Official Publication of Atlantic-Gulf Region 9 Sweet Adelines International www.sairegion9 April 2014 By Rhonda Payton, Region 9 Communications Coordinator (continued on page 7) f you're a chorus member, you know a new chorus leadership team starts every May 1 - the start of SAI's fiscal year. Well, Region 9's Management Team (RMT) is no different. We're happy to let you know about our three new RMT members. They are all highly qualified and excited to start serving you, the Region 9 members! Debbie Dennis (left) has actually already started in her role as Membership Coordinator. She is a third generation barbershop “brat” who has been a member of the Sound of Sunshine Chorus for 25 years - SOS is lucky to have the talents of both Debbie and her mom, the awesome Nancy Lewis. During this time, Debbie has served as Choreographer for 23 years and Assistant Director for 12 years. As SOS's Visual Coordinator, she oversees all aspects of the visual presentation including costumes and makeup. During that time, Debbie has also served on the chorus's management team. She now serves as SOS's team coordinator. Fran Russ (right) starts on May 1 as your new Directors' Coordinator. Fran has also been a Sweet Adeline for a while - since 1993, in fact - including as a Melodeer between 1994-2007. She earned four gold and one silver international chorus medals with them... woot! In the Melodeers, Fran served as a tape evaluator, makeup committee member and makeup chair. She found her way down to Jacksonville Harmony Chorus in 2008 and jumped into service with them as well. She has held several positions with JAX, including three years as team coordinator, and co-chair of the 50th anniversary show last year. Apparently she's not busy enough with the chorus, though So she also sings bass in a new quartet called "Just One Night". To round out our trio of new RMT members, we also have Barbara Mauldin (below) appointed by SAI as Education Coordinator, effective May 1. Barbara is new to many of us, having come to Region 9 from Region 23 during Harmonic Progression in 2012. But she's not a newbie to SAI; she started as a Sweet Adeline in 1988! When she relocated to Florida, Barbara joined Harmony Shores, subsequently directed the Coastal Magic Chorus, and even served as Region 23's Regent (the "president" of a Region prior to the management team structure). Barbara recently rejoined Harmony Shores, where she has served on the management team and as the assistant director. Barbara is ready to take on the new role of Education for us. Oh - when
Transcript
Official Publication of Atlantic-Gulf Region 9 Sweet Adelines International www.sairegion9 April 2014
By Rhonda Payton, Region 9 Communications Coordinator
(continued on page 7)
f you're a chorus member, you know a
new chorus leadership team starts every May 1 - the start of SAI's fiscal year. Well, Region 9's Management Team (RMT) is no different. We're happy to let you know about our three new RMT members. They are all highly qualified and excited to start serving you, the Region 9 members!
Debbie Dennis (left) has actually already started in her role as Membership Coordinator. She is a third generation
barbershop “brat” who has been a member of the Sound of Sunshine Chorus for 25 years - SOS is lucky to have the talents of both Debbie and her mom, the awesome Nancy Lewis. During this time, Debbie has served as Choreographer for 23 years and Assistant Director for 12 years. As SOS's Visual Coordinator, she oversees all
aspects of the visual presentation including costumes and makeup. During that time, Debbie has also served on the chorus's management team. She now serves as SOS's team coordinator.
Fran Russ (right) starts on May 1 as your new Directors' Coordinator. Fran has also been a Sweet Adeline for a while - since 1993, in fact - including as a Melodeer between 1994-2007. She earned four gold and one silver international chorus medals with them... woot! In the Melodeers, Fran served as a tape evaluator, makeup committee member and makeup chair. She found her way down to Jacksonville Harmony Chorus in 2008 and jumped into service with them as well. She has held several positions with JAX, including three years as team coordinator, and co-chair of the 50th anniversary show last year. Apparently she's not busy enough with the chorus, though
So she also sings bass in a
new quartet called "Just One Night".
To round out our trio of new RMT members, we also have Barbara Mauldin (below) appointed by SAI as Education Coordinator, effective May 1. Barbara is new to many of us, having come to Region 9 from Region 23 during Harmonic Progression in 2012. But she's not a newbie to SAI; she started as a Sweet Adeline in 1988! When she relocated to Florida, Barbara joined Harmony Shores, subsequently directed the Coastal Magic Chorus, and even served as Region 23's Regent (the "president" of a Region prior to the management team structure). Barbara recently rejoined Harmony Shores, where she has served on the management team and as the assistant director. Barbara is ready to take on the new role of Education for us. Oh - when
iriam-Webster defines the word competition as, “the act or process of
trying to get or win something (such as a prize or a higher level of success) that someone else is also trying to get or win; actions that are done by people, companies, etc., that are
competing against each other”
We disagree – at least as it applies to Sweet Adelines competition. We believe that we are
competing with each other.
The two terms are commonly used interchangeably; however, their meanings are vastly different.
When we compete against, we view the other contestants as enemies and obstacles to our own success. We see each other as adversaries to be conquered and we don’t allow ourselves to learn from them. We tend to underestimate them because we refuse to fully respect the talent they bring to the stage. We might know they’re good, but we don’t want to say that out loud! We may even opt to keep our song choices and costumes a secret until we hit the stage.
Competing against is negative and can have a profound impact on our own performance. Rather than taking the stage with confidence, we tend to take the stage with superiority, believing that we will be successful partly because we’re undervaluing the performance of the other contestants.
When we compete with, our entire mindset changes. Competing with is a positive endeavor.
com·pe·ti·tion noun \käm-pə-ˈti-shən\
By Paula Barnett
We see each other as friends on another team and we wish the best for each other. We value each other as resources. We respect each other’s talents, individual style and flavor. We watch each other perform not with criticism, but with joy and
even awe. We look at each other’s costumes, choreography, stage presence, etc. We note the elements that gain audiences’ favor and we even adapt elements that speak to us in order to improve our own performance. We learn from each other, we teach each other and we’re happy and willing to share our ideas and knowledge. There is little, if any, secrecy. We applaud each other’s successes and support each other as we overcome shortcomings. We genuinely want to see each other do well.
When we’re competing with, we take the stage with confidence. We’re comfortable in the knowledge that, just like us, all the competitors are there to do their very best.
We have resolved to compete with. At the end of the day, when the scores are read and the champions are announced, we will
walk away knowing that, whatever the outcome, we did our very best and competed with our friends and we will look forward to doing it all over again next year.
O-Town Sound and our two competing quartets, Double Trouble and CodaChrome, all wish everyone a fantastic showing at competition. Break a lip everybody, we’re rooting for you!
We’ll see you at the beach.
WITH
AGAINST
The Boutique on the Beach will be open for business start-ing Thursday night in Daytona and you will absolutely not want to miss this year’s edition of concentrated bling!!! Spirit of the Gulf is seriously gearing up to make shopping a whole new experience that you just can’t get any-where else!
Some of your fa-vorite vendors have already committed to being with us. Lia Sophia jewelry, Unique Fashions, L’Paige Cosmetics, and Linda’s Place jewelry will bring whole new supplies of your fa-vorite bling. Proud Peacock is bringing pashminas and hand-painted purses and Spirit is working on a raft of things we can guarantee you have not seen before! And that’s what
we call variety!
One of these is a Kashmiri Australian wool wrap, beautifully hand embroidered, with a $950 price tag still attached. This will be raffled off with the winner an-nounced at the end of competi-
tion weekend. Tick-ets are only $1 each, with the usual 6 for $5. That’s what we call a re-turn on your invest-ment!!
So watch the halls
for Beach Hums,
our way of bringing your bou-
tique to you. Beach Hums will
be decked out in a variety of
items from the boutique, which
they will be more than happy to
sell to you on the spot! And
that’s what we call service!
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By Linda Boggs
pirit of the Gulf has been blessed in so many
ways since it began in 2001. There were two choruses in Fort Myers who decided to join forces to start Spirit. Just when they decided to make this decision, Karen Briedert, Master Director, was available to become the director. Every year that Spirit competed after its initial year, Spirit made it to the top ten at the Sweet Adeline’s International Chorus Competition. Last year when Karen decided to step down as our director, we were fortunate to find another great director, Michael Slamka, who had never directed a Sweet Adeline chorus. With his expert direction, Spirit once again became the Region 9 Champion and will be on our way to Baltimore in November to compete at the International Chorus Competition.
Through the years our membership continued to grow, but along with this growth, there were losses. As a matter of fact, one of our members who has been courageously battling cancer for some time was taken to hospice yesterday and is in her final stages of life.
In preparation for writing this article I asked our membership how many of them had been touched by cancer. Many of them had been. The number was astonishing to me--mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts and themselves. We have members battling breast cancer right now. It is a terrible disease, and we wanted to do
something to show we care and wanted to be a part of the cure. Spirit hopes that maybe we can pass some of our many blessings their way.
On Friday, March 7, Race for the Cure had a Pink Out Party before race day on Saturday, March 8. There were bands playing, food, and many activities. At the end of the night there was a luminary ceremony where they lit the luminaries for those we want to remember and hold close to our hearts—relatives and friends.
Spirit sang “Friends” at this ceremony. Who can say it
better than the words of the song…
“Friends are friends forever…. Though it’s hard to let you go, in the Father’s hand we know, that a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends.”
Let’s all join in this fight to stop
breast cancer. Walk, run, give
of your time, talent, and money
to help fight breast cancer. We
are hoping that in some small
way our music can help lighten
the hearts of those dealing with
loss caused by this terrible
disease.
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By Sharleen Simpson
he Gainesville Harmony Show
Chorus teamed with the Gainesville Barbergators for the second time to present this year’s version of Holiday Harmonies, called, not surprisingly, Holiday Harmonies
II. A spoof on 1940’s radio programs, HH II included a detective serial complete with outrageous sound effects as well as plenty of holiday music sung by the two chouses and several guest quartets. The final set showcased the men and women singing eight-part harmony.
The whole experience proved to be so much fun that HH III is in the works for later this year. A portion of the profits from these shows goes to the Harmony Scholarship for Returning Veterans, which helps those vets who are continuing their education at either Santa Fe College or the University of Florida.
The GHSC Spring Concert will be May 18th at the Senior Center in Gainesville. The working title: Mother’s Day was LAST Week. Please check our website for further information: www.gainesvillechorus.com.
As part of our community outreach efforts, we regularly schedule performances at
assisted living centers, nursing homes and community functions. Recently, we performed for Al'z Place. Many of our chorus members have friends or family members who have
Alzheimer's, and we were particularly looking forward to this performance. Appreciation of music is influenced by the motor center of the brain, not through cognitive function. Therefore, music is a strong vehicle for interacting with Alzheimer's patients. We were delighted to see our audience smiling, tapping their toes, and even singing along with us!!
We also have continued our regular participation in the District Court Naturalization Ceremonies, to welcome new citizens. We have been told that our singing is a highlight of the ceremonies.
By Kathy Taylor
t was exciting, crazy and lots of fun! I signed up to
be in a quartet for Singing Valentines, and it was my first time singing with a quartet and my first time singing Valentines!
Dressed up in our red and black, resplendent in our makeup and our chorus earrings, the four of us stood in the parking lot of a rehab center. With a few minutes to spare, we tuned up and rehearsed our selections, and at first I was a little self-conscious of drawing attention to ourselves, but then that’s what we want!
When we were ready we walked through the nearest door, stepping our way through the therapy machines and their occupants and the employees, to the room of a very petite woman whose face lit up as we came in. We gave her a rose and a small box of candy, and then we sang. The woman quietly sang along, and when we had finished singing, the rose and the candy had been wrapped in a lovely memory for her.
The locations changed all day long, but there were smiles everywhere. What a hoot!
The Venetian Harmony Chorus gave their regards to Broadway with an upbeat fun spring concert that included props like glowing rings as they sang, “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend.”
Ginny Ferda enjoys singing and performing with the Venetian Harmony Chorus. She likes filling her days with song.
This Harmony Chorus Quartet knows how to jazz up a little music of their own. They are (from left) Lydia Church, Christa Rivette, Rosaline Kinney and Dale Duras [String of Pearls].
Venetian Harmony Chorus held their annual show, Regards to Broadway, on February 21 at the Church of the Nazarene in Venice. The guest quartet was My Three Sons of the Ditchfield Family. Venetian Harmony Chorus Quartet String of Pearls also performed. The chorus was directed by James Schubert.
“younger crowd” to recruit new members. Because of that effort we are pleased to introduce two of our newest members. Aurora and Charli Lewark. These young ladies are so full of energy that they perk us up just by being around them. Aurora is sixteen and her sister Charli is thirteen. They are both very bright and pick up both the songs and choreography quickly.
In an interview I ask how they were introduced to Sweet Adelines. Aurora answered, “I've heard about SAI all my life. Both my great-grandmother and my grandmother were/are involved in it, and they spawned my interest at an early age.” When asked about her other singing experience she answered.” I do sing with my high school choir as well as with SOS, and it's fun to always be working with two different styles of singing and performing.” Charli said “I think it is fun to sing in my school chorus but SOS is way more fun.” As I was talking to them about what sparked their interest in Sound of Sunshine they told me they always wanted to “be a part SOS!” Aurora said “I saw them perform and rehearse multiple times when I was younger, and loved their powerful performances. I decided to officially join the summer of 2013, and was told I would have to audition on two songs. While I was preparing for it, we were learning a new song, and our director had me join a quartet and sing it, and that was
my first audition. Later, I passed my second one and joined!
Since I myself am a part of the “Baris” I was pleased to find out that Aurora wanted to sing with my section. I asked her what drew her to the part and she surprised me by saying “In all honesty, I picked Baritone because my voice isn't low enough to be a Bass. Yet, I have come to enjoy the uniqueness
and vitality of the Baritone part in each chord.” Charli has a clear high tone which makes her a perfect voice for the Tenor part she picked. She told me “I always sing Soprano in my other chorus and it was just natural that I sing the Tenor part.”
I love to watch Charli smile as she sings, with her long beautiful hair she seems to flow effortlessly through the choreography. She has a grace about her that is far beyond her years. I asked the girls how they were
feeling about their first contest? Charli just gave me that winning smile but Aurora (with her modest style) said “I'm incredibly nervous with it! Hearing about all the little details the judges look for is nerve racking. Plus, I'm not the best with choreography (I look pretty awkward sometimes) and I'm afraid it will draw attention. But I do look forward to the performance and showing
other choruses what we can do!” There is nothing awkward about her and she has a quiet determination and a intelligent style all her own. When I asked what their favorite songs were that we sing and why? Charli popped up with “Jazz Medley” She says “I just love Jazz, its my favorite kind of music.” Aurora said “My favorite song has to be "Crazy". I love the range it has for the Baritones, and it was the first song I learned simultaneously with the chorus.”
They are very good at reaching out to other young ladies to join us. I ask them what do they say when they
talk to another young lady about joining our chorus? She replied “I would have to tell her that our chorus is just fun! There is no room to be self conscious about your voice, and hearing each chord lock is a huge reward. It isn't a huge time commitment, but it takes a lot of dedication (but it pays off in the end).”
We are very blessed that these two lovely young ladies decided to join our chorus. They warm our hearts and brighten our day.
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By Marcia Cornell
he Hilton Head Shore Notes pre-sented “Ease on Down the Road”
on March 1 to a sold-out house of 650 seats! Under the direction of our fabulous Faye McLanahan, the chorus entertained with fun
songs, including a Beach Boys medley, two Beatles songs, Nine to Five, 42nd Street/Puttin’ on the Ritz, Route 66, 18 Holes (a parody of 16 Tons), all of which musically depicted our jour-ney from youth to retirement in Hilton Head. We were delighted to welcome back Jane Cam-pedelli to emcee our show for the third time! Since the show included props that changed with every song, we were grateful that Diane Parker of Jacksonville Harmony was willing to help us behind the scenes to effect smooth tran-sitions.
Not only did our in-house quartets “Coastal Rhythm” and “Just One Night” entertain, but we had two terrific guest quartets. “Shrimp ‘n Grits” from Charleston were finalists in the men’s Carolinas District competition. “Live Out Loud,” Region 9 champions who competed in Hawaii, were the icing on the cake of our show. What a fantastic sound they have! They kicked off the second
act, after which the Shore Notes sang their two compe-tition songs. Jacksonville’s own Sarah Bican and Diane Anderson joined us on stage, and we are so happy that they will be singing with us when we compete in Dayto-na next month. What a great bass section!
And then there was the Afterglow, where Ann Gooch and more Jacksonville Harmony friends joined us, in-cluding “Group Therapy” quartet, who entertained us with two songs. It truly does take a village to create an entertaining evening – and we’re delighted that Jack-sonville Harmony is part of our village!
(TEAM MEMBERS continued from page 1)
you see her at Convention in April, ask her about the time she accidentally competed in her comfy little pink flats with the chorus's TEAL outfit... uh oh!
While we are thrilled to have these new talented leaders on the RMT, we are also sad to say goodbye to their predecessors Kelly Chism, Holly St. John and Dayve Gabbard-Farnham.
Please introduce yourself to our new RMT members at Convention in Daytona Beach, and give a huge THANK YOU to our outgoing members for their considerable contributions to the Region over the years.
See you in April!
Platinum Coast
West Melbourne, Florida
Elaine Haugan, Director
Song of the Coast
Ormond Beach, Florida Diane Johnson
Interim Director
Sound of Sunshine
Orlando, Florida
Nancy Lewis, Director
South Florida Jubilee
Plantation, Florida
James Kastler, Director
Southern Company
Brandon, Florida
Linda Verzosa, Director
Spirit of the Gulf
Fort Myers, Florida
Mike Slamka, Director
Summer Springs
Ocala, Florida
Judi Stygar, Director
Suncoast Harmony
Hudson, Florida
Amy Riddle, Director
Toast of Tampa
Temple Terrace, Florida
Tony DeRosa, Director
Venetian Harmony
Venice, Florida
Jim Shubert, Director
Women of Note
Wellington, Florida
Mitch Greenberg, Director
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(continued from page 5)
By Jacquie Humphreys
course we couldn’t let her have to not reveal the dedication. Then she was looking over the shoulder of Marge Malin, who was announcing the surprise, “just curious” what she was reading so carefully, which of course was the dialogue for the surprise! Then we had to relocate her from the top riser to the bottom riser without her questioning just why we were doing that! But we did it!! She was surprised!!
Sandy’s dad was a barbershopper who sang in many quartets. Her mom was a Sweet Adeline and sang in a quartet named “Certified Chicks.” Through the influence of her enthusiastic parents, in 1962, Sandy
also became a Sweet Adeline. In 1968 Sandy went across the Detroit River to Windsor, Ontario to visit a friend and met Vern Fitzpatrick. They married a year later and Sandy moved to Canada where their two girls, Katie and Jennifer were born. While in the Windsor Sweet Adelines, Sandy held various chapter offices. She was president and then Regional Convention Chairman. In 1985 Sandy and her family moved back to the Detroit area where she joined the Spirit of Detroit chorus. This chorus competed and won many regional competitions and then went on to international competitions.
AGIC OF MANATEE presented their annual
show “Back by Popular Demand” on Saturday, February 8 at the Neel Performing Arts Center, Southern College of Florida. We had a sold-out house, which we love, love, love! Our theme was the “Golden Girls” and these parts were acted hilariously by Una Gravitt, Bev Whitcomb, Brenda Reddy and Pamela Sikkema. We were also joined by the Manatee High Girls’ Chorus under the direction of Tommy Jomisko. He also sings “The Star Spangled Banner” at McKechnie Field for the Pirates and Marauders baseball clubs during the season.
Two of our own quartets, Magic Touch and Usual Suspects performed, and our very own Bev Whitby on violin and Marthe Hildreth on viola performed “Le Canon” arranged by Michelle Baker. Our featured guest quartet was My Three Sons Quartet, who always entertains our audience beautifully, artfully, and energetically -- and was also requested back by popular demand!
The surprise of our show was that our program is dedicated to Sandy Fitzpatrick, a member of Sweet Adelines for more than 50 years. And I think it was definitely a surprise to her even though the rest of us were challenged to keep it a surprise! First she wanted a program – which of (continued on page 9)
A longtime friend, Chris Noteware, wrote…”Who likes Barbershop more than Sandy?” …ABSOLUTELY NO ONE! What a delightful, full of love, family and leading the way…Sandy. She is definitely a “golden girl” in my book.
Congratulations, Sandy. You are what our organization talks about…but you are all action…WITH words. Thanks for hangin’ in there.” Sandy and Vern retired in 2005 and decided to spend some time in Florida during the winter. She is now an enthusiastic member of Magic of Manatee. She dragged us into the 21st century by volunteering to act as WebMaster and accomplished the complicated task of getting us into the public eye through our own website.
Marge Malin offers a humorous story about Sandy: “About 30 years ago, when the chapter of Sweet Adelines that Sandy was in joined up with Spirit of Detroit chapter, we had a week-end retreat, a kind of get-to-know-each-other time. It was at that weekend that I really got to know
Sandy. After classes then dinner on Saturday night, a group of gals got together in one of their rooms for a relaxing cocktail and a few stories. Well, one of the gals got stuck in the bathroom when the door would not open. In those days, lots of gals smoked, as this gal did, and since she had also taken her cocktail into the bathroom with her, she said she was set for the long evening in the bathroom and could even sleep in the tub if she had to. I suggested calling down to housekeeping and maybe someone would come up and get the door open. Well, Sandy Fitzpatrick said “NO, don’t do that because then the party would end.” She proceeded to get out a gadget that had a screwdriver, a knife, a bottle opener, a cork screw, and several other things, and in no time at all she had
Sandy Fitzpatrick
the hinges off the door, the door put in the tub, and, most important, the party continued. Sandy has always been and still is a very helpful person
to have in our chapter. Always saying yes when asked to do something and even when not asked always offering her help – AND she is also a good singer!
The Magic of Manatee is most grateful to have Sandy as a contributing member, giving us her advice and expertise since she has been in both small and large choruses and the benefit of her long
experience with Sweet Adelines International and is full of information. We are indeed blessed to be able to call Sandy “Our Very Own Golden Girl.” CONGRATULATIONS, SANDY, OVER 50 YEARS WITH SWEET ADELINES !!!
(SANDY continued from page 8)
onnie Hancock of Seminole, AL joined Sweet Adelines in 1979 and brings her
many years of experience in both singing and direct-ing to Pensacola Sound Chorus. Connie, a bass, who has sung in numerous choruses and quartets over the years, completed the Certified Director course in 2003. From 1995-2000 Connie was the As-sistant Director of Las Cruces Grande Chorus in Las Cru-ces, NM. Upon her return to the Pensacola area, she served as co-director of Pen-sacola Sound Chorus from
2003-2004 and as Director of Sound of the Bay
Chorus in Mobile, AL in 2011.
Connie has a busy schedule as a full-time LPN in a Pensacola medical practice, and she is an avid NAS-CAR fan. The family travels occasionally to be sure they get to the big races in the region.
“Connie has rekindled the enthusiasm of the cho-rus and we are all excited to begin a new phase of growth and welcoming new members. Connie’s en-ergetic personality has made our rehearsals fun and at the same time, her attention to detail challenges us to be the very best we can be,” according to Shireen Merrill, Management Team Leader.
Connie says, “I love my new girls and look forward to working with them to achieve our best potential.”
Keep your eye on Pensacola Sound Chorus – we’re ready to reach new heights and know that Connie will help us get there! Contact us at www.pensacolasoundchorus.com; or through our team leader, [email protected]. Connie Hancock
We just love February! This is when our Singing Valentines delivery service musical cupids don their “amour-wear” and deliver roses, chocolates, and intimate love messages to unsuspecting but lucky and delighted recipients all over northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Congratulations and job well done to Valentine Central Chief Debbie Edwards and her Mighty Team on a successful campaign.
Diva: Paula Bartie, Myra Newman, Faye McLanahan, Jan Sobolewski
Front and Center: Janice Holycross, Andrea Rial, Debbie Edwards, Jennifer Atchison
Group Therapy: Gaynell Russell, Susan Brooks, Anne
Bell, Mary Breedon
Heart Strings: Carla Chadwick, Sue Illingworth, Bev Conderman, Kathy Haggerty
Sparkle: Anne Gooch, Darlene Friend, Mari Clovis, Brandi Neilson
SweeTarts: Julie Reeve, Angela Lee, Cynthia Shelton, Sarah Bican
This year, six Jax Harmony quartets spread the love in Jacksonville---at supermarkets,
nursing homes, schools, office buildings, and candlelit dinners. We delivered 38 official in-person love messages, and 2 “phone-tines” where we sang to audiences over the phone. Some recipients smiled shyly, some cried, but they all
glowed when they reflected on the kindnesses and extra efforts their loved ones had traveled to make their day.
Singing Valentines are all about love---the private love between people we sing to and also a more expansive feeling we own as Sweet Adelines of what we feel in our connectedness and for the privilege of simply being able to open our mouths and sing every day.
Speaking of love, We love our new
members! Jacksonville Harmony celebrates and welcomes its latest additions: Andrea Brown, baritone, Maggie Myers and her Mom Christy Myers, both Leads, and Inge Tonini, Lead. These special women joined during a
SweeTarts
Diva
Front and Center
Group Therapy
Heart Strings
Sparkle
(continued on page 12)
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fast paced Contest Prep and they rose to the occasion with particular and selfless grace. How wonderful and amazing you all are!
We also adore our Hilton Head members. Saturday, March 1st was an exciting day for the these women as they presented their annual show "Ease on Down the Road" with Jax Harmony member Faye McLanahan as Director. Jax Harmony & Hilton Head proudly share 6 dual members plus Faye.
To quote Faye, "it was an awesome experience to perform to a sold out auditorium & feel the support of your families, friends & fellow music lovers - can't wait 'til next year - Hilton Head ROCKS!"
Now, getting ready for Contest, Expression Coach Lea Beverly continues to work her acclaimed interpretive skills with us in her last visit with us on January 31 and February 1. We appreciate her innate ability to understand the intention, feeling, and direction of a song’s message. PS, Lea, Congrats, girl: Go Hawks!!!
Karen Bridert, former director of Spirit of the Gulf left her lovely home on the St. Johns River for an afternoon to give us great advice as well during retreat session March 22. How lucky we are to have such excellent coaching come our way! Thank you ladies!
Good luck to all choruses and quartets in their individual endeavors to reach for the gold and set their personal bests. And never forget in doing so that, though it is the music that
glues our pursuit, it is we women who personalize the effort and make our fantastic journey worth it in the first place.
We leave you in the Valentines spirit of one quartet, Sparkle, who unexpectedly came upon one performance recipient who gave back as much as this quartet gave. It is a metaphor for what we hope we do whenever and wherever we share this best gift of music---give love then receive it right back.
Wishing you Region 9, magnificent harmony, and love always,
See you in Daytona!
Sparkle and Miss Peggy
(As narrated by Darlene Friend, Lead, for Sparkle Quartet)
We sang to a gentleman at St. Catherine's Laboure Retirement/Nursing Facility.
As we were leaving St. Catherine’s she was sitting in the lobby, an elderly lady Peggy, wearing a headband with flowers. There was something about her that I was drawn to so we began talking with her by first complimenting her flowers. She lit up brighter than a Christmas tree and she informed us that she was turning 100 the following day. Well of course, out came the pitch pipe and we sang Happy Birthday and Let Me Call You Sweetheart to her. The joy in her eyes was priceless. As we were leaving I asked permission to give her a hug and while hugging her she held me tightly and said, "Oh, this feels so warm and beautiful, thank you so much." It took her a while to let go of my hand and she was right – it was warm and beautiful.
(JACKSONVILLE continued
from page 10)
s they have for over twenty years, quartets
from South Florida jubilee delivered messages of love on Valentine’s Day all around Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties in the form of singing valentines. Four quartets performed at 48 different locations, singing two songs and handing the recipient a real rose and a personalized card from the sender.
For several of our girls this was their first time participating in singing valentines and comments were made like “I didn’t want the day to end” and “We should do this every day”.
Those of us who have done this for many years understand just how they feel.
Our focus now is on competition which will be followed closely by our Spring Luncheon & Fashion Show, to be held on May 10, 2014 at the Coral Ridge Yacht Club in Fort Lauderdale. We’d like to invite
(continued on page 13)
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Team Coordinator LISA DEPREZ
Gulf To Bay
Membership Coordinator
DEBBIE DENNIS South of Sunshine
Communications Coordinator RHONDA PAYTON
Chapter at Large
Events Coordinator SUE GIESLER
Chapter at Large
Education Coordinator DAYVE GABBARD
Women Of Note
Marketing Coordinator IRENE ZIMMER
Gulf To Bay
Finance Coordinator CATHY FREY
Toast of Tampa and Spirit of the Gulf
Directors’ Coordinator HOLLY ST. JOHN
Toast of Tampa
Your RegionalYour Regional
Management TeamManagement Team everyone to join us at this fun event. May 11th is Mother’s Day, so this would make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift. For reservations call 954-983-6214 before April 30, 2014.
South Florida Jubilee would like to wish everyone the best of luck at competition. We know that “Region 9 Rocks” and look forward to the show packages that will be presented in the new category.
breezes, quiet space for reflec-tion, and a repli-ca of the laby-rinth in Notre Dame Cathedral in Chartes, France greeted the Women of Note at 8:00 am February 1 as they gathered for their annual re-treat at the Dun-can Conference Center in Delray Beach, FL.
A musical retreat in prepara-tion for the Region 9 competition featured a vivacious Harriette Walters, Master Director of Greater Nassau Chorus, a pe-tite, dark haired barrel of energy as coach extraordinaire. Along with Women of Note’s own Di-rector, Mitch Greenberg, the two barbershop mavens gave the chorus new tools to achieve higher musical goals in just one day. “Let’s sing through all the diphthongs,” Harriette insisted. “That way the audience will hear the wall of sound and lyrical line.” “It’s all in the breath, stressed Mitch Greenberg; “barbershop is sung from ankles to bangs while using good Face, Place and Space.” New and veteran members applied good vocal technique while rehearsing the contest pieces so that the chorus sound was more unified and confident by the end of the session.
Does standing on risers for
eight hours make some women grumpy? Maybe, but you would-n’t know it by the smiling faces and laughter during dinner and afterward at a Hollywood Game
Night pro-gram featur-ing quartets, Sunsation, Impetuous, and WON di-rector, Mitch Greenburg, debuting his new opus, “We Need To Start The Fire,” sung to Billy Joel’s hit,
“We Didn’t Start the Fire.”
Monday Night, Every Week, Forest Hill, Riser Squeak,
Warming Up, Catching Up, Taping Every Song.
Working With The Baritones, Practicing Inside our Homes
Breathing, Wheezing, Fol-lowing Along.
Contest Music, Kit Kats, Download The Learning Tracks
Back Rubs, Sectionals, Is This Song Contestable?
Learning the Dynamic Plan, Sweating Like A Cave Man,
Sing It High, Sing It Tall, Where the Hell’s My Win-dow!
We Need To Start The Fire
If We Want to Earn It, Then
We Must Rehearse It
We Need To Start The Fire
Let Your Voice Fly High, Then We Can Reach The Sky.
Five more verses followed with references to Libby Petrovsky’s vocal warm ups, Joyce Snod-grass’ physical warm ups, Chi-nese 7ths, Lipstick, Rhine-stones, Betty Clipman, Bling, Princess Leia breaths and Flying High. By the end of the song, chorus members were rockin’ and rollin’ in the aisles.
Following the musical fanfare, cheering audience members applauded winners of competi-tive teams as they donned smart caps to test their knowledge of state capitals, chorus history, and match games. Bonding with each other, chorus members found that putting their collective voices and heads together made for winning teams. Bring this to the competition stage, and pres-to: a winning performance!
With her vivid stage presence, Renee Porzel, a funny, strikingly lovely choreographer, delighted Women of Note as she fought to bring the riser women to bear the responsibility of “Getting On Board,” toward be-coming medal winners at Region 9 Competition April 5, 2014.
An internationally recognized teacher and coach, Renee is a certified member of Sweet Adelines Interna-tional Faculty Program and serves the Executive Committee as President. She delivered a fabulous coach-ing session with musically driven choreography, organic to the body. “Everything she demonstrated feels
so natural,” remarked Shoshana Davidowitz. “If Renee could bottle that energy, Women of Note would buy her out.”
Associate Director and Choreographer for the Melodeers Chorus, Renee has designed award-winning choreography that involves the cho-rus emotionally in the musical product and enthralls adoring audiences. Her show-stopping charisma captivated Women of Note as she demon-strated facial and body movements -- “Funny,” “Tender,” “Sassy,” “Seductive,” depending on the music and mood of the song. A vivacious Gwen Verdon without the flaming red hair, Renee stood before the chorus and declared, “The audience wants to see these emotions
on your faces and in your body movements. You think that doesn’t mean you? IT DOES!”
An accomplished “high-kicking” choreographer, Renee Porzel challenged Women of Note to get ON BOARD for a trip to Daytona Beach and an award winning medal.
Published Quarterly January, April, July
and October JANUARY deadline Dec. 15 APRIL deadline March 8 JULY deadline June 15 OCT deadline Sep. 15
latinum Coast Chorus celebrated the completion of another
successful annual show on Saturday, March 1, 2014. The show, titled “A Cut Above”, took place in the Curl-Up & Dye hair salon managed by our gifted Director Elaine Haugan. Special thanks to our guest quartet, OVERDRIVE who “wowed” the audience with their humor and
vocal talent. PCC also
awarded a $500.00 scholarship to Amanda Dixon during the show. PCC is thrilled to welcome our newest
members Pat Arsenault, Mandy Dixon and Michele Garneau. We look forward to sharing many new barbershop experiences with you all!
PCC’s focus and priority now turns to preparing for the Regional convention and competition in Daytona Beach. We have been hard at work on our music and are excited to compete. Best wishes to all the competing choruses and quartets!
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ike the rest of you, the members of Song of
the Coast Chorus are busy polishing up our contest package so we can show off all
that we've learned since we last competed. Preparations have included two coaching sessions with the incredible Beth Ripple, in addition to many sectional rehearsals, and a lot of hard work on the risers at our Monday night rehearsals. We're ready and excited to do our best on the contest stage, but we still
manage to make time for what we do best, which is sharing our love of harmony with our community.
In January, we performed at the Flagler Home & Lifestyle Show, which we have done for the past several years. This event attracts thousands of attendees, and a lot of them take time out for a musical break when we take the stage. It's one of our favorite performances of the year, because for many of those folks, it's their first time seeing a live barbershop group. The best part is seeing the faces the children in the audience light up in surprise when we start to sing.
In February, we did a Valentine-themed performance
at Southland Suites, a lovely assisted living facility in Ormond Beach. It was one of several that we do each year to show our appreciation for them allowing us space in their facility for board meetings and some of our rehearsals. The residents always look forward our visits, and we have a lot fun entertaining, as you can see from the photos. It's
