bs), Michael Bass (Br)
facebook.com/fleetstreetqtet
Andrew Lujan (T), Ryan Modrall (L), Mike O’Neill (Bs), Kevin Mendez (Br)
facebook.com/tslquartet
28. Playback (ONT)
29. Harmonium (CSD)
Toronto, ON
Kansas City, MO; Metro Kansas City, MO
Mike McKim (T), Kevin Harris (L), Jean Sauvé (Bs), Lee Sperry (Br)
playbackquartet.ca; facebook.com/PlaybackQt
Micah Jeppesen (T),September/October Mark Fortino (L), Brian Bellof (Bs), Michael Troyer (Br) 2018 The HARMONIZER 13
facebook.com/HarmoniumQuartet
•
30. The Crew (JAD)
31. Second Wind (RMD)
Buckeye Columbus, OH; Frank Thorne; Western Hills (Cincinnati), OH; Wilmington, NC
Greater Phoenix, AZ; Wasatch Front, UT
Noah Campbell (T), Patrick Michel (L), Dave Kindinger (Bs), Paul Gilman (Br)
facebook.com/thecrewquartet
Joseph Hopkin (T), Adam Haggart (L), Chaz Chesser (Bs), Matt Allen (Br)
facebook.com/secondwindacappella
32. The Aristocrats (ONT)
33. Vocality (LOL)
Toronto, ON
La Crosse, WI; St Croix Valley, MN; Frank Thorne
Darryl Marchant (Br), David Feltrin (Bs), John Mallett (L), Bobby Gibson (T)
thearistocrats.ca; facebook.com/TheAristocratsQuartet The Aristocrats (French) Revolutionary comedy In the summer of 2014, four gentlemen from Southern Ontario took a brief respite from their busy lives of croquet, yachting, and ennui, and decided to form a singing group. The very first suggestion of a name for the act was The Aristocrats!, which elicited a reaction so violent that the oldest of the four passed a jigger of Pimms through his nose. It was agreed that no other name would do, and so a quest was launched to portray, through the medium of barbershop harmony, assorted sketches drawn from the history of these gentlemen’s illustrious families. For the presentation of the harrowing escape of Lord Cliché, Baron Faux Pas, Earl Béarnaise and Duke Hors d’Ouevres from revolting Parisians, The Aristocrats would like to acknowledge contributions from their household staff: Steve Armstrong, Greg Mallett, Vinnie Sestito, the late Al Baker, and many more. More installments are pending, and we dearly wish to share them all with you at a future date! – John Mallett
35. Up All Night (MAD)
John Ward (T), Dan Rowland (Bs), Cecil Brown (L), Joe Hunter (Br)
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The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018
Manhattan, NY; Princeton, NJ
facebook.com/upallnightquartet
Jay Althof (T), David Boyd (Bs), Tom Matchinsky (L), Tony Blackwood (Br)
vocalityquartet.com; facebook.com/VocalityQuartet
34. CHORD SMASH! (LOL)
Sam Sather (T), Erik Eliason (L), Scott Perau (Bs), James Estes (Br) Barbary Coast, CA; Frank Thorne
chordsmash.com; facebook.com/chordsmash
36. Upper Deck (PIO)
Mark Wilson (T), Jamie Carey (L), James Masalskis (Bs), William Stutts, Jr. (Br) Grand Rapids, MI; Gratiot County, MI; Huron Valley, MI; Mt. Pleasant, MI
Find on Facebook
Second Wind. This was veteran bari Adam Haggart’s first time singing lead. If he decides to go back to bari, he’ll first have to find a better lead than himself. Good luck with that. All up for Up All Night. They make it look easy, but it ain’t. We’ve seen the Knight costumes before, but Up All Night’s act is never quite the same twice. Who couldn’t love how they keep finding ways to refresh their Middle Ages-meets-today mix of puns and pop culture? As Cecil Brown’s character might say about this quartet’s long-lasting comedic Crusade: More Moor, please!” Helping keep the French Revolution head-severing parody genre relevant. The Aristocrats’ set was probably the best parody about cluelessly tyrannical elites contemplating the guillotine during the French Revolution that we’ve seen in a long time. Sure, it’s a burntout theme for some, but … okay, enough with the irony. That was one of the most strangely original sets ever to grace the international stage. Watch the performance on YouTube and you’ll lose your head, in a manner of speaking.
Bob Sutton’s 2018 Medalist trivia • Rasmus Krigström (tenor) and Jakob Stenberg (lead) of 5th-place Stockholm Syndrome became the 22nd and 23rd men to medal on two voice parts, having swapped parts from their roles in Ringmasters. Three men have medaled on three different voice parts, including Gary Lewis (Quorum bass) this year, now the only man to medal at least twice on all three voice parts. • Sean Devine (Throwback lead and director of Parkside Harmony) is one of 21 quartet champions who are also medalist directors, and the first to medal as a quartet member and director in the same year since he did it himself last year (the last to do it previously was Jim Henry in 2009). Nine quartet champions have won gold as both a quartet singer and director, including Greg Clancy Unimaginable backstories. We get coached to draw on true emotional experiences so that the content of our performances is more authentic. And then there are those for whom the emotions are so powerful that it’s all the performer can do to get through the song. We saw at least two such performances during the Quarterfinals. Read the groups’ commentary in their own words in the next pages, but suffice it to say The Committee (#50) showed a lot of restraint
Somebody’s got to do it. As in, if somebody doesn’t “do it,” everything immediately goes kablooey. In part, we’re talking about the scores of local volunteers who kept everything running behind the scenes in Orlando, as well as judges, staff, tech crew—you name it. Thousands and thousands of cumulative hours. Then there are all of the behind the behind-the-scenes people. While many of us arrived early in Orlando to hit the theme parks, a lot of people arrived early for something most of us don’t find relaxing at all: meetings. Board meetings, Contest & Judging meetings, District President’s Councils, District Executive committees, World Harmony Council—and a bunch of other meetings too numerous to fit here. Come to think of it, things probably would not go kablooey without the bajillion volunteer hours every year at the Society, District, Chapter, and quartet level. It would be more of a dead silence—there just wouldn’t be any organized barbershop anything ever at all. So let’s give a round of applause to every Barbershopper and barbershop supporter over, say, the last 80 years. One clap each for now. We’d like to finish the roll call before Salt Lake City. MARTY MONSON
“... folks, let’s give each name just one clap apiece, starting with our 40 or so past Society presidents ...”
of the VM for the second time this year. • The Vocal Majority moved into a tie with the Thoroughbreds for fourth-most total medals for a chorus with their win in 2018, their 18th medal, sitting behind Southern Gateway (22), and the Alexandria Harmonizers and New Tradition (both with 19 medals). • The VM also extended its all-time record to 13 gold medals, ahead of the Masters of Harmony at 9. • Denver’s fourth-place medal was its 6th, tying with Southern Gateway for the mostever fourth-place medals by a chorus. Alexandria, Houston and St. Charles are next with four each. – From the Medalist Trivia page at www. barbershopquartet.us, with researched stats about medal winners from 1939 to today. by waiting until after taking their bows to share the story behind “How it Ends.” It’s hard to fathom how the quartet, especially Mike Leitke, could even finish that song while the wounds are still so fresh and so deep. And during district prelims, Brian Sagrestano of All In (#51) faced far bigger concerns than hitting that 76% qualifying score. But he kept his sunny side up during his first-ever appearance on the International Quartet stage–one that we can pray will be followed by others in coming years.
Throwback keeps it really real. There are quartets that can do believability, and then there’s Throwback singing “Run Away With Me.” It was so engrossing that you almost expected the girl to whom they were singing to stand up and answer. (Admittedly, it might have been tough to suspend disbelief in the intro when the guy saying “I’m not good with words” was the definitely-great-with-words Sean Devine ... but that fixed itself rather quickly.) Throwback pretty much knocked everything out of the park in Orlando. The quartet has been among the best since its inception, and has started the move into “great” territory. Unfortunately, they’re still the only quartet consistently mining the jackpot of barbershoppable crowd-pleasing country uptunes. One can only hope others catch on. September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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37. Showpiece (SWD)
38. The Hemidemisemiquaver 4 (PIO)
Frank Thorne; Greater Baton Rouge, LA; Monroe, LA
Fort Wayne, IN; Frank Thorne; Greater Indianapolis, IN; Hillsdale, MI
Phil Zeagler (T), Daniel Zeagler (L), Chip Davis (Bs), Geoff Kannenberg (Br)
showpiecequartet.com; facebook.com/showpieceqt
39. South of Normal (ILL)
Bryan Reeder (T), Tim Woodall (L), Bret Reinthaler (Bs), Craig Ahlgrim (Br)
Don Slamka (Br), Doug Morgan (Bs), Dave Bjork (L), Dave Ellis (T)
facebook.com/thehemidemisemiquaver4
The HemiDemiSemiQuaver 4 It’s not just the jackets “Holy cow! Where did you guys get those jackets?” Yes, that is our most asked question. But our second-most-asked question is about our songs. Well, a great deal of effort and laughter went into the set we affectionately call “The Ego Set.” That set is the result of finding out who we are as a quartet. Our loving wives told us we were quirky, weird and (most affectionately) silly. With that now known, one of our great coaches, Cindy Hansen, challenged us to put that personality on stage. “You and Me (But Mostly Me)” was the result, but now we needed a quirkier second song to complete the set. Enter Tim Minchin’s hilarious “F Sharp.” The biggest challenge was who could arrange them into contestable charts? Both Steve Tramack and Wayne Grimmer supported our oddness, and with help from people like that, you can do anything. After all, it IS all about the LEAD! – David Bjork and David Ellis
Chicagoland West Suburban, IL; Coles County, IL; Sound of Illinois, IL; DuPage Valley, IL
sonqt.com; Find on Facebook
40. Insight (CAR)
Steven Bogaerts (T), Warren Weitkamp (L), Adam Wheeley (Bs), Phil Griggs (Br)
Columbus-Greenwood, IN; Elizabethtown, KY; Frank Thorne; Greater Indianapolis, IN; Kokomo, IN; Terre Haute, IN
Find on Facebook
41. Forecast (MAD)
Mike Fitch (T), Tyler Rackley (L), Kevin Jones (Bs), Travis Murray (Br) Richmond, VA
ForecastQuartet.com; facebook.com/ForecastQuartet
42. Odds n Ends (NED)
43. Speakeasy (JAD)
Portland, ME
Dallas Metro, TX; Elyria, OH; Fostoria, OH; Independence, OH; Northcoast, OH; NW OH
Jonas Rimkunas (T),HARMONIZER Chris Howard (L),•Jim Fortin (Bs), Phil Newth 16 The September/October 2018 (Br)
facebook.com/oddsnendsquartet
Matt Cook (T), Keith Parker Jr. (L), Terry Keith (Bs), Kerry Conrad (Br)
facebook.com/bbshopquartet
44. Portobello Road (BABS)
Ian James (T), Brian Schofield (L), Stuart Owen (Bs), Steve Emery (Br) portobelloroad.webs.com; facebook.com/PortoQT
45. OMG (ILL)
Craig Hall (T), Jeff Lathom (L), Greg Martin (Bs), Pat Henders (Br) Frank Thorne; Rockford Metro, IL
Find on Facebook
46. Let’s Sing! (NSC)
47. Drive (NED)
Greensboro, NC; Research Triangle Park, NC; Rocky Mount, NC; Winston-Salem, NC
Bridgeport, CT; Central, CT; Concord, MA; Danbury, CT; Frank Thorne
Steve Tremper (T), Greg Zinke (Bs), Mark Chandler (L), Joe Doub (Br)
Find on Facebook
Dan Allison (Br), Ray Johnson (Bs), Kenny Sousae (L), Josh Beswick (T)
driveacappella.com; facebook.com/driveacappella
48. Supertonic (ONT)
49. St. Croix Crossing (LOL)
Hamilton, ON; Toronto, ON
Frank Thorne; Dunn County & LaCrosse WI; Hilltop MN; Greater St Paul Area, MN
Chris Arnold (Bs), Pat Brown (L), Chris Scappatura (Br), Jordan Travis (T)
supertonicqt.com; facebook.com/SupertonicQT
50. The Committee (ILL)
Kevin McClelland (Br), Brett Mulford (Bs), Matt Carlen (L), Mike Lietke (T) Bloomington, IL; Greendale, WI
facebook.com/thecommitteesings
Randy Lieble (T), Dan Heike (L), Jared Hoke (Bs), Steve Hardy (Br)
prettygoodquartet.com; facebook.com/SCXBQ
The Committee There’s authentic, and then there’s “How it Ends” In January, Carol and (tenor) Mike Lietke suffered the immeasurable loss of their son Drew, who succumbed to depression at age 13. We were all shocked, saddened, and heartbroken. The quartet was an insignificant thing in that moment, so Matt, Brett, and Kevin agreed: if Mike wanted to continue singing, or not ...his choice was our choice. Thankfully for us, and for the world, what he chose to do was to continue forward. With Mike’s altered lyrics, we sang “How It Ends” as an homage to Drew’s memory and to spread this message: You are not alone. If you think you need help, or know somebody who does, there are armies of people willing to help. You are loved by so many people. Reach out, and talk to someone. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255. End The Stigma of mental illness. It is okay to not be okay. – Kevin McClelland September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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51. All In (SLD)
Evan Brooksby (T), Brian Sagrestano (L), Joel Barnett (Bs), Don Drake (Br) Mohawk Valley, NY; Liverpool, NY; Schenectady, NY
bhs-mv.org; facebook.com/Allinquartet
All In While facing a daunting diagnosis, Brian Sagrestano put the future on hold to make his first appearance on the international stage All In formed in early 2014 when Don Drake and Mike McLoughlin, approached Brian Sagrestano and Joel Barnett about competing in the SLD novice competition. Both Don and Mike had long quartet histories, including Don’s seven international quartet contests. Before we even got started, things were derailed when in March 2014 Brian was diagnosed with a rare eye cancer. He went into immediate treatment
and the quartet put things on hold. When Brian returned, the quartet selected the name “All In”, as we agreed that we were in this together, come what may. Six rehearsals later, we were the SLD novice champs! Over the next few years, All In began to build a repertoire including many standards. We benefitted from fantastic coaching from Debra Lynn, KJ McAleesejergins, Rob Hopkins, Rob Mance, Sean Devine, Ig Jakovac, and many others. Eventually Evan Brooksby, who had competed twice at international, replaced Mike, adding additional experience (and distance!) to our group. The hard work paid off with the fall 2017 SLD District Championship. As we geared up for prelims, job changes for Evan and Joel made getting together more difficult. We then got the devastating news after a follow up scan that Brian’s cancer had returned, this time in the liver, as stage four metastastic uveal melanoma. Despite the return to treatment, we continued to rehearse, with barbershop providing a respite for Brian. Miraculously, Brian stabilized just before prelims, allowing All In to compete and qualify for our first International. Following prelims, we got our second miracle when continued stability for Brian allowed us to prepare for and take the stage in Orlando in front of family and friends. It was an unlikely dream come true. While we don’t know what our future holds, we know we are blessed and we are “All In.”
NEXT GENERATION VARSITY
Wednesday, July 4
The full, official title is “Next Generation Varsity Barbershop Quartet Contest.” Long title, but every word means something. Next Generation because, well, that’s literally what these young men are. Varsity means ages 18-25, as opposed to the 18-and-under Junior quartet contest, which is starting up Midwinter 2019 in Nashville. Barbershop Quartet Contest because, well, do we really need to explain? That darn attrition. Life makes it tough. Next Generation quartets have to either regroup or break up every time a member turns 26, or graduates, or has to move, or gets engaged, or gets a new job, or sunspots, or whatever. Remember what it was like at that age? There were times when you might do all of the above in the same week, maybe a couple of them twice. Some years, a competing Next Generation quartet might have to retire or find a new tenor during the applause break between their ballad and their uptune. Which is to say, only a limited number of quartets get to stick around long enough to compete multiple years. It’s therefore amazing how good these groups are, and how little time it takes them to get there. That awesome attrition. Frontier took sixth place in last year’s contest, and since none of the 2017 medalists competed in 2018, everyone moves to the next available slot, right? Frontier in a cakewalk? Wrong. For starters, this year’s Frontier would have beaten the entire 2017 field. And they needed every drop of improvement, because British quartet Tagline was phenomenal, scoring an 80.3 to get second place, with Wildfire deep in the mix.
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The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018
The Brits return (almost) victorious. Speaking of Tagline, Wow, and did we say “Wow”? First British international medalist of any kind, and with a score that in many years—not this one, of course–would crack the Semifinals. The Swedes and Kiwis broke through already, and hopefully this generation of Brits will be next up. Great out of nowhere. Big props to Roses in Blue and One ‘n Dun. Unknown before Orlando, they medaled in the contest and scored high enough to qualify for the open contest as well. Big things could be ahead for them if they choose to make that quartet registration official. Quick notes • Stranger Rings actually lived up to its name, in a fun way. Probably the first time stage manager Dave Duncan has had to come out and remove baby carrots from the stage. • Thunderbolt! swung for the fences, and you’ve got to respect that whether or not you see “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” as a barbershop vehicle. After lead Kedar Shashidhar sang, “I wanna hit that high,” he nailed the stratospheric “Yeah, yeah, yeah!” George Michael would’ve been proud.
• The Reunion. Every year, they’ve done concept comedy and been one of the most entertaining groups. Please stick around. • Singularity parodied barbershop culture references like pros. These new bbshop fanatics are among many who thank the Boise Chordsmen. • When Greenlight started the Keepsake version of “Royal Garden Blues,” red flags went up. A few measures in, red flags went down. Tough song to do well, but they did it. • On Point earned a lot of applause for proving that basic barbershop songs don’t sound basic at all when you sing them right. Before you age out ... The Next Generation contests are a microcosm of life itself: A few brief years to make the most of your time before you age out and are replaced by the next generation. So let us congratulate Frontier, The Tune Squad, Greenlight, The Reunion, On Point, and The Aggenizors, the only returning competitors from 2017. Guys, whenever you prepare to pass the torch to the next Next Generation (upper case), learn from those of us with a few decades under the saddle. There’s a phrase we often share with the generation that’s preparing to take over our turf: “Get off my lawn!” Feel free to quote us.
1. Frontier
2. Tagline
Michigan; representing Pioneer District (PIO)
United Kingdom; representing British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS)
Chris Cordle (T), Cody Harrell (Bs), Aaron Pollard (L), Brandon Smith (Br)
aaronpollard2315@yahoo.com
Frontier Journey to gold passes through Indonesia Over the past four years of youth contest participation, Frontier has never aimed to win the youth contest. I can’t say we didn’t want to and that we don’t value the competition—rather, our coaches instilled a spirit in us from the very beginning that looked beyond the scoresheet and judges’ comments. However, this year’s success started in a well air-conditioned apartment on the island of Batam, a small strip of land south of Singapore and a part of the string of islands that makes up the country of Indonesia. It was mid-August in Asia, and we were invited to spread barbershop harmony in the second-fastest growing city in the world. Lazed out about the couches and chairs scattered across the room, the quartet decided that we needed to create a brand that we were proud of and that represented who we are. Citing long conversations with our amazing coaches Cindy Hansen, Scott Kitzmiller, and Paul Ellinger (the fifth member of Frontier), we chose key words and ideas that represented what we wanted to be: authentic, unique, quirky and, most of all, fun. And in the last year, we only chose songs that fit that bill. We denied many ideas and requests from friends and confidants. It became the norm in the quartet that we would only choose songs that all four of us liked and would be proud of. Considering this year’s success, we believe we have found the answer. There’s much more to come. We would like to thank our aforementioned coaches and the men and women that make up the best family in the world—the Pioneer District. Without their love, encouragement and support, this quartet would not have had any of the opportunities to spread barbershop and PIONEER love around the world. We hope to repay you in any way we can. See you in October! – Cody Harrell
Joe Pickin (T), James Gower-Smith (L), Chris Langworthy (Br), Rob Foot (Bs)
robert.a.foot@gmail.com
Tagline How they became the first British international medalist As Barbershoppers are fond of saying, it’s always about the journey. Tagline has been singing together since the start of 2012, where we met as music students at Manchester University. Things have changed a lot since then with graduation, jobs, and moving down south, but through all of this change we’ve been competing in the international collegiate quartet contest pretty much the whole time. The contest has a special place in our hearts, so much so that we have competed in it four times! In Toronto 2013 we made our debut, and over the next few years we kept going back, slowly climbing the rankings, culminating in a sixth place finish in Nashville 2016, just behind our friends in Frontier quartet. However, fourth time’s a charm, and armed with our new tenor, Joe, this year we were delighted to finish in second place in Orlando, just behind Frontier again! To be the first BABS quartet to bring back a medal from the States is an incredible feeling, and we were immensely proud to represent our friends back home. We have to say a huge thank you to everyone at BABS for their support over the last six years. Thank you to the board for providing funding to keep us going back to international, and for helping us get coaching with some of the best coaches in the world. (Special shout-out to Doug Harrington and John Palmer, whom we worked with during this contest cycle!) We also have to thank our original tenor Ben Ferguson for his time in the quartet, and the countless arrangements that he has written for us over the years. What’s next for Tagline? Well, we’re going to compete at BABS next year with a view to qualifying for the Big Boys contest in LA 2020. But before that we’ll be preparing for our concert in London on December 8 (more details coming soon), making a music video, and trying to take over the world with barbershop! To keep up to date with our progress follow our Facebook page! facebook.com/taglinequartet. – Rob Foot
Everyone in Harmony. In AMY ROSE both official and casual settings, folks wanted to discuss the recent opening of BHS membership to all. What’s next? What will barbershop harmony look like in the future? BHS leaders see Everyone in Harmony as a broad vision aimed at reaching many more people who can benefit from the cultural, personal, and social Patty Cobb Baker, rewards of the worldwide barbershop Christina Lewellen, Marty Monson, Sweet Adelines community. Harmony, Inc. President Society CEO President Our fellow North American organizations were well-represented by Sweet Adelines International President Patty Cobb Baker, who emceed the Quartet Semifinals, and by Harmony, Inc. President Christina Lewellen, who emceed a Quartet Quarterfinal round with a wink at awards show-style costume changes. Both also attended the Everyone in Harmony Town Hall, in which BHS President Skipp Kropp, CEO Marty Monson, and other leaders fielded questions and feedback. Patty shared a few hopeful words that viewed Everyone in Harmony through a lens of abundance, not scarcity. Link to view the Town Hall at www.barbershop.org/harmonizer. September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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Wildfire. When you find a bass like this, find matching jackets Wildfire began when we heard an absolute boss man (Harrison) singing bass at a Dixie District convention. The top three parts asked if he’d like to give the Youth Contest a go as soon as they found that he was under 26. After some fun rehearsals, driving around rural Tennessee and buying jackets that made us feel like absolute ballers, we were ready to sing in Orlando. We attribute much of our success to outside help (Gary Plaag, Aaron Evens, Rick Spencer) and singing songs that avoided our weaknesses and hopefully highlighted our strengths. Sometimes, putting your pride to the side is what moves you closer to an impactful performance! Upon learning that somehow we were seeded first going into the contest, we quickly agreed to forget any prelims score and have no expectations whatsoever, except to make the best music that we could. It made it that much more exciting to come in third! – Kyle Snook
4. Roses in Blue
Aaron Roos (Br), Abraham Roos (Bs), Kevin Clark (L), Stephen Kersey (T) Ohio; representing Johnny Appleseed District (JAD)
skersey@bgsu.edu
6. The Tune Squad
Luke Schmidt (Br), Dean Moore II (Bs), Tyler Dohar (L), Jonathan Lang (T) Illinois, Ohio; representing Johnny Appleseed District (JAD)
3. Wildfire
Kyle Snook (Br), Harrison Cooke (Bs), Stephen Goldman (L), Caleb Hayes (T) Florida, Georgia, Tennessee; representing Dixie District (DIX)
kyletsnook@gmail.com
5. One ‘n Dun
Josh Vanlandingham (T), Keith Waldheim (Bs), John Treash (L), Johnny Bugarin (Br) Colorado; representing Rocky Mountain District (RMD)
vanlandingham92@gmail.com
One n’ Dun Going from “barely qualified” to medalist “One ‘n Dun” was brought together by Josh (tenor) in hopes that he could get a quartet to qualify for what would be his first and last Next Generation quartet competition. He approached his good friends in Sound of the Rockies and 52eighty, and we agreed to give it a shot! With a few rehearsals under our belts, we submitted a video and miraculously squeaked into the NextGen Varsity Quartet Contest. From there we started singing together whenever we could. Regular rehearsals Sunday nights, post-Sound of the Rockies rehearsals on Thursdays, and post-52Eighty Youth Chorus Rehearsals on Saturdays. We were beyond humbled to finish fifth in the contest. We would like to send a big shout out to all of our friends and family for their love, support, and encouragement. Also thanks to our coaches, Seth Fetzer and Mark Hale, for always pushing the best out of us, and our World Class Walk On Professional George Mammarella.
tdohar@bgsu.edu
7. Greenlight
William Rogers (Br), Christopher Cutler (Bs), Sebastian Massa (L), Louis Ades (T)
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• Northeastern District (NED) Connecticut, Massachusetts; representing The HARMONIZER
greenlight.qtet@gmail.com
September/October 2018
8. The Reunion
Francesco Logozzo (T), Rodrigo Alvarez (L), Travis Roy (Bs), Nick Ruiz (Br) Massachusetts, Texas; representing Northeastern District (NED)
gklogozzo@gmail.com
September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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9. Stand-By
10. On Point
Kansas; representing Central States District (CSD)
Florida; representing Sunshine District (SUN) & Florida State College at Jacksonville
Mark Doyle (Br), Carson Kientz (Bs), Kyle Feather (L), Ryan Sanford (T)
CarsonK72@gmail.com
Gavin Andrews (T), Daniel Pesante (L), Alex Burney (Bs), Timothy Keatley (Br)
onpointquartet@gmail.com
11. 4 On Demand
12. Singularity
United Kingdom; representing British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS)
Idaho; representing Evergreen District (EVG)
Jamie Braham (T), Peter Bryant (L), Calvin Laverick (Bs), Nick Bryant (Br)
petermbryant@gmail.com
Stephen Gagnon (Br), Mathew Hart (L), Nathaniel Hart (Bs), Stuart Gagnon (T)
stuart.smile16@gmail.com
13. Barbershock
14. Thunderbolt!
New York, Pennsylvania; representing Seneca Land District (SLD)
California; representing Far Western District (FWD)
Joe Gonzalez (T), Stephen Barrie (L), Matt Demartino (Bs), John Donohue (Br)
johnohue@ymail.com
15. The Elite IV
Scott Cilento (Br) Alexios Pishos (Bs) Evan Patrick (L) Grant Klobuchar (T)
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Illinois; representing Illinois District (ILL)• The HARMONIZER
EliteivQuartet@gmail.com
September/October 2018
Oscar Sotelo (T), Bobby Reynolds (Bs), Kedar Shashidhar (L), Nick Luna (Br)
kedarshashi@gmail.com
16. Stranger Rings
Daniel Laguros (Br), Danny McFarlane (Bs), Ryan Mattingly (L), Dominick Finetti (T) Texas; representing Southwestern District (SWD)
dom.finetti93@gmail.com
17. Wing It
18. One Eleven
Ohio; representing Johnny Appleseed District (JAD)
New York; representing Seneca Land District (SLD)
Kyle Fisher (T), Brandon Zlotnik (L), Giovanni Castiglione (Bs), Hollis Wilson (Br)
wingitquartet@gmail.com
Thomas Keeping (Br), Adam Del Rosso (Bs), Johnathan Lunden (L), Nicholas Peta (T)
jonjonlunden@gmail.com
19. All of the Above
20. The Aggienizors
Hell’s Kitchen Chapter; representing Mid-Atlantic District (MAD)
Texas; Texas A&M University
Michael Berkson (Br), Eric Blum (L), Harry Bickford (Bs), Nick Taber (T)
maberkson@gmail.com
Anthony Gacasan (T), Aaron Daniel (L), Corey Bowers (Bs), Alan Putnam (Br)
alan_putnam@att.net
Some of these faces will soon be famous. You may not know many members of the Next Generation Varsity Honors Chorus, but history tells us that some are not far from becoming our directors, coaches, and singing idols. The Society is already filled with chorus directors who cut their teeth in the youth quartet contests, which have had various names over the past 26 years. Four out of our last six international quartet champs were either youth champs or medalists, and all of this year’s quartet medalists featured stars from past youth contests. Ten of our last 12 quartet champs can say the same. Our youth programs have long been delivering quality leaders and singers. The Youth Chorus system appears to be following the same trajectory—and it’s attracting a much higher volume of singers and educators. Stay tuned.
September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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QUARTET SEMIFINALS Flipside: too legit to quit. Here’s how long they’ve been at this: Bill Clinton was U.S. president during Flipside’s first international contest. From 2000 on, they were Finals contenders or finalists every year, and won a couple of medals in 2006-07. Then we didn’t see them for three or four ... wait, could it have been? ... nine years. They retooled and came back strong in 2016 and 2017, then got yet another great lead and still have that huge sound in 2018. Basso profundo Kevin Stinson looks exactly the way he did 19 contests ago. He’s either the perfect model of health or we have to give those “cybernetically-enhanced” theories a second look. Artistic to The Core. The Core gets consistently big ovations for doing what they do best: taking big songs nobody else is singing and making you hear them for the first time, whether or not it’s your first time. LemonTrocaderoMasters. Swedish quartets are not assembled in a factory from interchangeable parts, although the impossibly clean and agile singing of Trocadero (aka Swedish youth champ #4, ver. 2015) certainly sounds familiar—in the best way. They were in nobody’s shadow in Orlando.
Pratt Street Power measures up. For the past three years, Pratt Street Power’s first set of the week has consisted of jolting the audience awake with lead Ed Schubel’s amazing solo swipe (“Weeeeeeeeeeell ...”) and then launching into “Cry Me a River,” followed by “Rock it For Me.” That’s an (admiring) observation, not a complaint. So far, it’s functioning like when your mom had you stand against a wall every birthday while she drew a line to measure how much you’d grown. Those young guys are growing like weeds. Gimme Four espressos. If you like rhythm—especially the Patrick McAlexander type—Gimme Four has your guys. If there’s such a thing as “caffeinated rhythm,” they’re really your guys. A big step up from last year. Rhapsody came thiiiis close. It’s got to be bittersweet to be the best non-semifinalist quartet of all time. Bari Matt Swann is the only of the four who had any prior international experience, or much barbershop experience at all, actually. Your eyes and your ears wouldn’t have known that. Individually they were fantastic–huge debut by lead Drew Prince–and the unit sound was super tight. If this is what a “novice quartet” looks like (they were this year’s Dealer’s Choice Award winner), we can’t wait to see them with a little more experience. BoomTown explodes. The first group out of the gates at the Quarterfinals, they set the bar high. Welcome to the Semifinals for the first time–it probably won’t be their last.
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The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018
Thursday, July 5
Category 4: sniping done right. You don’t have to be wonkish about the judging categories to love the ongoing battle between the two Music judges and two Singing judges regarding which category is better. And before launching into the humor, Category 4 dedicated its Quarterfinals set to two straight-up songs that showed off the quartet’s considerable singing and musical chops. The rest of the way, they maximized the fun. Some of their jabs might have sailed over most heads. (Hint: they probably chose red and blue vests for a reason.) Hopefully, nobody missed red and blue’s determination to be agreeable, even if they can’t agree on anything except that the Performance Category is third best. (Irony: For the Finals, it was Category 4’s highest-scoring category.) The Newfangled Four: words fail us. Do “Gaston” and “Jackson” sound pretty close? Not really, but that was part of the joke in an affectionate parody about The Newfangled Four lead Jackson Niebrugge, set to the villain’s ode from “Beauty and the Beast.” Explanations will fail miserably—it’s that off the wall. Just go online and enjoy all their performances. The quartet pulled out something new in all three sets, and landed nearly every gag. Combined with overlooked singing excellence, it was almost enough for a medal in this record-breaking year.
Believe in yourselves, Pacific Ring. After a strong Quarterfinals set filled with perfectly-timed jokes, few were surprised to see Pacific Ring announced for the Semifinals. Who’d have thought a 37th place qualifying quartet could reach this overloaded Semifinals round after only 10 rehearsals? Apparently not Pacific Ring tenor Jake Yoakum, who didn’t even pack his second outfit. The quartet mocked his costume blunder on stage the next day, but don’t let the other three off the hook. While 75% of the quartet packed for the Semifinals, 0% of the quartet prepared a Semifinals set for Orlando. It was an especially great pair of parodies considering the quartet made it all up overnight, but that may not be the most impressive thing about Pacific Ring. Think about it: how easy is it to assemble four guys who are actually funnier than they think they are?
12. Pratt Street Power (MAD)
13. Trocadero (SNOBS)
Hershey, PA
Zero8
Ben Hawker (Br), Ed Schubel (L), Darren Schmidt (Bs), Vincent Sandroni (T)
prattstreetpower.com; facebook.com/prattstreetpower
14. Gimme Four (MAD)
David Holst (T), Jakob Berggren (L), Filip Sibién (Bs), Sam Andrén (Br)
trocaderoquartet.com; facebook.com/trocaderoquartet Trocadero. What they’ve been doing since we saw them last ... We took a year off from competitions, and we were thrilled to be back this year. We used our time away to work on developing an emotional bond to our songs, and choosing songs that we connect to on a personal level, because we want to perform with true expression. That is mainly with the ballads, and we try to pair that with uptunes that are just pure fun to sing. During our time away, since we want to do something else than just contest material and to widen our audience, we’ve also started experimenting with a new concert concept. In a home setting, offering drinks and snacks, we invite to a concert paired with mingling. Beyond being just pure fun for us, it has also helped us reach some amazing people we otherwise wouldn’t have. Come for the drinks, stay for the afterglow!
Paul Franek (T), Dave Ammirata (L), Will Downey (Bs), Joe Servidio, Jr. (Br) Caldwell, NJ; Montclair, NJ
gimmefourquartet.com; facebook.com/GimmeFour
16. Maelstrom (RMD)
Kevin Meyer (T), Seth Fetzer (L), Tyler Wigginton (Bs), Wes Short (Br)
15. The Core (JAD)
Mike Hull (Br), Steve Denino (Bs), Josh Van Gorder (L), Michael Nesler (T) Buckeye Columbus, OH; Frank Thorne; Greater Central Ohio
facebook.com/TheCoreQt
17. Flipside (EVG)
Tim McCormic (Br), Kevin W. Stinson (Bs), Eric Christensen (L), Mike McCormic (T) Frank Thorne; Salem, OR
facebook.com/Flipsideqtet
Denver Mile High, CO
facebook.com/maelstromquartetrmd Maelstrom. Huge improvement since last year and since prelims –what it took It took a ton of intention, time, and a team mentality from everyone! Once we finished up with prelims in 2017, we had several large shows to prepare for, one of which was almost two hours of music. It forced us to work quickly to learn a lot of material in a short amount of time. In preparation for international we did recordings almost every week, and used the tracks to critique our performances. The biggest change for us really came from duetting. In the last few months before international we met outside of regular rehearsals to duet or trio to refine our blend even further. We were also fortunate enough to work with Mark Hale, Darin Drown, and many other wonderful coaches that helped us achieve our internal goals. Most importantly, we’ve enjoyed the unending support from the Rocky Mountain District and the Sound of the Rockies, their support has been invaluable in our journey so far. Thanks, guys! – Wes Short September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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18. Frontier (PIO)
19. BoomTown (CSD)
Motor City Metro, MI
South Central Kansas
Chris Cordle (T), Cody Harrell (Bs), Aaron Pollard (L) Brandon Smith (Br)
facebook.com/frontierquartet
20. Pacific Ring (EVG)
Tyson Jensen (Br), Dean Waters (L), Adrian Leontovich (Bs), Jake Yoakum (T)
Zane Sutton (T), Caleb Fouse (L), Shaun Whisler (Bs), Aaron Walker (Br)
boomtownquartet.wixsite.com/home; facebook.com/BoomTownQuartet BoomTown Huge challenges in the months leading up to Orlando This was BoomTown’s fourth International contest, (38th, 40th, and 21st the past three years), and mic testing for the 2017 Semifinals set new expectations. We knew we had a chance to make the 20, sitting at 23rd going into Orlando, but we had our work cut out for us. Our tenor, Zane, had a very serious health scare in late May, so we only had one rehearsal as a quartet between late April and July. In fact, he could only partly open his mouth the week of International, and we had no idea how the week would go. We screamed like teenage girls when they called our names in the 20 with our highest score to date! A huge shoutout to our coach, John Newell, for instilling the confidence in us to go out and sing for ourselves, and allow our audience to enjoy the ride! Here’s to many more years of Bringing the BOOM! – Shaun Whisler
Bellevue, WA; Pacific Northwest, WA; Salem, OR
facebook.com/Pacificringquartet
Pacific Ring Even they didn’t expect to leapfrog 17 quartets Pacific Ring qualified for the International contest with the help of our good friend, Paul Carter, filling in on tenor while our regular tenor, Jake, was at school. We were happy to come into contest ranked 37th, and simply honored to sing on the Big Stage. When we discovered we were the very last competitor in the Quarterfinals round, we knew we had to do something special and have some fun with our spot. Why not poke fun at some of our brother competitors, and a few judges too? Despite only a short time together, we figured that we could still be memorable, so we bought crazy new suits covered in old-timey moustaches, tucked our Mickey Mouse ears into our jacket pockets and put together a package. With our tenor back, we had ten awesome rehearsals before standing before the amazing audience. Seven minutes later, we felt great about our entertainment and the crowd reaction. Little did we know that we had just sung our way into the Semifinals. We were thrilled until the realization hit that we had only prepared enough material for the Wednesday contest! We were up late Wednesday night huddled around paper and pencil and chatting with friends online, trying to find the right words (and whatever additional songs we knew) so we could keep the entertainment coming. We thank all of our friends in the Evergreen District and beyond who lent guidance, advice and occasional reality checks during our journey. With members in Seattle and Salem, Oregon, our quartet can easily drive 400 miles each rehearsal, so we want to give a huge shout out to Bill and Portia Smith from the Centralia chapter for providing regular centralized rehearsal space. Our barbershop brothers are an awesome resource! – Adrian Leontovich
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The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018
21. Rhapsody (SWD)
Matt Swann (Br), Donovan Davis (Bs), Drew Prince (L), Aaron Turner (T) Dallas Metro, TX; Houston, TX; Houston Metro Area, TX; Westminster, CA
facebook.com/RhapsodyQT
Rhapsody The “novice” quartet that didn’t act like it Rhapsody began when four guys got together to sing some tags and quickly discovered they shared not only similar goals but a unique and distinctive sound. The journey since then has included many ups and downs, culminating with a record-high scoring 21st place finish that both shocked and humbled us. Since the beginning, we’ve wanted our focus to be on presenting music that audiences will find interesting, unexpected, and artistically sensitive. Our lead, Drew, comes from a musical theater background, and we’ve sought to maximize on that experience to bring a bit of Broadway to the BHS contest stage. After taking a few contests to really find our niche, we came into Orlando with the singular goal of being memorable to the audience in the Quarterfinal round. With only Matt having any international quartetting experience, placement and score were lower priorities. The absolute highlight of the entire Orlando experience was hearing the audience reaction. What a thrill! – Matt Swann
A good year for fantasy leads. This isn’t quite how fantasy basketball works, but if you had to play “Fantasy Leads” and you could pick only a single year’s medalists as your starting five, it would be tough to beat Drew Ochoa (After Hours), Daniel Cochran (Signature), Sean Devine (Throwback), Chris Vaughn (Quorum), and Jakob Stenberg (Stockholm Syndrome). Of those five, only Daniel doesn’t have a gold medal yet, and there’s little question he’ll be a Finals MVP someday. The whole 2018 field was super strong. The leads from 1-51 could fill several rosters that would contend against any other year, even if 2018’s lead draft is admittedly weak on wing defenders and shooting guards. Basses down low. The biggest dude in a quartet is sterotypically the bass—there’s some correlation between height and longer vocal folds, after all. So thank you to basses Kirk Young (Category 4), Markus Kang (Clutch), Adrian Leontovich (Pacific Ring) and Carson Kientz (Stand-by) for going below and beyond stereotypes. We also appreciate that when your bass has low notes that are in another league—like Dan Walz of Signature or Kevin Stinson of Flipside—the crowd wants to hear some of those effortless basement notes every once in a while. But they should have been more careful doing that in Orlando. If there’s anyone capable of opening up a sinkhole ...
Underappreciated baris. When baritones do their job well we often don’t notice them, but a lot of great leads and basses owe a big debt to baris who know just what color and volume will show off each part, chord by chord. Matt Swann glued Rhapsody‘s great individual voices into a great unit sound, and away from the stage helped three virtual novices quickly get to a high level. Clay Hine (Category 4) makes fun of his own solo voice but proves that you don’t have to be a great soloist to be a great singer. And then there’s Nathan Johnston, the new bari of Quorum, who had a couple of other-worldly posts that are suspected of interrupting ground communication with passing airliners. Please don’t tell the FAA. Terrific tenors. There were some all-star tenors in Orlando, but here are some you might not know: Julian Kusnadi, the new tenor of Artistic License, wasn’t kidding around when taking over for Todd Kidder—a fantastic catch. Tim Martin of Late Shift made the top end ping especially high. The tenor section for the Saltaires took on the standard ridiculously high tenor notes for an Aaron Dale original and did more than keep up with the better-appreciated lead section.
September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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AIC SHOW The double Kleenex masterpiece, verse two. Few groups have enjoyed the sustained adoration experienced by 1993 champ The Gas House Gang. While the group was arguably at its peak, in 2003 baritone Rob Henry was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and passed away, leaving behind his wife, Sue, and his twoyear-old son, Ryan. Emotionally unable to continue without Rob, the quartet officially retired the following year at the 2004 AIC Show. Original GHG tenor Joe Fink shared the stage with the other three as bass Jim Henry (Rob’s brother) set up the quartet’s final number. But Rob’s assumed stand-in unexpectedly walked into the wings as the remaining trio stunned the audience by starting the opening refrain from “I Still Can’t Say Goodbye,” Rob’s signature solo. On cue, a video of Rob appeared on the big screen as the other three backed up his isolated solo track. Thousands melted as the teary-eyed audience said goodbye to the well-loved and only recently-departed baritone, and goodbye to the highly beloved quartet itself. In terms of raw emotion and audience connection, the performance may have had no equal. No equal until this year’s AIC Show. Celebrating the champs’ 25th anniversary, Jim Henry again delivered the set-up to the quartet’s final number. This time, substitute bari Brandon Guyton walked off stage as the quartet began nearly the same performance of “I Still Can’t Say Goodbye” with Rob singing solo via video. It was a tearful surprise to those who hadn’t seen the 2004 performance, and doubly so for those who had. Now just imagine how badly the audience lost it in the second verse, when 17-year-old Ryan Henry unexpectedly appeared with mic in hand to take over singing duties from his departed father. He looked and sounded so much like his dad, who silently mouthed the words to Ryan’s vocals from the big screen. Even more poignant than 14 years earlier were the lyrics that now took on a whole new meaning: They are written from the perspective of a son who fondly remembers his departed dad but “still can’t say goodbye.” Like 14 years ago, the standing O was loud and endless. It had been a long time since we’d heard Rob, but it sure felt like he was there as Ryan stood in Rob’s place to hug his uncle Jim and two of his father’s best friends. Long live Rob Henry. Long live The Gas House Gang.
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Thursday, July 5
The Greatest Show on Earth. Now that Ringling Brothers has folded, the Association of International Champions can rightly reclaim the title that was always theirs. Going to an International Convention and passing on the AIC Show is like getting reservations to a high-end steak joint and then ordering only a salad. Barbershoppers work their whole lives for the privilege to perform on this stage, and we have never seen a quartet waste the honor. Just about all the champs on this year’s show are somehow even better than when they won, and that’s a high bar. You know how great Main Street (2017) is, but if you haven’t heard Instant Classic (2015) or Forefront (2016) lately, make the time. Ditto for Masterpiece (2013) and OC Times (2008), both of which showed off the best of their old and their new. Vocal Spectrum (2006) and Crossroads (2009) can still command any stage in the world. The men of Storm Front (2010) are still top-shelf show geniuses, and we got a great surprise from 1987 champ Interstate Rivals! The Muppet Show hecklers Statler and Waldorf (Jim Clark and Jared “Pookie” Carlson) hit every target. Nobody does Disney better than Tony De Rosa, and he dialed it up to full power while directing an AIC Chorus that continues to make us grateful that they don’t compete against the rest of us. Can’t wait to see what the world’s most talented harmony singers are cooking up for Salt Lake City.
The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018 • www.barbershop.org
Main Street (2017)
Vocal Spectrum (2006)
Forefront (2016)
Storm Front (2010)
Masterpiece (2013)
OC Times (2008)
Instant Classic (2015)
Crossroads (2009)
CHORUS CONTEST
Friday, July 6
Harmonic Collective’s DNA. Even with the older singers, Harmonic Collective still averages younger than Westminster Chorus. The chapter wouldn’t exist without director and newly-minted BHS member Sky Harris. She’s an award-winning music educator, a long-time Sweet Adeline, multi-time Youth Chorus Festival director, and a living argument for reconsidering the ban on human cloning.
The EntertainMen love a good Heartache. The original Swedish megachapter showed once again that there’s a lot more going on in Sweden than zero8. They’re also one of the most successful barbershop chapters in the world if you’re counting audience, financials, fraternity, and fun. Can’t believe they sang the Eagles’ “Heartache Tonight”—including the rhythm section—but they somehow pulled it off.
The Tampa/Atlanta experiment succeeds. Atlanta Vocal Project spent a contest cycle as part of Tampa’s Heralds of Harmony. The on-stage product was amazing and almost earned a medal. It was a huge commitment considering the chapters are almost 500 miles apart. Most on-stage appearances. Lately, the chorus gold and silver medalists seem to always perform at least one arrangement from either David Wright or Aaron Dale. This year was no exception. The two arrangers are among many whose work showed up on stage again and again in Orlando. Here’s whose arranging genius you heard most in 2018 contests, quartets included (courtesy of Scott Andersen): 1. Aaron Dale, 34 times (28 songs) 2. David Wright, 18 3. Patrick McAlexander, 16 4. Clay Hine, 16 5. David Harrington, 12 (10 songs) 6. Steve Tramack, 12 7. Kevin Keller, 9 8. Theo Hicks, 9 (8 songs) 9. Brent Graham, 9 10. Rasmus Krigström, 8 Fog City Singers. Smooth, artistic, flawless
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singing and high-level staging. They don’t just do Broadway well, they could probably do that on, well, Broadway. “They Just Keep Moving the Line” was a fitting title in a set that earned every point of a 91.2% average ... and took seventh place. Space City Chorus takes off. Young, small, clean, very musical and brand new to the international stage. An auspicious debut. Great Plains Harmony, plain great. The Fargo-Morehead, N.D. Chapter is one of the many great groups out there that’s strong enough to entertain on the international stage but which rarely gets the chance because of the strength of their district choruses and Society-wide wildcards. Can you believe that until only relatively recently have we allowed chorus wildcards? The (then) 16 district champs used to be all that we saw. It’s great to see more of these other groups that belong on this stage ... on this stage.
The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018
KURT HEINECKE
KURT HEINECKE KURT HEINECKE
1. The Vocal Majority (SWD) • Greg Clancy The Vocal Majority The necessity of reinvention Being the Musical Director of the VM requires a delicate balance. Things change. Things evolve. On one hand, there is the heritage of “winning.” But today there is a greater understanding among the members of the chorus that our primary mission is to touch lives, inspire people, and put harmony in a world that craves it. We understand that the platform to touch lives becomes larger when we are considered “best in the world.” It’s a responsibility we take seriously, especially as we honor those VM members who have come before us. We stand on their shoulders. This year, winning required reinventing ourselves. Honestly, I don’t know if there is anything we might’ve done differently to outscore Masters of Harmony last year. Their joy was not to be denied. But, coming in second required a reexamination of sorts. What we learned in 2017 is that it is almost impossible to change the aura—to connect and even transport an audience—in a setting of back-to-back-to-back-to-back choruses, and in an environment not suited for intimacy … unless the message and feeling of the performance are
abundantly clear and authentic. Humans intuitively know if a performance is real or fake. We connect with the audience when we share our human experience in the moment, delivering the lyric and opening the emotion of the audience to identify personally with the story, and to open the door for the audience to be part of that experience. Our reward came with comments shared after our performance. Instead of hearing things associated with a contest like “you crushed it,” or “way to bang that tag,” we heard words like “impactful” and “touching.” Some even said they were “grateful” for the performance, which was a theme for many of us this contest season. I believe we feel grateful to be part of something much larger than ourselves. That we can move people and give them a gift that can positively change their outlook on life. “The gift was ours to borrow, then to let go,” is a line from our ballad, “What I Did for Love.” Let us all live in the moment, and enjoy the gift we’ve been given—to sing. – Greg Clancy
2. The Westminster Chorus (FWD) • Justin Miller Westminster Chorus Big news away from the big stage We’d like to thank all those who helped in our hour of need following the shocking and unexpected robbery of our van; containing suits, risers, CDs and music. Our digital fundraising campaign was a great success due to the love and support of the greater barbershop community, without which we may have ceased to function as a chapter. So from our hearts to yours, thank you. We wouldn’t be here without you. On the positive side, we have several recent highlights. A fantastic tour of New Zealand in 2017, special invitation to sing at the Western Regional American Choral Directors Association in early 2018, and thrilling silver medal experience at the BHS International Contest in Orlando, round out another very special year for our young men! We are also now very excited to report that after several years of applications, we have finally received special invitation to perform at the National American Choral Directors Association Conference and Convention coming up in Kansas
City in February 2019. This invitation is highly sought after by choruses all over the country, and it is an overwhelming and humbling honor to have finally been selected. The opportunity to be able to represent the barbershop art form for this very discerning audience of those tasked with the musical education of our next generation is one that we are preparing for with our fullest heart. It is our hope that with an exciting program of all-new music we will be able to craft an experience that forever shifts their perception of the barbershop style, furthering our collective goal to bridge the gap between our two musical communities and truly Keep the Whole World Singing. Then later in 2019, we will be overjoyed to once again sing for our favorite audience of all at the Salt Lake City BHS International Contest and Convention. We cannot express in words the life-changing journey it has been for each and every one of us to be a part of this, the absolute best, hobby in the world. Blessings and love from us to you, and we will see you in Salt Lake City!
3. Parkside Harmony (MAD) • Sean Devine and Jay Butterfield Parkside Harmony The meaning behind the powerful set “An American Tune,” written by Paul Simon and arranged by Steve Tramack, speaks to the hardships we’ve all experienced throughout our lives. As parents, children, siblings, friends, employees, and students, we all bear a burden of responsibility, and for many of us, that burden is a heavy one. We all experience loss, fatigue, and sadness at one time or another … The song is about recognizing this truth: that we can put on a happy face, but inside, we might be broken down and beaten up. And we are just weary to our bones. However, towards the end of the piece, we draw inspiration from those who came before us, and we realize that they had hardships as well, but they kept moving, working, and growing. Life isn’t always easy, but it’s the only life we have, and we owe it to ourselves and future generations to keep
moving onward and upward. So we end the piece, grounded and strong, but still tired… and preparing to return to the daily grind. At the beginning of “If I Can Dream,” made famous by Elvis Presley and arranged by Aaron Dale, a few visionaries punch through the haze of fatigue, and start us on an upward climb, asking: “Why not?” Why can’t our lives be everything we want them to be, and more? Why can’t we live in peace and simplicity in this modern world?” Even though we acknowledge that we’re “trapped in a world with too much pain,” our confidence and positivity grows throughout the piece, ending with a call to action: “Make it come true right now.” The power to make the world a better place is in our own hands, and if we have the strength and will to choose that path, then we can achieve our dreams. – Jim Craun
4. Sound of the Rockies (RMD) • Mark Hale Sound of the Rockies Changing lives through singing, not medals The Sound of the Rockies chorus has certainly been evolving in the 3½ years under the direction of Mark Hale, but one key ingredient remains the same from Darin Drown’s long tenure: SOR is a chorus that brings heart and humanity to its musical message. Mark strives to instill his trademark technical excellence into the group, but he is fiercely protective of SOR’s ability to reach audiences with credibility. The confluence of these traits is our lofty goal as we continue our commitment to authenticity and musicality. Our coaches, Erin Howden, Royce Ferguson, and Brent Graham, have had the same focus while contributing their own creative gifts and experiences to the advancement of the chorus. Contest scores are on the rise with this strategy, but as Mark said on the Orlando webcast, “Our job as performers is to change others’ lives with music, not to change our lives with medals.” The chorus has enjoyed several successful cycles of member recruitment recently, with 30-40 guests visiting on our semiannual guest nights. Additionally, we are embarking on another round of Ready, Set, Sing! this fall. Newer members observe and emulate the vocal production and riser
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The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018
decorum with greater ease as the bulk of the chorus approaches its new baseline sound. Even with 15 new members currently in the pipeline, the sound of our chorus is not experiencing significant disruptions, which is exciting to one and all. The chorus is maintaining and even increasing our age diversity in this period of growth. We might be tempted to say that we’re “Almost There,” but with every gain, Mark moves the goalposts. Local visibility has likely been a major contributor to our recent gains of talented voices. High production values in our show series lead to sell-out performances. We’re at the verge of outgrowing our fabulous 973-seat performance hall. In addition, a lot of youthful buzz has been generated by the annual Acappellooza contests sponsored by the chorus. SOR is also active in the larger community, performing in the annual Colorado Freedom Memorial ceremonies and engaging in other community-service activities. Our upcoming trip to Normandy for D-Day’s 75th anniversary commemorative events may also be an attraction for recruitment and retention of talent. After Normandy, we plan to compete on RMD turf in Salt Lake City, and we look forward to seeing many of you there! – TJ Donahue
5. Music City Chorus (DIX) • Dusty Schleier
6. Heralds of Harmony (SUN) • Tony De Rosa and Clay Hine Heralds of Harmony Two choruses join up, excellence ensues What started out as a chat between two long-time friends turned into a memorable experience for the Heralds of Harmony. A couple of years ago Tony De Rosa and Clay Hine threw around the idea of Atlanta Vocal Project joining with the Heralds of Harmony, with competing in the 2018 Contest in Orlando in mind. Very quickly the logistics of having the AVP men join HOH, planning joint rehearsals and coaching sessions started to fall into place. Valdosta, Georgia, was chosen as a good meeting place as it was roughly halfway between Tampa and Atlanta. Right from the first joint rehearsal it was obvious that there was great potential, and that to a man everyone had bought in to the concept. A ton of
independent work was put in by both “Heralds North” and “Heralds South”, and each Valdosta rehearsal outdid the previous one. Add in the coaching from Tony and Clay as well as from Erin Howden and George Gipp, and the confidence of the chorus grew. A weekend retreat in June was the final step, both musically and in terms of bonding. Many men commented that this retreat ranked as one of their best barbershop experiences ever—until we came off the stage in Orlando and learned that we had achieved our highest score and placement ever. Just as important, every man experienced personal growth and both chapters have continued to benefit from the joint project—just as Tony and Clay had hoped when they envisioned the idea. – Dave Cross
KURT HEINECKE
World Harmony Showcase highlights barbershop in other organizations and on other continents
Mixed Barbershop Showcase
OC Times (2008) at Sing with the Champs
KURT HEINECKE
The Benson Family Singers headlined the Gospel Sing, an event largely built around audience participation September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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Powerful understatement. In Great Lakes Chorus’s first song, soldiers and civilians mixed at the train station for “Alabamy Bound,” followed by fathers and sons celebrating their post war reunions. Then in silent-but-increasing desperation, a lone father searches far and wide for his own soldier, only to be greeted by a solemn officer holding an envelope. With foreboding, the father sits down to read the contents. Thus begins the chorus contest’s most powerful song, “Tell My Father.” The father begins to break down at the dawning realization that he is reading his son’s lasts words—assurances that he died with honor and purpose. As the song drew to a close, the departed son emerged from beyond to invisibly comfort his father. The final chord hung in the air for a long time before the applause crescendoed into a long and emotional ovation. If our contests granted Oscars, R.T. Williams’ minimal yet powerful emotional arc as the father would have won Best Actor. For a moment, Great Lakes Chorus made us forget this was only acting. It was far from the first time we’ve seen a depiction of the aftermath of a soldier’s death—the Thoroughbreds had a strong interpretation of the theme later in the contest—but we’ve never seen this genre done so well. An epic epoch. In the 2006 chorus contest, MVE gave us “The Fish,” in 2010 Toronto gave us “The Robots.” The Senateaires gave us “The Cavemen” in 2012, Toronto struck gold in 2013 with “The Vegetable Garden,” and 2018 will be remembered for “Star Wars,” thanks to Music City Chorus. Don’t even ask what they spent on costumes (they won’t tell you–no, really), but a set that great had to look the part. Dave McEachern,
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Reach out and touch someone. The 1980s AT&T slogan was part of a campaign that positioned the telephone as a device that strengthens human relationships. The sentiment seems almost quaint today, with so many people attached to their screens and oblivious to the actual people and potential connections around them. Parkside Harmony took today’s dynamics head-on in a sublime set-piece that broke new ground for the international stage. Superb singing and staging made for one of Orlando’s most memorable performances.
Toronto’s creative force behind the Robots and Garden sets, had his hands all over this set while remaining hidden in plain sight as Darth Vader. Biggest kudos for the “Little Pal” parody, which had Vader trying to “force” a beyond-awkward father/son reconciliation on his estranged Jedi nemesis, Luke. The Sith Lord’s ham-fisted, disastrous attempts at tenderness almost made you feel sorry for the hapless, expressionless face of galactic evil.
Also, huge props to Toronto’s Patrick Brown for choreographing Luke and Vader’s slapstick ballet only a day earlier, and to Eddie Holt (Luke) and Dave for pulling off the physical humor flawlessly. The set may have set a record for BHS star cameos, and by far earned the longest ovation of the chorus contest. No recap can do the visual jokes and parody lyrics justice, so watch it on YouTube a few dozen times.
7. Fog City Singers (FWD) • Chris Lewis
8. Alexandria Harmonizers (MAD) • Joe Cerutti LM
Alexandria Harmonizers Bringing Broadway to barbershop The Harmonizers are sometimes called the chorus that brought Broadway to barbershop. For our 70th anniversary year, we decided to return to those roots with a package of two beloved Broadway classics. Our uptune, “Blow Gabriel Blow” from Cole Porter’s Anything Goes, was arranged by Rasmus Krigstrom, and our ballad, “We Kiss in a Shadow” from Rogers and Hammerstein’s “The King and I” was arranged by David Wright. The “Broadway” effect was completed with an energetic choreo package by our own Carlos Barillo. Our journey to Orlando actually began in the summer of 2017, when we chose to sit out International and attend Harmony University as a chorus—a great experience that we highly recommend. At HU and throughout the year, we were fortunate to work with a number of wonderful coaches, culminating in a remarkable weekend retreat last spring with Steve Scott
and David McEachern. We felt we made great musical strides and were pleased to see our work recognized in Orlando with some of the highest singing scores in our history. We were surprised to see some social media chatter about whether “Blow Gabriel Blow” is an inappropriately religious song for the contest stage. A song cannot be ripped out of its context, and BGB is a raucous showtune sung with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Anyone who has seen the Sutton Foster performance would be hard-pressed to call it a Sunday spiritual! It’s true the Harmonizers have formed a close relationship with the gospel quartet The Fairfield Four as part of our focus on diversity, inclusion, and the historic roots of barbershop—but in this case, the song and performance were pure Broadway. – Joe Cerutti, Jr.
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Vocal Majority: still the bar. We’re running out of superlatives, but let’s just say that even if the VM has shown that nobody is unbeatable anymore, they’ve also proven that nobody can out-VM the VM. A world-
Marching to gold. Notice anything in common with the uptunes for The Vocal Majority (“Don’t Rain on My Parade”) and Westminster Chorus (“Before the Parade Passes By”)? Read carefully. That’s right: the titles for both of these 1960s Broadway showtunes have exactly five words. Also, both songs appear to involve parades. “Marching” and “parade” songs have long delivered the goods for both choruses. In 2006, the VM’s “Marching Along with Time” barely beat Westminster’s “South Rampart Street Parade.” 2010: Westminster’s “Mardi Gras March” outscored the VM’s uptune about ... trains. The VM returned to gold medal form in 2014 with “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” but returned to silver in 2017, possibly because “Stout-Hearted Men” aren’t much known for marching. A 2018 return to parades delivered the VM its third consecutive marching/parade gold. Want to contend for gold? It looks like you just heard your marching orders.
class ballad and a super-charged uptune showed that the VM’s A-game is still the bar by which all other superchoruses are judged. Virtual perfection, and came within one point of the VM’s highest score of all time.
Dance like nobody’s watching. You’ve never seen a whole chorus dance like Vocal FX. We’re surprised they could breathe at all after their uptune. The audience could barely breathe, either. Call them Westminster Down Under. Every time they fly in from New Zealand, they are one of the most original groups of the contest. Massive influence. In 2006, Westminster Chorus was mindblowingly good against The Vocal Majority, and a great recruiting tool for younger guys was to send them a link to “South Rampart Street Parade” while mentioning, “This wasn’t even the winner!” It’s no coincidence that the Westminster Chorus ‘06-’07 videos, OC Times ‘06-’08 videos, the exploding youth movement, and the Youth Chorus Festival all happened in about a 3- to 4-year span. VM’s win may have been clearer this year, but just as clear: Westminster Chorus is still young, still amazing, and still a perfect example and recruiting tool.
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9. Vocal FX (BHNZ) • Charlotte Murray and Jeff Hunkin Vocal FX Preparing from the other side of the world Our country is rich in diversity, culture, and music. As directors, it’s a privilege to serve this group of men from all backgrounds, and unite through our love of song. Our focus over the last few years has been building our musical leadership. Our section leaders have grown in ability and maturity; we feel so lucky to have a talented and passionate team of individuals who help elevate our chorus to new levels. Preparation for Orlando was one of the most rewarding journeys we’ve taken so far. “Vincent” reminded us to appreciate the beauty of life, but also to understand it comes with its share of pain. To quote Vincent Van Gogh: “There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” It’s a reminder of what is important in life. As a chorus it’s here where we find our gold medal moments. The Jackson 5 Medley let us share a more playful side of our chorus. Many of us are lifelong Michael Jackson fans (was it that obvious?) and we were proud to share his music at international. Our gift is sharing our unique take on the barbershop craft. But our great-
est treasure is the family we’ve become through our efforts to be the best we can be. We’re excited to continue this journey and to take the stage again in Los Angeles, 2020. – Jeff Hunkin and Charlotte Murray This is Debora Pontoni, whose father, Larry Swan, passed away in April. He was a 53-year member and sang with the longest-running officially registered quartet Harmony Hounds (Roger Lewis’ quartet). With tears in her eyes (mine, too), she became a member at International – dedicating it to her father. She carried his membership card that week. – Caki Gray, BHS Director of Membership
10. Southern Gateway Chorus (JAD) • Jeff Legters
September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
11. Saltaires (RMD) • John Sasine
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12. The EntertainMen (SNOBS) • Johan Wikström and Björn Lindström The EntertainMen Always pushing the envelope ”All time high” has been the goal and motto for The Entertainmen for a few years, and at International in Orlando we are very happy to say that we delivered. We were a bigger group than ever–90 men on the risers–scored higher than ever (84.9), earning us a 12th place (our best placement since we came in ninth in 1997). But these numbers pale in comparison to the wonderful screams, cheers and encouraging comments we received from the fabulous audience–they told us unanimously that they cherished our version of “Love Me Tender” and that we got the party started with “Heartache Tonight.” An Elvis song from the 1950s and a 1979 rock tune by The Eagles might not be the obvious choices for a barbershop chorus at an International Convention. But they are actually very much in line with The EntertainMen’s ambition to think a bit outside the box and push the harmony envelope. We have done this at previous Internationals, e.g. with our Viking sets and our Swedish Chef routine, contributing to our ambitions of living up to our name. But this year we can proudly say that the judges as well as the audience told us that our sound and our performance were better than ever.
The EntertainMen do, of course, aspire to entertain the audience. We do aim at making an unforgettable impression every time we are fortunate enough to enter a stage. From musical leaders to the fifth row of the risers, we are One. The coaches we engage complement and encourage our particular mix of singing, music, performance and entertainment, and we’ve been fortunate to have received some great input from, among others, Steven Armstrong, Jonny Moroni, Jan Alexandersson (our former director) and Britt-Helene Bonnedahl (director of Sweet Adelines gold medal chorus Rönninge Barbershop Chorus). The EntertainMen, founded in 1979, are based in Stockholm, Sweden. Bringing 90 guys overseas for the International convention takes a fair bit of musical planning, logistics, and not least, financing. But we’ve been on a roll for a few years now, getting better and better musically as well as organizationally, and hope to be back for another International in a few years. Thanks to everyone in Orlando and in the USA who contributed large and small to our wonderful International experience. And who knows, one day the International might come to Sweden. We’d love to have you. – Adam Edström, president, The EntertainMen
JERNIE TALLES MILLÁN
CHAD BENNETT
Adrenaline (Sweet Adelines Rising Star champ) and Taken 4 Granite (Harmony, Inc. champ)
The Ladies and Vintage Mix
JERNIE TALLES MILLÁN
Both Vintage Mix (shown) and The Ladies performed at the National Federation of the Blind convention. LORIN MAY
The members of Double Date quartet tagged with a new fan after one of their sets at Give Kids the World Village.
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Leaving a mark. Community outreach is a priority in each convention city. Hospitals, food banks and other service-focused groups got a good dose of harmony, largely thanks to women’s and mixed quartets that were less occupied during performance times. Big thanks to the many groups that represented BHS, barbershop harmony, and that made a difference!
Members of the Harmony Platoon took their show on the road.
13. The Marcsmen (SWD) • Brent Dunavant
14. Space City Sound (SWD) • Matt Swann Space City Sound Great start for first-time competitor Space City Sound’s debut on the BHS International stage was the culmination of three years of hard work, starting with a few friends who wanted to commit themselves to produce the best music possible. From the beginning, the goal of Space City Sound has been musical excellence and the dream was competition on the international level. We are humbled to have achieved it so early in our journey. Music Director Matt Swann and the rest of our music team work tirelessly to design and implement an artistic vision to give our members and audiences the experience they yearn for. There have been bumps, a few pivots, and some soul-searching along the way. Through it all, we pursue an organic, joy-driven rehearsal environment and a thriving
brotherhood outside of rehearsal that allows us to take the bumps and turns in stride. We feel the fellowship we experience on and off the risers is what allows us to stick together through any setbacks. Genuine friendship is what keeps everyone committed and coming back for more every week. Despite arriving in Orlando as a rookie chorus, our members kept calm and collected and executed everything we set out to achieve. The success of our first international competition is an experience that still seems unbelievable to many of us. Even so, we hope to continuously refine ourselves so we can keep moving audiences for years to come.
– Travis Gidley and Dom Finetti
15. Big Orange Chorus (SUN) • Jay Giallombardo September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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16. The Brothers in Harmony (MAD) • Jack Pinto The Brothers in Harmony Tackling the heaviest topic imaginable The Brothers have always pushed the limits. It’s in our DNA. In 2008, our director, Jack Pinto, had a vision for a contest package that would honor our many Vietnam vets. It evolved from the germ of an idea and resulted in one of the most moving sets ever presented. The package was very well received and beautifully sung, earning us a ninthplace finish at the 2010 International in Philly. Could we do even better? Art comes in many forms. The best art makes us think, it sticks with us long afterwards, it pushes the limits, and it makes us a bit uncomfortable. This was our goal—to make great art with impact and deep purpose. What subject could the Brothers take on that would really stand out? What had never been done before? What would really push the limits? Could the Brothers do a contest package that would recognize and honor the sacrifice, character, and resilience of the millions who endured—and the few who survived—the Holocaust? Could we handle such a sensitive subject with the respect it deserved? It seemed impossible. We needed two amazing songs to create a solid foundation to build upon. For many months, Jack worked closely with Tom Gentry on a new version of “Lost in the Stars.” That seemed like the perfect vehicle to reflect the sad loneliness of those who found themselves oppressed
and imprisoned for no just reason. The greater challenge was to create a song that would embody the journey from horror and hopelessness to an uplifting climax of freedom and defiance. Jack tapped our old friend, Steve Delehanty. They worked closely weaving together all of these elements to create a fitting and inspiring finale called “Never Again.” Our Jewish members had some advanced notice of this ambitious undertaking. They were honored and very supportive. At our annual chorus retreat in February of 2017, after months of preparation and planning by our leadership, Jack unveiled his ambitious plan. Everyone was stunned. Could we pull it off? Our performance would take the audience on a journey from the arrival of a new group of prisoners at a concentration camp through the triumphant moment of their being freed. Our biggest test was when we were joined by holocaust survivor, David Tuck, who regularly educates students about this sad period in world history. David was incredibly honored and moved. We were finally ready. It was a very emotional journey. The Brothers have been asked to do this performance again for the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center in Philadelphia. – Daniel Endy
17. Great Lakes Chorus (PIO) • Jamie Carey Great Lakes Chorus The most powerful song of the contest We knew that we had a powerful ballad in “Tell My Father.” Our director, Jamie Carey, had used it with a (non-barbershop) community men’s chorus last year, and it had had a huge response. Jamie’s dad, Jim, also sang with that chorus, and convinced Jamie that we should use it in our contest package. We sent it to Garrett Gillingham, a young arranger who got his start here in Pioneer. This would be his first arrangement sung on the international stage, and he did a great job for us.
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We had not decided who would play the role of the father until we had Sean Devine in to coach the chorus in early June. Sean had R.T. Williams, our assistant director and visual guy, sit on the bench while we sang. R.T. showed a little of what he thought the part could be, and after that run through, there was no doubt that he would be the father. Adding the solo came later, as the son (Jeff Opperman) comes down to sing the line, “Tell my father not to cry.” He then reaches his hand toward the
18. The Men of Independence (JAD) • Gary Lewis
19. SmorgasChorus (CSD) • Matt Webber
20. Pathfinder Chorus (CSD) • Greg Johnson and Dave Pinkall father, who responds by reaching up to his shoulder. It took us a long time to be able to get through that part of the song. We have had a tremendous response to “Tell My Father.” It was incredible when, at the end of the song, in the several seconds before the applause started, we could hear sniffling from the audience. We had quite a few people, including some of the judges, tell us that it was the song of the contest. Music to our ears. – Doug Weaver September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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21. Sound of Illinois (ILL) • Terry Ludwig
22. Harmonic Collective (SLD) • Amanda Sky Harris Harmonic Collective From Youth Chorus to an all-age chapter If you happen upon a Harmonic Collective meeting, you might not be sure what was going on at first. Parents dropping off middle/high school kids; twentysomethings and college kids piling out of cars from hours away; fathers and sons chatting about what’s for dinner; a few distinguished older gentlemen, including one who looks suspiciously like Santa Claus, greet each other with a holler and a hearty handshake. They arrive early every Sunday with the infectious excitement that only comes from those about to embark on an adventure – ready to leave the cares of the week at the door, ready to come home for a few hours. While our journey may look different from many chapters’, our joy is the same. In two years, inspired by a crazy music teacher (and second-generation Barbershopper), amazing youth camps, and selfless role models, we’ve grown from nine young men creating a youth chorus for Midwinter to a brotherhood of 40 taking the International stage for the first time. With singers as young as 13, we debuted in Reno 2016. The culture of learning and fellowship on and off stage and what we learned there from barbershoppers of all walks of life changed our youth-only trajectory. Resolved to charter an all-ages chapter, we recruited members through local connections, family, and friends, including SAI’s Spirit of Syracuse, which had long
mentored our young Barbershoppers. We returned to Midwinter 2017 and less than a month later earned our official charter with the help of our new district, Seneca Land. It was an amazing year full of musical growth, but even more growth in how to function as a chapter of men of all ages. We’re still learning. We stepped on stage for the first time as a chapter in Spring 2017. In our seven minutes on stage we finally got to “change the room” together. It showed. To our shock, we became SLD Champions and the following September we earned the honor to represent in Orlando! In the year to come we further diversified our brotherhood and learned from some amazing people we call coaches and friends. True to our roots, we stepped on stage in Orlando with 24 guys under 26 (including 10 high schoolers and seven college students). Ranging in age from 15-79, 30 of them were brand new to BHS in the last three years. Barbershop has changed our lives… inspiring men to return to the thing they never realized they loved so much and teaching us to look for the best in one another first. Our journey has been made possible by many, for which we are incredibly grateful. We look forward to giving back, young and young-at-heart together, for years to come! – Sky and Sagan Harris
Great Plains Harmony You don’t need a big metro area to have a great chapter Great Plains Harmony is chartered in Fargo, N.D., which shares a river border with Moorhead, Minn. Our entire metro area only has a population of about 250,000. How could we ever compete against a chorus like the Minneapolis Commodores? (More on that later…) For many years, we were placing 5th or 6th at our Land O’ Lakes District Convention. Wanting more success, several leaders within the chorus pushed the membership to learn their music outside of chorus rehearsals and to meet basic attendance requirements. It was not presented as a ‘you must,’ but rather as an opportunity for all of us to have more fun performing at a higher level. Our talented director, Sheila Childs, is always pushing us to improve our 42skills Theand HARMONIZER 2018 challenged •usSeptember/October with difficult arrangements. Over time, we have
changed the musical atmosphere of our chapter meetings. Everything is related. We are a growing chapter and our improved musicianship helps those efforts. Membership growth is lead by our friendly, strategic and consistent V.P. of Membership, Ken Frank. In the spring of 2017 we sold our community the David vs. Goliath story of Great Plains Harmony’s plan to ‘Beat Minneapolis.’ This chorus contest goal started a friendly rivalry with the Minneapolis Commodores and provides both chapters with an opportunity to bring home ‘The Jake’ traveling trophy. We have fun, but our members (ranging in age from 25 to 85), work hard each night. We are a passionate group with a desire to perform better and each member realizes that things of value do not come easily—regardless of the size of your community.
23. The Great Western Chorus (BABS) • Linda Corcoran
24. Harbourtown Sound (ONT) • Jordan Travis and Scott McCarthy
25. Carolina Vocal Express (NSC) • Dale Comer
September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
26. Great Plains Harmony (LOL) • Sheila Childs
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27. The Southwest BC Squares (EVG) • Sean Huston
28. Thoroughbreds (CAR) • Drew Wheaton
29. Downeasters (NED) • Portland, ME • Directed by Jay Wiley
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30. West Towns Chorus (ILL) • Carrie Marcotte
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Conventions are for doers, not just watchers. If you showed up in Orlando just to watch other people sing, you enjoyed contests but missed most of the convention. In the 120 hours of Tuesday-Saturday, we had 20-something wonderful hours of contests divided among eight sessions. What was there to do during the other 90-something hours? Sing! Learn! Tag! Socialize! Sleep a little, we hope! Eating, we suspect! (Excuse! the! excessive! punctuation! Calming down ...) Anyway, if you didn’t do enough of the socializing, sleeping, or eating, this year in particular you couldn’t blame the more laid-back schedule. And if you didn’t get enough of the “Singing! Learning! Tagging!,” then why not? You could have skipped all the contests and shows and still had a full plate in Orlando. All week long, the Hyatt Regency was your oyster. There were well over 100 Harmony U courses alone, even if you would have had to clone yourself to participate in all of them. Record attendees showed up. If you looked for one of the wellmarked Tag Zones, tag teachers were just waiting to sing with you. With advance prep, you could have sung with the Harmony Platoon or the Everyone in Harmony Chorus. All comers were welcome at the MegaSing, endless woodshedding in the AHSOW room, and Sing with the Champs. Yes, the International Contests are built around enjoying top-level competitors. But most of the International Convention is built for the rest of us.
Singing the Barberpole Cats with Donny Rose
PHOTOS THIS PAGE KURT HEINECKE, EXCEPT AS NOTED
AMY ROSE
MegaSing
Tag Zones, complete with instructors and music
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SATURDAY NIGHT SPECTACULAR KURT HEINECKE
The Humdingers are not Main Street quartet, but entertain on Main Street USA. When within the walls of Walt Disney World, they’re better known as The Dapper Dans
July 7
Living up to the name every year. A great show that included the below groups, plus new champs The Vocal Majority and mixed harmony quadruplets Vintage Mix. Never to be missed.
Return 2 Zero
Voctave has a growing reputation as one of the world’s finest vocal groups. Featuring BHS quartetters Tony De Rosa and Karl Hudson, we’d like to think that having two elite male Barbershoppers (and two elite Sweet Adelines) is no small factor in the amazing sound.
Tony De Rosa and Debbie Cleveland directed the Sunshine District Harmony Explosion Chorus
Members of the Miamians Chorus joined us to promote the Societywide Music Medics program
160 men and women under the direction of Debbie Cleveland and Jim Henry experienced Gold Medal Moments all week as they rehearsed and then performed as the Everyone in Harmony Chorus. September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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1. After Hours (ILL)
Tim Beutel (T), Drew Ochoa (L), Dan Wessler (Bs), Bryan Ziegler (Br) Bloomington, IL; Greendale, WI; Northbrook, IL
www.afterhoursqt.com; facebook.com/ahquartet
After Hours Big leap from a “perennial top 10” quartet to a record-breaking champion What an enormous honor to have won the 2018 International Barbershop Quartet Championship. While we continue to attempt to grasp at the reality of such a thing actually happening, we can reflect on a few parts of our journey. In these couple of months since Orlando, we’ve had many fellow barbershoppers ask us what we “did differently” in the last year, or how we “made the jump.” For many years, After Hours had trouble “letting go” onstage. We wanted to connect with the audience, but were too often in our own heads while we were performing; thinking about chords, balance, resonance, etc. As a result, we spent several years as “that quartet that sings pretty well, but isn’t always that exciting.” We could not consistently connect with an audience because we were too preoccupied with “being perfect” onstage. Things came to a head at the Nashville convention in 2016. While it was certainly an accomplishment to come in sixth place, a career-high, we simply didn’t enjoy ourselves at that convention, onstage or off, because we were so preoccupied with the pressures of the competition. After realizing that, and having a few quartet discussions, we decided to go into the 2017 Las Vegas convention with a different attitude. Rather than competitors, we wanted to be artists. Rather than sing for a score, we wanted to sing in a way that would encourage chapters to invite us to sing on their shows. And suddenly it seemed our singing had a relaxed edge that connected with the audience. We continued down that road into 2018, and here we are! Being a champion quartet is an enormous privilege, and we look forward to not just the coming year, but a long tenure of shows, recordings, travel, experiences, and brotherhood in harmony as BHS Champions! – Dan Wessler
3. Throwback (SUN)
Sean Devine (L), Paul Saca (T), Michael Skutt (Bs), Alex Rubin (Br) Hershey, PA; Miami, FL; Sunrise, FL
facebook.com/throwbackquartet
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2. Signature (SUN)
Will Rodriguez (T), Daniel Cochran (L), Dan Walz (Bs), Matt Clancy (Br) Frank Thorne; Sebring, FL; Sunrise, FL
signaturequartet.com; facebook.com/SignatureQt Signature A tribute to Gene Cokecroft and historical scores The relationship between Gene Cokeroft and Signature Quartet is a strong one, as Gene was a beloved friend, mentor, and coach to us. It was in part thanks to Gene’s dedication to youth outreach, especially in South Florida, that many of us in the quartet were introduced to the style of barbershop music and consequently fell in love with the artform during our adolescent years. The passing of our beloved Geno was absolutely heartbreaking. He was such an integral part of Signature and knowing that the convention would be hosted in the Sunshine district, we knew we’d have to develop something special to honor our “Danny Boy” and hopefully make him proud. With the Orlando convention being so close to home, this meant our families and extended family (including the Cokerofts) would be in attendance to experience our tribute to Gene. One of our most cherished memories of the convention was the warm and loving embrace we shared with Iris Cokeroft after she heard the tribute. During convention this year, we received the third-highest score in contest history and feel honored and blessed by it. One of the things that inspires us is the opportunity to share our music with friends and family and we were able to do that. We are a quartet that strives to connect with others through our music and we hope that the opportunities to continue to do so keep presenting themselves. As for what is next for Signature, we look forward to continue to evolve as a group and aim to keep exploring ways we can connect with the audience through our music. – Signature Quartet
Throwback Advantages of a packed spring schedule Throwback has had an amazing 2018 with concerts from the Florida Keys to Washington State and Texas to D.C. including a stretch of six out of nine weekends leading into International. And what better way to break up our year than by being in our home district for this year’s International in Orlando. Congratulations to our new champs After Hours and our fellow Sunshine District quartets Signature, Rooftop Records & The Simple Life for some amazing performances at International. Special thanks to the arrangers of our International tunes. Patrick McAlexander, Aaron Dale, Steve Tremack, Michael Webber, Jay Giallombardo & Clay Hine, thank you for sharing your musical genius with us. We have a busy fall show schedule before a brief holiday break and then on to beautiful Nashville, TN for Midwinter in January. We’re looking forward to being able to share our country music repertoire from the Grand Ole Opry stage. It’s great to be a Barbershopper! – Throwback Quartet
QUARTET FINALS
KURT HEINECKE
Clutch “steals” from everybody. Nobody’s asking them to suddenly switch to comedy ala The Newfangled Four circa 2016, but let’s just say that Clutch gave us a glimpse of some hidden talents during its Finals mic test. If Clutch reminded you of some great Finals mic tests of recent years, that’s because they shamelessly ripped off jokes from the past two Finals and from other great acts. It’s got to be tough to pull off a parody of a song that’s already funny (“Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring Brussels Sprouts Phone ...”), but they did it, with a lot of help from Lunch Break. Clutch will be remembered for its mic test, but maybe they should instead be remembered for “Prince Ali.” Huge improvements over the past year as the quartet seems to really be discovering itself. Route 4 finds its own Wheelhouse. Fifteen years ago, brothers Jeff and Rich Gray of Wheelhouse reached the Quartet Finals in their first year, then stuck around near the top for a good while. They’ve returned with Route 4 and a more modern repertoire, but as before, musicality is through the roof. With international newcomer Alex Corson at tenor and veteran bass Al Mazzoni—who hasn’t aged a day in the 20 years since he was earning international medals with BSQ—this talented group looks like it has staying power. But they’ll have to do it with a different tenor of the caliber of Alex, who will be stepping away to focus on law school. High on Rooftop Records. Truly, this quartet sounds like nobody else. Part of the credit goes to song choices nobody else is making, most of which are arranged by bass Jackson Pinder. Part of it is the vocal quality of Rooftop Records lead Dustin Guyton—not just the great voice but his modern vocal stylings and inflections that complement the harmonies without calling undo attention to to the embellishments. Then there’s just the fact that all four flat-out know how to sell a song. They’re anything but one-trick ponies, and every set was a hit. Can’t wait to see what they have in store for next year. Artistic License stands alone. Their name is their mission, heavy emphasis on “Artistic.” While most quartets these days are (thankfully) focused on moving in ways that seem natural and spontaneous, Artistic License is pulling off the hat trick of being exquisitely choreographed yet elegant and authentic at the same time. And do they ever know what to do with a lyrical line. Nobody else seems to even be attempting this style, but they should. Here’s the model.
Saturday, July 7
Signature approaches perfection. Had After Hours sat out this year, we might be talking about Signature as one of the historically great champs. While maintaining a sky-high audience connection, the foursome was professional-grade: smoother, cleaner, tighter, and bigger than ever before, and the score sheet reflects that. Other than After Hours, only PLATINUM (2000) has outscored Signature under the modern judging system (1993 to
today). If the emotional lightning didn’t quite strike twice with “Dance With My Father” it’s only because that would have been impossible—and this year’s performance was even better in many respects. Signature’s Finals tribute to friend, mentor, and idol Gene Cokecroft was a masterpiece. It must be cold comfort to once again be one of the best non-champion quartets of all time, but it’s hard to believe Signature has yet reached its peak.
Quorum: Good vibrations. Never let Quorum sing near a plate glass window. The top-to-bottom ping that these four put out on every chord is something to behold. Every once in a while, they throw out an electric passage to prove that while everyone else maxes out at level 10, Quorum’s internal amps can effortlessly go to 11 (hat tip to Spinal Tap fans), and even higher once they reach the tag. More jaw-drops per minute than anyone else, and more musical every time we see them. It was their second medal together, and not likely their last. Stockholm Syndrome knows its mission. They are not Ringmasters part 2–nor are they trying to be–and it isn’t just because the lead and tenor of the 2012 champs swapped parts. Stockholm Syndrome earned its first medal this year by finding its cruising lane as a storyteller of the first order. To cement the quartet’s identity, they brought four new songs to Orlando (and had rehearsed six), the strongest being their Finals set based on Kristina från Duvemåla, an ambitious Swedish musical that covers a Swedish family’s migration to mid-19th Century California. Not only did the quartet’s singing give life to the electrifying score, the performance lived up to the weightiness of the storyline. One can hope that’s a taste of amazing performances to come. September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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4. Quorum (JAD)
Puck Ross (T), Chris Vaughn (L), Gary A. Lewis (Bs), Nathan Johnston (Br) Frank Thorne; Zanesville, OH; Independence, OH facebook.com/quorumbarbershopquartet Quorum New bari Nathan Johnston medals in his first contest We could think of no better way than to share our Orlando excitement than through the eyes of our new baritone, Nathan Johnston. After all, three of us have collectively competed in 35 International Contests. Nathan stepped up to the challenge and competed in his first International contest after only two rehearsals. “The first International I attended was the 2011 convention in Kansas City. I caught the ‘barbershop bug’ and competed the very next year in a college quartet called Dominant Prep, which happened to include Aaron Pollard (lead of this year’s Next Generation champ Frontier) and Bryan Ziegler (bari of our current champ, After Hours). We placed 4th in that contest and I haven’t missed an International Convention since.” Fast forward to Orlando: “I can’t tell you how excited I was to compete at the International Contest for the very first time. It was such a surreal experience making the transition from a dedicated fan of the hobby to a top ten competitor. The fact that we finished fourth still hasn’t hit me, but it is safe to say that the Orlando convention will certainly be a memorable one. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to sing with the other three guys, and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us!”
5. Stockholm Syndrome (SNOBS)
Simon Rylander (Br), Didier Linder (Bs), Jakob Stenberg (L), Rasmus Krigström (T) Zero8
facebook.com/stockholmsyndromequartet Stockholm Syndrome How the quartet become storytellers We originally came into the competition planning to replace all six songs from last year with entirely new material. Due to quality limitations, unfortunately one of the packages had to be replaced with some oldies after our prelims. The idea was to create concept art with the music, and instead of just singing two random songs together, try to tell a story to the audience. It has really started to feel like it’s “our thing” to sing more musical-inspired songs and to try and convey a storyline with a full act. You can surely expect more of this from Stockholm Syndrome in the future!
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6. The Newfangled Four (FWD)
Joey Buss (T), Jackson Niebrugge (L), Jake Tickner (Bs), Ryan Wisniewski (Br) Las Vegas, NV; Santa Fe Springs, CA; Westminster, CA
newfangledfour.com; facebook.com/thenewfangledfour
The Newfangled Four Discovering their comedic mission It all started when we unintentionally stalled the 2016 International Quartet Finals with our 11-minute rendition of “Hello My Baby.” The schedule didn’t appreciate it, but the aftermath of that performance has been overwhelmingly positive, so we decided to dive into some more goofy material. We somehow thought it would be a good idea to prepare four new songs for Orlando, in addition to rehashing two fan favorites. Instead, a long season of chapter shows left no time to rehearse our contest vehicles until about mid-June. After a grueling string of back-to-back rehearsals, we finally got to a point where we didn’t think we would be disqualified. We were fortunate enough to work with both of our main coaches all week (famed mustachio Scott Kitzmiller and resident funny man Will Harris), both of whom got us out of our heads and focused on making an impact. Each rehearsal got better, increasing our confidence and drive to put our best versions of ourselves out for the audience to love. As the dust started to settle and the bananas (brussel sprouts?) began to ripen, we found ourselves not ninth place once again, but just good enough to not get a medal! We are honored to have represented not just our district, but our home choruses all week long. We attribute our success over the years to our involvement with the Westminster Chorus and Masters of Harmony, and we’re glad to have been able to share our successes with each other this past summer. We’re already looking forward to what kind of nonsense we’ll come up with for next year, and you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll be subpar at best!
7. Category 4 (DIX)
Clay Hine (Br), Kirk Young (Bs), Tim Brooks (L), Tim Reynolds (T)
Atlanta Metro, GA; Concord, NH; Greater Atlanta, GA; Tampa, FL
category4quartet.com; facebook.com/category4qt
Category 4 Can’t agree which judging category is best (but it’s Singing) After a year and a half together, the four of us are no closer to resolving our issue of which scoring category is better. While we all agree that PER is “out there,” much disagreement remains about the other two. The guys in red clearly think that MUS is superior primarily because of their obsession (and pseudo-understanding, IMO) with cool chords. Those of us in blue (the color of the ribbon for the Gold Medal, BTW) understand that throughout history, great singers are known NOT for their use of great circle of 5ths movement, but rather, GOOD SINGING. – Tim Brooks, lead and SNG judge
8. Studio 4 (MAD)
9. Artistic License (FWD)
Caldwell, NJ; Cherry Hill, NJ; Hershey, PA; Patapsco Valley, MD
Barbary Coast, CA; Bay Area, CA; California Delta; Placerville, CA; Sacramento, CA
Jeff Gray (Br), Richard Gray, Jr. (L), Al Mazzoni (Bs), Alex Corson (T)
facebook.com/Studio4Qt
Studio 4 Not your typical musical influences We are a brand new quartet from the Mid-Atlantic District, and we were thrilled to make it to the Top 10 in our very first contest! When we formed, we really wanted to find a distinct niche that would be entertaining and enjoyable to audiences everywhere, and so we decided to focus on songs from popular music, but done in the barbershop style. We sing songs by Elton John, Queen, Sting, Bob Dylan, Chicago, The Stray Cats, Vince Gill, The Beatles and a lot more. We hope to draw the attention of non-Barbershoppers and show them just how musically relevant and artistic the barbershop style is. In fact, if we were to turn back the clock, that’s how it all started, right? Guys gathering together and harmonizing to the popular music of the day, and doing it in a unique style that became known as “Barbershop”. And now here we are ... singing barbershop that ROCKS!! – Rich Gray
Julian Kusnadi (T), Rich Brunner (L), Jason Dyer (Bs), Gabe Caretto (Br)
artisticlicensequartet.com; facebook.com/ArtisticLicenseQuartet
Artistic License Amazing Kidder is replaced by wunderkind Orlando capped a memorable year for Artistic License. In December, we bid goodbye to our amazing former tenor, Todd Kidder, and welcomed into the quartet a new dulcet-toned, spritely-sized wündersinger, Mr. Julian Kusnadi, to fill his shoes. Literally. Turns out they fit just fine. In his very first time competing in the International competition, young Julian made the Top Ten! While that doesn’t seem fair to the rest of us who labored for years to get there, it’s certainly consistent with the amount of professionalism and talent he brings to the quartet each week. He went out the very first night and absolutely owned his part of the stage. In fact, each night our scores and placement got a little bit higher. We were thrilled to be able to put out three solid sets and now we can’t wait to get a full year of rehearsal under our belts so we can bring some real magic to the stage next year! – Rich Brunner
10. Rooftop Records (SUN)
11. Clutch (SWD)
Frank Thorne
Dallas Metro, TX; Frank Thorne
Chase Guyton (T), Dustin Guyton (L), Jackson Pinder (Bs), Jamie Breedon (Br)
rooftoprecordsquartet.com; facebook.com/rooftoprecordsquartet Rooftop Records Bringing the spirit of 1938 to today One of the most fun experiences any quartet has is naming itself. After the laundry list of names that would never pass or get approved, we started to discuss what we wanted to represent and what artists and types of music we all loved to sing. We reflected on what made barbershop timeless over the years. We all know the story: a few men gathered on a rooftop and began to sing the songs that were popular on the radio, and so the BHS was born. We decided to get back to that same spirit, and the name Rooftop Records was chosen. Our process for selecting music then became simple ... we listen to the radio. We listen to hours of music, and if we hear a song that could be done in the barbershop style, we discuss whether the song represents our message. We try to find songs that have never been done in barbershop and arrange them to stay true both to the barbershop style and the integrity of the original song. We sing the music that we love, and we look forward to sharing it with you for years to come. – Rooftop Records
Steven Keener (Br), Marcus Kang (Bs), Scott Hale (L), Charlie Lotspeich (T)
clutchquartet.com ; facebook.com/clutchquartet Clutch About that mic test ... We were so excited to sing on Saturday night this year as the 11th place mic testers! This is Clutch’s fourth year at international, and our goal this year was to sing songs that showed our personalities and that we really enjoyed singing. We feel we accomplished that, and plan on bringing more new and exciting songs to the stage next year. Our most talked about song (or song blurb) was probably “Brussel Sprouts Phone.” For our mic test, we wanted to have fun and get the crowd ready for the Finals, so we contacted one of the most popular mic testers of all time, Lunch Break. They graciously collaborated with us, and after many ideas (some of which may have been unfit for the international stage), “Brussel Sprouts Phone” was born! Thanks to our friends, The Newfangled Four, for letting us use their prop and song. We’re looking forward to the journey ahead, and hope to perform this year at a chapter show near you! – Scott Hale September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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Were judges scoring quartets differently, or were 2018’s groups really that good? Yes and YES! Why were there so many record-setting scores in Orlando? Check out these records, courtesy of barbershop trivia master Patrick McAlexander: • Highest-ever quartet gold-medal score (After Hours, 94.7) • Highest-ever quartet silver-medal score (Signature, 93.8) • Highest-ever quartet 5th place bronze medal score (Stock holm Syndrome, 89.9) • Highest quartet score to ever miss the top 10 (Clutch, 86.0) • Highest quartet score to ever miss the top 20 (Rhapsody, 81.8) • Most choruses to break a 90% scoring average (9 choruses) Many Barbershoppers debated the reasons behind these historic highs while in Orlando and for weeks after. For many, the high perfection of many performances justified what we saw on the score sheets. Others noted that changes in judging philosophies had to be a factor. According to Contest & Judging Chair David Mills, while scoring philosophies for medalist-level quartets have indeed changed somewhat recently, top-level performances are as historically amazing as the score sheets would indicate:
“It’s a simple combination of some phenomenally better singing and performing, along with an intentional move over the past 4-5 years to remove the ‘glass ceiling’ around the 90 score as being close to ‘perfect.’ Instead, to provide some better separation among the A-level groups, we are properly using more of the A scale (81-100) as appropriate. Fortunately, we have had some awesome quartets that have stepped up to the plate to display that ‘90+’ level for us to score.”
KURT HEINECKE
Contests end, parties begin. The last chords of “Keep the Whole World Singing” mean the contest is over—but the convention doesn’t end until the last tagger heads to the airport. As top quartets entertained receptions and hospitality rooms, hundreds of taggers barely touched a pillow until the sun was ready to come up again. The lobbies never quieted down until it was time to go home.
Breaking records and applause meters. After Hours had to wait until the medal announcements before the men truly knew they would be the 2018 champions. The audience? Even in a year as absurdly competitive as this, the crowd seemed to have annointed the eventual champion as early as the Quarterfinals. That round, After Hours got a massive reception for “Butter Outta Cream”; but it was after its second song, “The Sound of Music,” that we saw something that happens only every few years. This sounds like hyperbole, but it’s not: you haven’t really heard that song until you’ve seen After Hours perform it. After accepting a long, thunderous standing O that went on much longer than usual, the quartet stepped back
to exit the stage and was halted by a new surge of nearly deafening applause. No way would the audience let such a rarified performance pass without returning an extra helping of love. If that song didn’t seal the deal for the audience, “The Next Ten Minutes” from the Semifinals round did that and then some. Even after the audience delivered overwhelming ovations for all-time great performances by Signature and others, the ovations and scores for After Hours always had just that little extra that’s reserved for champions. Why has no prior quartet ever scored so high? The veteran audience answered that question all week: they’ve never seen anybody else perform so well. n
After Hours’ first performance in front of fellow International Champions
MARTY MONSON
The Rainbow Room has long been one of the most popular hospitality rooms
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
q
Fundraiser brings out the best in Illinois
S
ometimes, all we need to do is ask. The Brotherhood of Harmony chorus in Schaumburg, Ill., was stunned when 54-year-old member Randy Rogers died in mid-February. Randy had truly been the heart of our chorus. How could we help his wife, Chris, and son, Jonathan? “Barbershop Spectacular—Singing for Randy” was born. JIM FERRIER Chicagoland hasn’t had a huge barbershop show in decades, and this was the perfect opportunity. We set our sights high and invited the four Illinois District quartets preparing for Orlando, as well as our district champs chorus Sound of Illinois. Amazingly, After Hours, South of Normal, OMG and The Committee all said yes! After Hours even rearranged its coaching schedule so it could headline the event. The Sweet Adelines top 10 ChoralAires Chorus joined in, and Bloomington’s Sound of Illinois chartered a bus for the two-hour trek. Director Terry Ludwig surprised everyone with a sizeable check. All performed without a fee. The pastor waived the venue rental fee, 18 of 25 chap-
ter members chaired aspects of the Spectacular, including veteran Barbershopper Bob Squires, who organized 10 quartets to sing on our afterglow in front of 250 people. Signage was donated, wives organized a bake sale. Our emcee volunteered his services. Members paid for incidental expense— all wanting as much money to go to Randy’s wife and son as possible. When the A gold medal moment for a Brotherhood of (then) bronze medal quartet Harmony, with Randy’s dad, Max at tenor, opened the show with “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” many on stage and in the audience shed tears, reflective of an incredible loss but also in celebration of love and caring by the performers, demonstrated in the most profound way. When After Hours was crowned International champion, the men of the Brotherhood of Harmony cheered loudly for four very classy guys. – Tom Toftey, President, Brotherhood of Harmony Chorus www.gofundme.com/randysbrothers
TONY MEIZELIS
After Hours, South of Normal, OMG, and The Committee
How to book a Singing Valentine from a continent away hours by car. But somehow the Palouse The call came in late January to the Harmony Chorus website was among Singing Valentines number we’d plasthe top Google listings. tered all over our communiI went to barbershop.org, ties and website. “Heather” found Appalachian Express wanted us to sing for her husoperating 12 miles from Johnband in Johnson. “Oh sure!” son City, and gave her the I said. “We’ve even been to contact info. An hour later Colton and Uniontown over she emailed me: “Their first the years.” Matt King question was, ‘How did you A long pause. Then, “Where as he is hear about us?’ They couldn’t are you?” serenaded stop laughing!” “Moscow.” The order went through, “Where??!” and the quartet delivered! “Moscow, Idaho ... where are you?” – Dan Pierce, Secretary and “Johnson … Johnson City, TennesSinging Valentines Coordinator see!” Pullman-Moscow Idaho Chapter That’s about 2,500 miles away, or 36
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The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018 • www.barbershop.org
Members of a quartet from the Appalachian Express Chorus deliver a special Singing Valentine to Matt King, compliments of Matt’s wife, Heather King.
Vocal Revolution sponsors a cappella festival, strengthens ties with 10 Boston-area groups More than 600 residents, tourists, and singers came out for the first annual A Cappella Festival in the Allston neighborhood of Boston this past July. Vocal Revolution (VR) of the Concord, Mass. Chapter, sponsored the free event. This has long been a goal of the chorus. “We wanted to give back to the community and bring everyone together, said VR Marketing VP Krys Petrie, also chair of the festival. “All these a cappella groups, sometimes we live in our own little bubbles.” VR found the perfect event partner in the Friends for Herter Park, a non-profit that has been restoring an outdoor amphitheater near the Charles River. This was its first full season. VR invited a cappella groups from all around Boston, many invited through A quartet from the Seacoast Men of Harmony (Dover, N.H. Chapter) sang the National Anthem for the April 26 session of the New Hampshire legislature. Each session opens with an invocation, the pledge of allegiance and the National Anthem. There are hundreds of representatives, New Hampshire with its unpaid legislature has the greatest number of reps per population in the country. The wave of sound when we finished still gives me goosebumps. We got a huge ovation in a chamber with wonderful acoustics. We sang the anthem as Francis Scott Key wrote it—no added trills and embroidery. n – Dick Ferraro
personal connections with Krys and the chorus. In all, 10 different groups performed during the four-hour festival that was well received by audience members. VR hopes to continue the tradition and bring both barbershop and a cappella groups to broader audiences in the Boston area. VR is inspired by the success of this event and are thinking about other ways to build a strong community among all the singing groups in Boston to start popping some of those “bubbles” Krys mentioned.
Dick Ferraro (T), Leo Ouellette (L), Bob Foulks (Bs), Gary Wilbur (Br)
CHAPTER ETERNAL Members reported as deceased between July 1 and Sept. 1, 2018. Email updates to customerservice@barbershop.org. Central States William Brown Iowa City, IA Robert Peterson Kearney, NE Arthur Winans, Jr. Kansas City, MO
William Edmondson Eureka, CA Stanley Elkjer Marin, CA Glenn Langdon Marin, CA Noel Mau Aloha, HI Richard Remmers Bay Area, CA
Evergreen Glenn Langdon Oregon Mid-Coast Illinois Doyne Tank Willard McKnight Bozeman, MT DuPage Valley, IL Far Western Joseph Corter South Bay, CA
Johnny Appleseed Kenneth Chaffin Columbus, OH Elvin Forlow Grand Lake, OH Pittsburgh North Hills, PA Carl Pearson Tuscarawas County, OH Arley Taylor Lima Beane, OH
Reed Sampson Racine, WI Robert Tirk Lake Geneva, WI
Mid-Atlantic James Burket Columbia-Montour County, PA Lewisburg, PA Christopher Brookfield Charlottesville, VA Neil Keihm Land O’ Lakes Wilmington, DE Dundalk, MD Charles Lawson Stevens Point, WI Richard Kreh Frederick, MD Wausau, WI West Allis, WI
Rollin Neal Teaneck, NJ Herman Rotsch South Coastal, DE Robert Nutt Alexandria, VA Mt. Vernon, VA Joseph Wojnaroski Somerset County, PA Northeastern Forrest Caswell Brunswick, ME Ronald Follett Cape Cod, MA Edward Gifford Schenectady, NY
Carolinas John Vuich New Bern, NC Ontario Keith Flegg Ottawa, ON Gerry Gilders Peterborough, ON Gerald Wilken Kitchener-Waterloo, ON Pioneer Stuart McIlroy Windsor, ON
Rocky Mountain Steven Jackson Denver MountainAires, CO Terry Langham Los Alamos Area, NM Seneca Land James Read Rochester, NY Sunshine Otto Mackert Naples/Fort Myers, FL Everglades, FL
Harold Nordby Polk County, FL Winter Haven, FL John Nuss Palm Harbor, FL Greater Pinellas, FL Robert Tirk Sarasota, FL Manatee County, FL Greater Sun City Center, FL Joseph Wojnaroski Winter Haven, FL
September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
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What's on your holiday wish list?
IES 2019 July 25-28, 2019 Royal Northern College of Music Manchester, UK
WISH L IST
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Next July, you will have the opportunity to travel to Manchester, UK and immerse yourself in the world of barbershop with some of the best Sweet Adelines instructors such as Judy Pozsgay, Lori Lyford and Sandy Marron just to name a few. Deke Sharon will also be on hand for the week, teaching classes on topics such as close harmony, blend and performance presentation. And don't forget the Rising Star Quartet Competition where you will enjoy the beautiful harmonies of the best up-and-coming youth quartets! You won't want to miss this incredible week of barbershop learning in this historic and beautiful location. Start making your plans now by adding IES 2019 to your holiday wish list.
Watch for more details coming soon! Registration opens January 8, 2019.
Swipes ‘n’ Swaps “New director” ads are free in The Harmonizer (first 50 words) to Society chapters. Send to harmonizer@barbershop.org.
NEW DIRECTORS WANTED The Arlingtones of Arlington Heights. IL, seeks a new director for once a week rehearsals, two annual shows, and many community performances. Our 25 member chorus leans towards performance, Broadway, Contemporary, traditional Barbershop, primarily for the fellowship, although competition in the future could be a possibility. $650/month, $125/gig, and other benefits. Terry Franzen: tafranz0517@gmail.com. www.arlingtones.net The Sun Parlour Chorus in Windsor Ontario is a 35-man chorus that stages an annual show, competes in two Pioneer District conventions and performs at numerous community venues. We are looking for a director who will support our commitment to excellence in singing and performance. Rick Wilson: rwilbhs@yahoo.ca, www. sunparlourchorus.com.
The Alliance Chorus of Greater Central Ohio is conducting a nation-wide Director search! We’re seeking a Director who will support our current organizational goals as we grow lasting membership, new community outreach efforts, strong brand recognition, and sustainable fundraising opportunities. Read more about the opportunity, and apply at: https://alliancechorus. org/node/927.
BIG APPLE CHORUS. The Big Apple Chorus in New York City is seeking a director. Rehearsals are held every Monday. The chorus is seeking someone with enthusiasm who will help in building the chorus while maintaining high standards. Maurice Debar mjdebar40@aol.com, bigapplechorus.com.
The Houston Tidelanders are seeking a Musical Director and an Associate Director; both are contract positions. Ideal candidates will have 5+ years experience directing preferably a cappella ensembles, the ability to inspire atmosphere to inspire enjoyment and fun while working to achieve A-level performance, and the desire to continue to develop director skills. Contact President@houstontidelanders. org by Oct 31, 2018.
UNIFORMS FOR SALE 38 white tux jackets 42 short, black tux jackets 28 white satin vests 60 white brocade vests 41 tux jackets with tails Jackets $20-25 Vests:$5-8 NEW and gently USED
Call 847 913 4933 September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER 57
MEMBER SERVICES DIRECTORY How can we help you barbershop today? Get answers from your staff
Society Headquarters 110 7th Ave N • Nashville, TN 37203-3704 615-823-3993 • fax: 615-313-7615 • info@barbershop.org Office hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Central, or any time at www.barbershop.org
800-876-7464 (SING) Executive Offices
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finance@barbershop.org Erik Dove Director of Finance/CFO Jama Clinard Controller / Human Resources Nick Anello Finance Administrator
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customerservice@barbershop.org Caki Gray Director of Membership Danny Becker Quartet Success Manager/Service Rep. Rich Smith Contact Center Success Manager/Service Rep. Allison Barrett Service Representative Annie Reynolds Service Representative Douglas Gordon Receptionist/Facilities
The Harmonizer
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The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018 • www.barbershop.org
Board of Directors President
Skipp Kropp • Indianapolis, IN 317-946-9882 skipp.kropp@steptoe-johnson.com Executive Vice President
Dick Powell • Crofton, MD 410-451-1957 rpowell74@verizon.net Treasurer
John Santora • Bel Air, MD 410-937-2611 jsantora@mac.com Immediate Past President
Don Fuson • Leawood, KS 913-897-0625 donfuson@kc.rr.com Executive Director/ Board Secretary
Marty Monson • Franklin, TN 800-876-7464 CEO@barbershop.org Dr. Perry White • Nashville, TN (Ex Officio, Harmony Foundation) pwhite@harmonyfoundation.org Board Members
at
Large
Jeremy Albright • Haslet, Texas 620-249-1605 jeremy.albright@gmail.com Steve Denino • Grove City, Ohio 614-875-7211 steve.denino@gmail.com David Haedtler • Mountain View, Calif. 650-465-2848 davidhaedtler@gmail.com Randy Loos • Lecanto, FL 727-510-5901 RandyLoos@gmail.com Murray Phillips • Wolfville, NS 902-542-1342 phillips.murray@gmail.com Bernard Priceman • Tarzana, Calif. 818-625-2832 bpriceman@sbcglobal.net
Friends in Harmony Sing Canada Harmony www.SingCanadaHarmony.ca American Choral Directors Association www.acdaonline.org Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia www.sinfonia.org World Harmony Council www.worldbarbershop.org National Museum for African-American Music www.nmaam.org
Sweet Adelines International www.sweetadelines.com Harmony, Incorporated www.harmonyinc.org National Association for Music Education www.nafme.org Chorus America www.chorusamerica.org Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers www.labbs.org.uk
Society Subsidiaries (partial list) Association of International Champions www.AICGold.com Association of International Seniors Quartet Champions www.aisqc.com Harmony Brigade www.harmonybrigade.org
Staff Dr. Perry White ** *** President/CEO pwhite@harmonyfoundation.org Jim Clark Regional Director 3042 • jclark@harmonyfoundation.org Sean Devine Planned Giving Manager 3054 • sdevine@harmonyfoundation.org Carolyn Faulkenberry Chief Financial Officer 3041 • cfaulkenberry@harmonyfoundation.org J.J. Hawkins Donor Care Center Associate 3045 • jhawkins@harmonyfoundation.org Jim Johnson Director of Communications 3053 • jjohnson@harmonyfoundation.org Brian Nelson Donor Care Center Associate 3051 • bnelson@harmonyfoundation.org Sarah Ogiba • Finance Assistant 3040 • ogiba@harmonyfoundation.org Dixie Semich Development Operations Manager 3047 • dsemich@harmonyfoundation.org Kyle Snook Regional Director 3050 • ksnook@harmonyfoundation.org Rick Taylor National Development Manager 3046 • rtaylor@harmonyfoundation.org
Barbershop Quartet Preservation Association www.bqpa.com Ancient Harmonious Society of Woodshedders www.ahsow.org Public Relations Officers and Bulletin Editors (PROBE) www.probe-web.org 110 Seventh Avenue North, Suite 200 Nashville, TN 37203 866-706-8021 (toll free), 615-823-5611 hf@harmonyfoundation.org
Board of Trustees Lynn Weaver – Chair 616-485-3392 rhoda297@aol.com Mike Deputy – Immediate Past Chair 801-733-0562 mikedeputy@utility-trailer.com Gary Plaag – Vice Chair 703-670-4996 gplaagbhs@gmail.com Jeff Selano – Secretary 770-401-3324 stormfront0710@gmail.com Don Laursen – Treasurer 559-733-1496 monyman@sbcglobal.net Debbie Cleveland 813-230-7845 DebbieCsinger@aol.com Don Lambert *** Also trustee 850-240-5952 ** Ex-officio lambertDL@cox.net * Not board member Mike Moisio 775-580-7395 mike.moisio@rhacp.com Casey Parsons 614-306-8858 caseyparsons@gmail.com Brian M. Sagrestano 315-292-1335 brian@giftplanningdevelopment.com Marty Monson Society Executive Director/CEO** Jim Warner* General Counsel 901-522-9000, Ext. 104 warnerj@martintate.com
Official Affiliates Barbershop Harmony Australia www.barbershop.org.au Dan Millgate: dan.millgate@yahoo.com.au BHNZ (Barbershop Harmony New Zealand) www.barbershopharmony.nz John Denton: johnandchrisd@gmail.com BABS (British Association of Barbershop Singers) www.singbarbershop.com Peter Cookson: chairman@singbarbershop.com BinG! (Barbershop in Germany) www.barbershop-in-germany.de Renate Klocke: renate.klocke@gmail.com Holland Harmony www.hollandharmony.dse.nl Nelleke Dorrestijn: nellekedorrestijn@gmail.com FABS (Finnish Association of Barbershop Singers) www.fabs.fi Jan-Erik Krusberg: jan-erik.krusberg@arcada.fi IABS (Irish Association of Barbershop Singers) www.irishbarbershop.org Liz Nolan: iabsexecutive@gmail.com MBHA (Mixed Barbershop Harmony Assoc.) www.mixedbarbershop.org Ron Morden: ronmorden@mac.com SABS (Spanish Association of Barbershop Singers) www.sabs.es Lyn Baines: president@sabs.es SNOBS (Society of Nordic Barbershop Singers) www.snobs.org Henrik Rosenberg: henrik@rospart.se SPATS (Southern Part of Africa Tonsorial Singers) www.spats.co.za Mark Jensen van Rensburg: president@spats.co.za
General correspondence/editorial: harmonizer@barbershop.org Editorial Board: Holly J. Kellar, Brian Lynch, Amy Rose, Lorin May Copy Editing: Jim Stahly (Bloomington, IL) Lorin May, Editor Associate editors: Amy Rose, Brian Lynch
The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. (DBA Barbershop Harmony Society) is a non-profit organization operating in the United States and Canada. Mission: The Barbershop Harmony Society brings men together in harmony and fellowship to enrich lives through singing. Vision: Everyone in Harmony
September/October 2018 • The HARMONIZER
59
THE TAG Joe Liles, Tagmaster
Help us identify the creator of this lovely tag
W
MY LOVE IS GONE for male voices
Origin unknown
Œ bb c œ b V
Tag
Tenor Lead
1
My
? b c Πbb
Bari Bass
bb
V b
4
Œ ˙. love
bye, bye,
nœ
Ê bb c Œ bb
bb & b b ww 4
Ê bb b b œ b ˙
bye,
n˙ ˙
œ
gone.
She
She
nev - er said
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3
nev - er said
œ
She
˙˙
# ˙˙
er
said
good
˙ ˙
˙˙
˙˙
6
A˙ ˙
œ œ good -
œœ œ œœ œ œœ b b œœ
gone.
˙˙ -
w˙ .
N w˙ .
œœ b b œœ
nev - er said
U w
-
good -
w
7
bye.
œ w
u
MY LOVE IS GONE
U
˙.
for female voices
1
Œ ˙. œ love
My
love
is
My
love
is is
œ ∫œ œ
2
œœ b b œœ
œ œ
Œ
˙˙
˙˙ nev
nœ
2
is is
love
˙˙
5
good - bye,
gone.
Tag
My
bye, bye,
My
nev
n˙ ˙
bbb c Œ b & œ
is
œ ∫œ œ
œ
Œ
good - bye,
Origin unknown
Bari Bass
love
5
bye,
Tenor Lead
My
œ œ
ww
bœ ? bb ˙ b
60
formation, please contact me at JoeLilesMusic@gmail. com. The poignant baritone note on the downbeat of measure 4 was added by our illustrious arranger and long-time friend, Tom Gentry. Thanks, Tom! n
e always strive to identify and recognize the writers of tags placed in our magazine and in the free tags area on our website, www.barbershop.org/tags. So far, we’ve not been able to find the creator(s) of this fine tag, “My Love Has Gone.” Anyone having that in-
A˙ ˙
-
gone.
w˙ .
œ
gone.
He
N˙. w
œ
3
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
nev - er said
gone.
He
n ˙˙
er
said
good
˙ ˙
˙˙
˙˙
6
œ œ good -
œœ œ œœ œ œœ ∫ b œœ
˙˙
The HARMONIZER • September/October 2018 • www.barbershop.org
nev - er said
He
nev - er said
7
-
U
ww
bye.
œ w
u
U
˙.
good -
Midwinter
2018 Next Generation Varsity Quartet Champion
Frontier
The Vocal Majority
2018 International Chorus Champion