The MVEer Monthly July 2019

IT'S THE BIGGEST BARBERSHOP PARTY OF THE YEAR! The MVE with be joining thousands of passionate Barbershoppers June 30 - July 7, 2019 at the LDS Conference Center in beautiful , for the 2019 International Convention. We are the second chorus to sing on Friday, July 5th. No matter whether you're running into past chapter members who now sing with other choruses during breakfast, or chatting with a Board member during lunch, or tagging with one of your quartet idols just before bedtime, be prepared to experience all this and so much more at our annual International convention!

We will be singing in the LDS Conference Center, the largest such structure which has no visible support columns in the world. The building contains an auditorium that seats 21,000 people and has a 7,708-pipe organ. Throughout the year, other events are held in the building, including famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

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As you may recall, when we sang The County Fair set in Salt Lake City in 2005, there were no curtains. We marched onto the stage through the aisles like we were coming to the fair in a parade. There are still “no curtains.”

Calendar for July –

Wednesday, June 26 is Extra Rehearsal for International St. Luke’s - 7pm (Please park your cars far from the church as there are Wednesday 7pm services.)

Monday, July 1 NO REHEARSAL – some are travelling

Wednesday, July 3 1st SLC Rehearsal – 4pm – Canyon Room, Hilton SLC Center, 255 South West Temple, SLC, Utah

Thursday, July 4 2nd SLC Rehearsal – 7am – Canyon Room, Hilton Center

Friday, July 5 3rd SLC Rehearsal – 7am - Canyon Room, Hilton Center dressed and ready to go as the Chorus Contest starts at 10am at the LDS Conference Center. Be Enchanting!

Saturday, July 6 Quartet Finals – LDS Conference Center 6:30pm, and Saturday Night Spectacular before at 5-6:15pm

Monday, July 15 No rehearsal, but there is a MVE Board Meeting, so join us if you like at St. Luke’s 7pm

Monday, July 29 First Rehearsal after SLC St. Luke’s at 7pm

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Interview with New Member Nick Beaudin

MVEer asks: Nick, we are so glad you are a member with us as a bass. We’d like to get to know more about your musical background. Nick replies: I grew up in a musical family. My dad was in a rock cover band. My sisters and I would go to see him, frequently at The Brat Stop in Kenosha. This led me to want to sing and perform. I was in choir in Cudahy High School, sang in most of their musicals, and went to lots of solo ensemble contests in High School. I sang barbershop in high school for a couple years as well. Even after High School I sang in various musicals. My favorite role was in the Greendale Community Theater 2004 production of The Little Shop of Horrors. I sang the part of Audrey II or Twoey, the singing Venue Fly-trap, but I sang it on a microphone backstage. When I came out at the end for the opening-night applause, the audience didn’t know who I was because they had no idea that voice came out of me! MVEer asks: Did you always live in Cudahy? Nick replies: No, we lived in several places in the Gurnee area and northern Chicago. We moved to Cudahy when I was in middle school. MVEer asks: Tell us more about your family, Nick. Nick replies: I have two younger sisters, Audrey and Leah, who like me both loved to sing and were in musicals and choir. They’ll come to our June 22 show.

MVEer asks: What did you Back row L-R: sister Audrey, mom study in college, Nick? Linda, sister Leah and her husband David; Front row L-R: wife Carlie, Nick, and crazy dog Baloo.

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Nick replies: I majored in accounting, not singing, and got my degree from MATC. MVEer asks: We know you were married for 10 years to Carlie Beaudin and of her tragic loss this year. But tell us a bit more about her please.1 Nick replies: Carlie was a nurse practitioner and spent her musical-life training in opera. She loved musicals, game nights, and our lovable-dog, Baloo. She knew of my barbershop interests, but wasn’t always fond of clashing chords found in some barbershop arrangements. But we loved the musical, The Last Five Years. And she was very impressed with the version sung by After Hours, of “The Last Ten Minutes.” So, I think she’s happy that I have an outlet for my musical talents here in the MVE. MVEer asks: Where do your work, Nick? Nick replies: I’m an Accounts Payable Lead at Apple Leisure Group, which is a travel company. MVEer asks: You live close to the chorus, don’t you? Nick replies: Yes, I’m about 3 minutes away in Greendale. If The Brass Tap is ever closed on a Monday night, I’ll host and my dog will sing along to all the tags. MVEer asks: Aside from your singing and musicals, what other hobbies do you have? Nick replies: I’m an avid board and video gamer. I follow most sports and I run a couple of large Fantasy leagues. And if I have some free time and the sun is shining, I like to get out a throw a round of disc golf. MVEer says: Nick, we all are so glad you are our brother here with us in the MVE.

1 For an earlier “Meet Nick Beaudin,” story last month go to pages 4 and 5 at: https://cpb-us- w2.wpmucdn.com/people.uwm.edu/dist/3/270/files/2019/05/MVE-June2019.pdf

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2019 INTERNATIONAL CHORUS CONTEST ORDER & PROGRAM

For the 74 Page BHS Program click: https://barbershop- org.s3.amazonaws.com/PDFs/International/2019-SLC-Program.pdf Chorus Session #1 Friday, July 5 at 10 a.m. at the LDS Conference Center Mic Tester Boise Chordsmen (EVG) Boise, ID 1. Southern Gateway Chorus (JAD) Western Hills (Cincinnati), OH Directed by Jeff Legters 2. Midwest Vocal Express (LOL) Greendale, WI Directed by Bryan Ziegler 3. Sound of the Rockies (RMD) Mile High, CO Directed by Mark Hale 4. Space City Sound (SWD) Houston Metro Area, TX Directed by Matt Swann 5. Sound of Illinois (ILL) Bloomington, IL Directed by Terry Ludwig and Tim Beutel 6. Pathfinder Chorus (CSD) Fremont, NE Directed by Andrew Barber 7. Palmetto Vocal Project (NSC) Mount Pleasant, SC Directed by Jay Giallombardo 8. Voices of California (FWD) California Delta Directed by Gabe Caretto (INTERMISSION) 9. Ambassadors of Harmony (CSD) St. Charles, MO Directed by Dr. Jim Henry and Jonny Moroni 10. Singing Buckeyes (JAD) Buckeye Columbus, OH Directed by Chad Wulf 11. Smorgaschorus (CSD) South Central Kansas Directed by Matt Webber 12. Music City Chorus (DIX) Nashville, TN Directed by Dusty Schleier 13. Harmonic Collective (SLD) Liverpool, NY Directed by Sky Harris 14. Zero8 (SNOBS) Stockholm, Sweden Directed by Rasmus Krigström The Chorus Contest Session #2 will begin at 4 p.m. 15. Voices of Gotham (MAD) Hell’s Kitchen, NY Directed by Larry Bomback 16. Heralds of Harmony (SUN) Tampa, FL Directed by Tony De Rosa 17. Central Standard (CSD) Metro Kansas City, MO Directed by Robert Mance 18. Men of Independence (JAD) Independence, OH Directed by Gary Lewis 19. Northern Lights (ONT) Toronto, ON Directed by Jordan Travis and Steven Armstrong

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20. Circle City Sound (CAR) Greater , IN Directed by Theo Hicks 21. The Marcsmen (SWD) San Marcos, TX Directed by Brent Dunavant (INTERMISSION) 22. Northwest Sound (EVG) Bellevue, WA Directed by Ken Potter 23. Westminster Chorus (FWD) Westminster, CA Directed by Justin Miller 24. New Tradition (ILL) Northbrook, IL Directed by Dan Wessler 25. Vocal Revolution (NED) Concord, MA Directed by Cay Outerbridge 26. Sound of Tennessee (DIX) Cleveland, TN Directed by Brandon Guyton and Chad Guyton 27. Saltaires (RMD) Wasatch Front, UT Directed by John Sasine

SWAN SONG PERFORMANCE Vocal Majority (SWD) 2018 BHS International Chorus Champion Directed by Greg Clancy & the song premiere of: “Hymn to Freedom” (Arr. Jim Clancy) Sponsored by Hal Leonard, Followed by the Results!

Harmony Podcasts – Join 2019 as a BHS podcast enthusiast

(NOTE: some language in this podcast is not suitable for work or child environments as comedians sometimes drop F-bombs; the barbershop segment begins at 54:04 automatically.)

Try out this fun podcast that is featured on the BHS site as a discussion of harmony: https://overcast.fm/+N2PE9_UH0/54:04

The podcast allegedly teaches us harmony in Danny Boy as if you were a bit drunk and sobbing. Using humor, the podcast attempts to get you to 70% correct. But don’t expect Paula Poundstone to transform magnificently into a world-class singer. You should expect to find commercials on episode 39 of the “Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone” podcast, from May 2019, as Paula and co-host Adam Felber sing with gusto as they acknowledge the fun of great barbershop singing.

Indeed the BHS has a series of interesting podcasts. If you are new to podcasts, this might be your chance to join 2019. For a bunch of ever expanding choices in barbershop podcasts, go to: https://www.barbershop.org/news/blog

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Easy Days and Makin’ Mischief

On June 17, Easy Days came to the MVE Monday night rehearsal to listen, chat with friends, and get their BHS renewal cards: This quartet (L-R) of Bill Kilbourne (50 year member); Frank Marzocco (53 year member); Bryan Ziegler; Dick Reige (24 year member), and Bo Gibson (68 year member) sing about 200 gigs a year and Easy Days brightens everyone’s lives. The total combined number is 195 years of entertaining experience!

In MVE’s 30th Anniversary Year, is great to have our original director, Frank Marzocco, and Bryan Ziegler, our current director (born on the day that our charter was granted) offering the well-loved barbershop squat together.

We had another great director, Josh Umhoefer, in a new mixed quartet called Makin’ Mischief, that night sing a few songs for us.

Makin’ Mischief will be singing on the June 22 show. From L-R, Josh Umhoefer, Derek Balke, Tim Zielke, and Sarah Balke. Watch out, they are up to some good-natured mischief indeed.

Easy Days is proud to represent the Barbershop Harmony Society and the Midwest Vocal Express Chorus while performing almost 200 gigs per year. Call 414/702-5446 to book Easy Days. Go to our website at www.easydays.info for more information about us, or to order a CD.

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Thank you to our Exceptionally Talented MVE Directors over the past 30 Years

1. Frank Marzocco, 1988-1992

2. Russ Foris, 1992-2004

3. Chris Peterson, 2004-2007

4. Grant Wilson, 2007-2011

5. Josh Umhoefer, 2011-2017

6. Brian Plehn, interim director 2017-2018

7. Bryan Zeigler, started in early 2018

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