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Sweet Adeline Lake Ontario Region 16 Newsletter
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There is still time to register!
Hats Off To Harmony Fall Music School!
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REGION 16 FALL MUSIC SCHOOL
DATE: November 11th - 13th, 2016
PLACE: Adam's Mark Hotel & Event Center, Buffalo, NY
FACULTY: Tori Postma
Haven't registered yet?
Can't make up your mind? Well get off the fence - It's your lucky day:
We'll waive the $25 late fee until October 24th.
Here's your chance for laughs and learning with our fun and talented guest faculty, Tori Postma! Our very own Spritzer will also be giving an informative class as well as performing on the Saturday show, along with 2015 chorus champs, Buffalo Gateway, and others. Don't forget to wear a hat - YOU might be the winner of one of the 5 hat prizes! Click here for forms, schedule and other info.
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YWIH AT FALL MUSIC SCHOOL
FREE all day on Saturday November 12
Bring your daughter, grand-daughter, niece, friend with you to Music School! This workshop with Pam Calveric promises to be a great one! Remember that Music School prices for youth are at a reduced rate and the Saturday YWIH workshop is free! Music and learning tracks will be sent on November 1st.
Click
HERE
to see the flyer!
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ROUND TABLE TOPICS
Don't miss this fun Friday educational experience!
Below is a list of topics so far. Watch for more to be communicated.
- Pam Calveric - Attracting younger members: Ideas for recruiting, engaging and keeping younger singers.
- JD Crowe - Taking Sweet Adelines into the future: Updates from International! Get informed on exciting things going on.
- Martha DeClerq - Breathing Bonanza: Take a breath - It's FREE!
- June Donovan - How to run a GREAT chorus Management Team or BOD
- Sonne Durphy - The Right Moves: Learn a few basic conducting techniques and tips. (General audience.)
- Jennifer Febel - The Other YOU on the Risers: How to go from Confused to Confident!"
- Sue Marriott - Unleash Your Performance: Fun rehearsal and retreat activities for stellar characterization and emotion!
- Sue Melvin - Chorus Core Values: Refresher from the June Leadership event...How to get started taking your chorus to new heights by identifying what really matters to you.
- Sandie Nason - Sing Me a Story: Effective use of your vocal instrument, knowing who your character is, who you are talking to and identifying the major emotions you are trying to portray.
- Andrea Percy - Reach out and touch someone: Special Membership Round Table for all chorus Membership Chairs (or their designees.)
- Diane Porsch - Riser Placement: Di Porsch's fun and fascinating round table back by popular demand.
- Nancy Watson - Give yourself a PVI - Tips for self-correction to improve your own vocal skills
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 QUARTETS
We have 9 quartets registered for coaching as of this writing! Region 16 is so proud of our quartets and their desire to improve their skills. It's not too late if your foursome, or trio, would like coaching
....Can you believe it's only $30 USD/$40 CDN for a full hour?!
Click here for form
In fact, we've had so many coach volunteers from our talented faculty, that we'll be able to offer quartets a
second coaching session (with a second coach at the same low price coaching fee) on a first-come-first-served basis.
If your quartet would like to take advantage of this additional coaching session offer, please contact Paula Allen at
[email protected] asap. Along with most of our
Regional Coaching Faculty, all 4 members of Spritzer will be coaching! Don't miss this opportunity!
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Sweet Adelines International Convention 2016- Watch out Vegas... here comes Region 16!!
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Don't miss out on watching our Region 16 Representatives on the International Stage!
Below is the schedule for the competition!
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Click on the link below to see past issues of the Sixteenth Notes
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North Metro Welcomes
- Ann Hill
- Annie Connett
- Stephanie Foley
- Ashaya Babiuk
- Yve Hall
York Harmony Welcomes
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Let us know who your new members are and they can see their name
here too!
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Are you going to Vegas?
Don't miss the Region 16 Pep Rally on Tuesday, October 18th at 10:30pm in room 313/316 at the MGM Grand! Come on out to show some love to our competitors! It's ALWAYS a great time!
Click here to see ALL the details!
Chat room links are also located on the webcast Home Page
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DATE
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EVENT
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New York/Ontario Time
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Las Vegas Time
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Tuesday
10/18
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Opening Session & State of the Organization
At 5:15pm President Paula Davis will be giving an important address regarding diversity and inclusion within our organization. This will include a presentation to one of Region 16's own: Valerie Clowes of Ontario Heartland Chorus. Don't miss this historic occasion for Sweet Adelines International
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8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Harmony Classic
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Stage times:
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9:00 PM - 1:30 AM (10/19)
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6:00 PM - 10:30 PM
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Wednesday 10/19
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Quartet Semifinals
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Stage times:
#13 (12:55 PM Vegas time / 3:55 PM Eastern)
#36 (6:31 PM Vegas time / 9:31 PM Eastern)
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1:00 PM - 1:30 AM (10/20)
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10:00 AM - 10:30 PM
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Thursday 10/20
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Chorus Semifinals
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Order-of-appearance/stage times:
#28 (6:13 PM Vegas time / 9:13 PM Eastern)
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1:00 PM - 12:00 AM (10/21)
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10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
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Friday
10/21
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Quartet Finals
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Stage times:
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2:45 PM - 8:00 PM
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11:45 AM - 5:00 PM
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Coronet Club Show
($20 webcast)
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10:30 PM (Pre-Show)
11:00 PM - 1:30 AM (10/22)
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7:30 PM (Pre-Show)
8:00 PM - 10:30 PM
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Saturday
10/22
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Chorus Finals
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Stage times:
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2:45 PM - 9:00 PM
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11:45 - 6:00 PM
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Buffalo Gateway Chorus is Proud to Share
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One of the most important characteristics of a viable chorus is the ability to recruit and retain new members. At the 2015 Music School, this subject came up frequently at the Membership Round Table Discussions, led by Andrea Thorne-Percy. It has proven to be a challenge for both large and small choruses. As Membership Chair of Buffalo Gateway Chorus, I am proud to share some efforts that have worked for us.
Buffalo Gateway attracts the majority of new members from the Buffalo N.Y area. However, our members also come from Ontario, Pennsylvania, Rochester, and areas in between. Buffalo is friendly to the arts and has many opportunities to sing and/or perform in various venues. The challenge for women's barbershop is attracting the right women who have a love for our music and have the resources of time and money to support membership in our busy chorus. The reality is that about one in twenty visitors actually completes the membership process.
First, we do not have membership drives, nor do we advertise in newspapers or on radio. Our rehearsals are open to visitors all year long. Our Membership Team is organized and ready to greet new guests every week, and it is rare to have a night when an interested woman does not come through the door.
So, how do they find us? Social media has been our "best friend." Events, sing outs, special rehearsal moments are shared on Facebook. Most find us online, and our Website is updated frequently. "Meetup" has proven to be another effective recruitment tool. It is a way to locate people who share a common interest in your area. Once they "find us," they review an encouraging and informative description of our chorus, and receive an invitation to attend any rehearsal. There is opportunity to have dialogue via phone or email with a designated chorus member, prior to their visit.
Another, sometimes underestimated, recruitment tool is the testimony of our own chorus members. Who else can better describe the joy that singing brings to our lives?
No one who expresses an interest in singing is off limits. Chorus members carry business cards and have been known to pass them on to co-workers, friends, family, waitresses, church choir members, their nurses, hairdressers, gym friends, show attendees, quartet and chorus sing out audience members.
Of course, the first step is getting someone interested enough to visit our educational, fun-filled, and fast paced
rehearsals. But, just as important, is the friendly and structured process beginning at the first handshake. I believe the key is an organized Membership Team that is consistent and efficient on day one.
Every woman on the team has specific and defined job descriptions. An organized approach is impressive to most, and alleviates some of the confusion as they enter the larger group. From the Greeter Table to Chorus Welcome, our 6-8 week process is well defined, and
information about membership in Buffalo Gateway is shared after rehearsals. And, once they are welcomed, our new members become a part of our 'Rookie Program."
This program is an important retention tool, as it gives them administrative and music support and guidance during their first year. It provides encouragement and friendship as well, to help make this new experience a positive one as they journey with us.
I still remember the first night I walked into a Buffalo Gateway rehearsal. I was, and am still impressed by this talented, highly proficient group of women who form a sisterhood like no other. I am confident that YOU also feel the same way about YOUR chorus! Oh the beauty of this genre!
And whether your chorus membership is made up of 20 or 120 women, we all must bring others to the fold. As we lose members to illness, family obligations, relocation, etc., a healthy chorus finds other talented women, just like us, who fall in love with singing women's barbershop. We are Sweet Adelines, we are proud, and we are hungry to share this joy in our lives!
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It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks since returning to chorus and our Membership and Marketing Coordinators and their teams have been busy planning Canadian Showtime Chorus' September 6, 2016 New Member Night. They followed up with previous visitors; they engaged in a social media blitz; they designed catchy and inviting posters and bookmarks; they encouraged members to spread the word and bring in a friend or acquaintance or two to join our ranks!
Wow! Did these efforts ever generate interest! We had more than 30 prospective new members show up. Existing members greeted and mingled with the curious and found that all of the methods above were highly effective. Yay Team!!
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| Sandie Nason voice places a prospective member |
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What does a new
member night look like at Canadian Showtime Chorus?? Well, the prospective member walks through the door - she signs in - she is enthusiastically greeted and given a name tag. She then takes a seat outside Studio One to wait her turn to be voice placed by Sandie, our Master Director 700. Once done, she takes one of the guest chairs in the main rehearsal studio and visits some more!
At 7:15 sharp while voice placing continues, those through the process are invited on to the risers for a rousing and shake-off the day kind of physical warm-up followed by a vocal warm-up. This is their first attempt at vocalization exercises and they are usually taught a round! First attempt at getting them hooked! On to singing repertoire so our prospects return to their chairs!
We go through most everything we know and give it our all as, of course, we are out to impress! Second attempt at getting them hooked! When Sandie is finally done with voice placing, she returns, addresses the new class (what a beautiful sight they are) - talks about Sweet Adelines, the components of our barbershop singing, Canadian Showtime Chorus' trajectory to the International Stage in October 2017 and the plan to integrate them into chorus life should they choose to become members. They have met their New Class Mom and Coordinator Karen Frost and Sandie now introduces them to their New Class Director Nora McEwen who will work with them separately over the next several weeks to bring them up to speed on our contest
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Nora McEwen instructs the new class |
material - their audition pieces! Third attempt at getting them hooked!
At this point, the new class leaves and Canadian Showtime moves into rehearsal mode, dueting the new music; breaking the chorus down into pairs of rows and having that half sing for the other and vice versa! Amazing sounds coming from all formations - the core of what makes us a 700 master chorus! When the new class returns at the end of the night we perform our contest package and again give it our all! They applaud enthusiastically and we feel great about our fourth attempt at getting them hooked!!
We end the night with the inspirational "Hallelujah" and Sandie once again addresses the new class - tells them she hopes they will come back next week - hopes this is the right time in their lives to embrace this art form; this sisterhood; this journey - hopes that should it not be the right mix for them at this time that they will none the less find a place to wrap their hearts in music - that they will still sing! Fifth attempt at getting them hooked!!
I use the phrase attempt at getting them hooked somewhat in jest because it is something that just happens! No real effort required really!! If we do what we know, give it our all and remain all in; if we reach a person who is at that perfect time in their lives where they are ready to treat themselves with a life enriching hobby, they are in!! 20 years ago on my first new member night experience, I was hooked the minute I heard those chords ring! The meticulous and methodical way Canadian Showtime Chorus runs a new member drive certainly helped to keep me coming back but it was that sound and the hairs raised on the back of my neck that got me hooked!
20 years and counting! How I LOVE my hobby and my Canadian Showtime Chorus!!
JD Crowe
CSC Blogger
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Northumberland Chorus had a lot of fun at a pool party and potluck this summer at the home of Pat Maher.
Of course we not only ate and swam but sang.
We were happy to have one of our former chorus members, Dorothy Gill, join us.
Well, summer is over and we're back at work to start another year of learning new songs and improving on the ones we already know.
 We have had two open houses, Sept. 12 and 19, which attracted a few guests, including a visit from one of our charter members, Jennie Herniak. Our guests even joined us on the risers. We had some new ladies come, who seem eager to join us on a full-time basis and we welcome them with open arms.
We sang at Trinity United Church in Omemee on Sept. 23. This was due to a kind invitation from Liz Piotrowski, director of the Kawartha Music Company in Peterborough. Besides The Kawartha Music Company, we were also joined by Durham Shores chorus from Oshawa. Our own quartet, Winsome Times, also performed, as well as Tonal Recall Quartet from Durham Shores We were served refreshments by the ladies of the church and had a great time. It is so much fun to network and sing with our neighbouring choruses.
On September 27 we performed for a Ladies' Night Out in Cobourg. This was a fundraiser for Cornerstone Family Violence and Prevention Centre. It was a great opportunity for us to promote Northumberland Chorus as we demonstrated barbershop harmony, as well as having fun together as we support our community.
Starting in October we will be digging in and working on our Christmas repertoire for our 7th Annual Christmas Chorus starting on Oct. 17 and preparing for our Carols 'n' Candles Tea & Show on November 19. This is always an exciting time for us as we are joined by women from the community who want to try barbershop singing to see if it is a good fit for them. We are very happy to have them even if it is only for that short time.
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Orangeville Chorus News: a follow up to the Spring Report...more info from 'The Calendar Girls'!
In January of 2017, Orangeville Music Theatre will present their take on Tim Firth's "Calendar Girls" at the Opera House in Orangeville - the wonderful story of the ladies of Rylstone who took off their clothes and 'tastefully posed' to raise money for Leukemia research...and later made into a movie starring Helen Mirren.
OMT is supporting 'Music and Memory' - a non-profit organization that brings personalized music into the lives of the elderly or infirm through digital music technology, and vastly improves their quality of life. One of the Retirement/Nursing homes in the area is a certified Music and Memory Home and they have developed personalized music play lists on iPods for the residents. Profound effects have resulted with regards to sleep patterns, responsive behaviour; and many moments of joy and comfort have been provided.
Orangeville Chorus has been invited to be part of 'The Show' and will perform a 20 minute set at the beginning of each of 6 Shows in January...and will include their rendition of 'Calendar Girl' made famous by Neil Sedaka.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!!! To kick off this project OMT also commissioned a 'Calendar' reminiscent of that original one in England and later in the movie. And as reported in the Spring - On a cold rainy day in May, 15 brave members of Orangeville Chorus 'exposed their inner harmony' in a barn north of town surrounded by fall flowers and pumpkins, sporting boas and hats, and holding music, fruit and flowers! They had a blast and are now proudly 'Miss Octobers'!! Our founding Director Pat Vipond, not to be outdone...posed in 'garden gloves and a hat' surrounded by ferns in her garden and became 'Miss May'! A Charter member, no longer in the chorus, posed with her sewing machine and Orangeville's first ever Contest Costume in the background.
The sale of these Calendars ($20) will also support the Music & Memory programme. Joan Borden will have them at Music School if you just can't wait to see it and would love to support the project.
The September 'kick off' for the festivities came at a time when Orangeville Chorus needed some laughter back in their lives. As in August the chorus lost Gwenda Chapman a wonderful Baritone who had sung with the chorus for many years and died suddenly on August 15 at the age of 62. Just 4 days later Gery deRoux, a former Bass who kept close ties with the chorus after leaving the risers, died in hospital at the age of 91. Both are sadly missed. The Chorus sang at a Memorial Tree dedication sponsored by a local funeral home, where trees are planted in memory of all who have passed away in the previous year. Our Island Lake Conservation Area is a 'forest of memories' for the gals we lost and many many others. "We Rise Again" was one of the songs we sang...so fitting for the occasion.
Submitted by Anne Richardson.
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Photo shoot
We all gathered on a lovely, somewhat overcast, September Saturday morning to have a group picture taken by our very own Meaghan DeClerq. We weren't scared off by the drizzly weather, and managed to get the shots taken before flat or fuzzy hair ruled the day!
Membership drive
Our annual membership drive was held early in September. We had a great turn-out of more than a dozen ladies. More than half had decided to pursue membership, and most of the others hope to come back another time. Of those who have stayed, we are happy that two will join YWIH.
Christmas show
Welcome
We are pleased to announce that
Helen Flannery
joined our chorus this summer. Her lovely voice has been placed in the baritone section. Welcome Helen!!
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Sweet Adelines Region 16
Sue Heighway - Communications Coordinator
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