The Orange Spiel Page 1 April 2019
Volume 39 Issue 4 April 2019 We meet at 7:00 most Thursdays at Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran, 7860 Southside Blvd, Jacksonville, FL Guests always welcome Call 355-SING No Experience Necessary
WHAT'S INSIDE SPRING CONTESTS
Title Page A GREAT SUCCESS Spring Contests A Great Success 1 Editorial 2 e did well at two competitions last month. One Squirrel At A Time / Wall Of Sound 3 We would have liked a higher score, but it Why Did Bernstein Build West Side 4 5 was where we were for our new contest Performance Elements 6 W package. At Sunshine District in Orlando, Proper Prep: Practice ≠ Rehearsal 7 8 with our PVP brothers, we (as Big Orange) sang away Magic Choral Trick #377 9 our chorus championship trophy and also sang for Chapter Quartets 9 score only (not being eligible to compete again this Free Your Voice 10 year). We received an overall score of 79.0. Free Singing Tips 10 How To Keep Your Cool Backstage 11 13 The following weekend we competed again with our Barbershop History Questions 61 13 PVP brothers (as Palmetto Vocal Project) at the Caro 33 Most Effective Singing Tips 13 linas District in Charlotte. We won the plateau AA as How Do I Do A Vocal Warmup In Public 14 well as the overall chorus championship (opting not to Quartet Corner 15 be eligible to be the representative to Los Angeles in Chapter Member Stats 15 2020, as we already are the representative to Salt Board Minute Summary 16 Lake City later this year). We received an overall Barbershop History Answers 61 16 score of 79.3. Upcoming Schedules 17 Birthdays / Guests / New Members 17 We expect to Directing Team / Other Leaders 18 score well into Chapter Officers / Music Team 19 the 80’s by this year’s In ternational Competition.
It’s not too late to come join with us in the effort. The Orange Spiel Page 2 April 2019
2019 Board of Directors Committees EDITORIAL President: Show Chairman: Terry Ezell Jason Dearing The 3 Ms of Barbershop are: Music, Membership, and Money. We are doing well at Music, relearn Immediate Past Pres: Webmaster: ing many basics and getting better at artistry. Brian Kerr Frank Nosalek Membership and Money, not so much. We need to bring more guests, be positive about what we Executive VP: Chorus Manager: do everywhere we go, and actually be there for Jason Dearing Jason Dearing rehearsals, shows, competitions, and special events. This must be our expectation and culture. VP Music & Performance: Uniform Manager: John Alexander Dave Walker Fund raisers only work if everyone is involved: paid performances, ticket sales, ad sales, Big O VP Membership: 2019 Music Team Bucks events, and so on. Daniel Proctor Music Director: What are YOU willing to do to keep us moving for VP Marketing & PR: Jay Giallombardo ward? It doesn’t just happen all by itself. Robert Reeves Associate Director: Secretary: George Gipp Mike Sobolewski Music VP: Treasurer: John Alexander Gregg Flowers Section Leaders: Finance Chairman: Brian Kerr Tenor Rick Morin Steve Mullens Lead Daniel Pesante Lead Music Director: George Gipp Bari
Jay Giallombardo Timothy Keatley Bari Daniel Proctor Bass Big O Bucks Alex Burney Bass
Coordinator: Presentation Team: Mike Sobolewski George Gipp Mike Sobolewski Bookkeeper: Bob Stump Rick Morin
The Orange Spiel is published monthly and is the official publication of the Jacksonville Big O Chapter of the Sunshine District of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the home of the Big Orange Chorus. The chapter and chorus meet most Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm at the Shepherd of the Woods, 7860 South side Blvd. For more information visit our website, http://www.bigorangechorus.com. Articles, pictures and address corrections may be sent to the editor.
John Alexander, Editor For more detailed, 2429 Southern Links Dr timely information Fleming Island FL 32003 see my weekly [email protected] publication: 904 278 3987 Orange Zest The Orange Spiel Page 3 April 2019
ONE SQUIRREL AT A TIME THE WALL OF SOUND by Brody McDonald by Brody McDonald from choirbites.com from choirbites.com
've been frustrated at the lack of focus/discipline problem I face in rehearsal is that of muddy my freshman beginning choir has, and know that ensemble sound. This is most commonly no their progress is stunted because of it. Today, Aticed in homophonic passages, where the Iwe discussed attention span and the fact that chords don't ring as clearly as I want. Poor they have so many devices these days that they are synchronization of word sounds is often the culprit. I hardly ever focused on just one thing. We joked that use this process (borrowed from barbershoppers) to when they try to focus, they see something shiny, clean up the vocal lines. It’s called THE WALL OF shout "Squirrel!" and get distracted. They agreed, SOUND, because it creates a strong, uninterrupted and we decided that we would experiment today, sound from the choir. Vowels are bricks and conso and that they could only focus on one squirrel at a nants the mortar. In a strong wall there must be much time! more brick than mortar; the mortar must completely connect the bricks. I asked them how long they thought they could fo cus for rehearsal without totally "losing it." They Step 1 Model in unison: Sing the passage on one agreed upon 12 minutes. I told them that if someone mid range note that is accessible to the choir (in oc could not stay focused in that 12 minutes that I taves for mixed choirs). Sing it as you wish to hear it. would gesture quietly for them to leave, so we could Have the choir then sing it back to you on that unison continue with the experiment. They wouldn't be in note. Listen carefully for the treatments of consonants trouble. They thought that was a good idea. So, we and vowels, including diphthong turns. Make sure the worked on one piece for that 12 minutes. I kept choir is following your timing in all ways, and that the things moving, we had fun, and not one person had pitch doesn't bend or scoop at all. Make them tunnel to leave. They felt accomplished. No one wanted to forward with a constant stream of sound. The goal is be the one that had to leave, but it wasn't a negative to become one voice. If needed, slow the tempo motivator. It was a challenge to try to make it to 12 down to hear the timing of word sounds, then gradu minutes with everyone still present. No one wants to ally speed up until you hit performance tempo. lose a teammate. Success! Step 2 Spread to a chord: After the word sounds are 12 minute time frames for rehearsal is nothing new, synchronized across the choir in unison, assign each and as directors we know that long rehearsal peri section a note in a chord in the key of that section. ods of the same music can be too much, even for Example: F Major basses/F, tenors/middle C, Altos/ older singers. The key here is that THEY decided F, sopranos/A. Sing the passage on this static chord, how long they wanted to focus, and made it a chal working synchronization as you did in the unison. The lenge for themselves. If I had been forced to remove goal is to create a constant, ringing sound where someone, it would have hopefully been a motivator vowels are matched, singable consonants ring with for that student to do better next time. Tomorrow, true pitch, and plosives click together. Again, vary the we will try it again, but each voice section has to try tempo as needed to make sure everyone is moving to "keep all their teammates in the game." If the ten together cleanly. If this is too ambitious, start with the ors lose someone, they lose the game. The funny cleanest section, then add others one at a time for thing is, they see it as a game right now, but in real quality control. ity it was just what rehearsal should ALWAYS be. I'm actually not doing anything different in rehearsal Step 3 Resume parts: Have sections sing their origi at all except manipulating the situation so that the nal notes but in the new style of the static chord. The choir starts to view being disciplined as a fun chal goal is to now hear THE WALL OF SOUND. Variation lenge rather than a chore. My hope is they will fig of tempo is valuable in this stage, to ensure every ure that out and be convinced they should always one’s word sounds are synchronized. "play the game" because it works! There are other considerations to maximize chords in Leigh Anderson is the director of choirs at Mt. THE WALL OF SOUND, but that's another bite. Vernon High School in Fortville, Indiana. Previously, she taught high school choir in Louisville, Kentucky. The Orange Spiel Page 4 April 2019
terval (between C and F sharp). It's an interval be WHY DID BERNSTEIN BUILD tween two notes separated by three whole tones. WEST SIDE STORY AROUND For an in depth explanation, have a look at our tri 'THE DEVIL'S INTERVAL'? tone analysis: by Sofia Rizzi What is a tritone and why was it nicknamed the from classicfm.com devil's interval?
eonard Bernstein's West Side Story is Why is it called the Devil's interval? based on and built around music's most
unsettling interval, the ‘Devil's Interval’. The interval is so dissonant that it acquired the nick Why would a composer do that? L name diabolus in musica – the devil in music.
Instinctively, the human ear looks for harmony in music, and this jarring interval does the exact oppo site of this. When used in music it frequently re solves itself by jumping to the nearby perfect fifth (one semi tone away) for a musical resolution.
It seems a bit odd that Leonard Bernstein decided to use this ugly interval as one of his main motifs in West Side Story. But this was no accident: he knew exactly what he was doing.
Where do we hear the Devil's interval in West Side Story?
Frankly, it's everywhere. Blink and you'll miss a tri tone. West Side Story is one of the world's most famous musicals. It's packed with great tunes and catchy It forms the basis of some of the music's most iconic rhythms, but there's an interval with a dark history motifs. The most identifiable use of the tritone in at its heart. West Side Story is in ‘Maria’. At 0.32 you'll hear the recognisable tritone jump: https://youtu.be/DyofWTw0bqY First things first: ‘The Jets’ gang also have their own motif that pops What is the Devil's Interval? up throughout the music. Unsurprisingly, the tritone takes centre stage. If you're a classical music buff, you'll know that ‘The Devil's Interval’ is a nickname for a musical Why does Bernstein use the tritone? interval called a tritone. He uses this interval as the central idea that ties the whole score together.
It's worth noting at this point that Bernstein did something very different with West Side Story – he revolutionised the art of writing a musical. He wrote it as if it were an opera, with character motifs, musi cal foreboding and a musical narrative running through the score.
The tritone forms the basis of romantic songs, con In a nutshell, a tritone is an augmented fourth in (Continued on page 5) The Orange Spiel Page 5 April 2019
WHY DID BERNSTEIN BUILD to brush away any unharmonic sound that comes (continued) with the tritone. The reality remains however, just like Tony's unfortunate end (spoiler), so the tritone is an (Continued from page 4) integral part of the melody. flict songs, and the themes that intertwine the score together. It's also famously used in the unre Even in the most optimistic and romantic of moments solved ending of the musical, where two alternat in the music, Bernstein keeps the tritone present as ing tritones play out against each other. an ominous reminder of darker things to come.
Conductor Marin Alsop described the tritone as: “An interval that requires a resolution, and without resolution it just hangs there and makes you un comfortable.”
In theory terms, it therefore serves two purposes: 1. It creates dissonance 2. When resolved, it creates one of the most satis fying harmonic resolutions. Unresolved tritones: Jets motif and finale This is Bernstein's tool to create a truly evocative score. https://youtu.be/wugWGhItaQA The Jets motif doesn't resolve its tritone jump, it sits unresolved and does exactly what a tritone is known Why does it work so well? to do, create dissonance. From its first appearance, these unresolved tritones create the jarring harmony Not only does Bernstein use this interval to tie the that mirrors the trouble to come in the plot. entire musical together, but the interval itself tells a story, and it adopts different meanings in different At the end of the musical, after Tony's death, two tri situations. tone intervals sit next to each other, again with no resolution. It defines the plot's incompleteness: an In different instances Bernstein will decide to ei unresolved interval, yearning to reach up to a musical ther resolve the tritone or leave it unresolved. resolution that it never quite gets. It's subtle, but Leaving the tritone unresolved hints at violence packs a big punch. and the danger around the corner, but resolving it hints at optimism and a different outcome for the Bernstein, you're the boss.
characters. For example:
Resolved tritones: Tony's tritone in ‘Maria’
In ‘Maria’, the music couldn't be further away from the discordant sound that the tritone normally cre ates. This is because the tritone is only there for a moment before it moves up a semi tone to create a perfect fifth interval.
Tony is filled with wonder having just met Maria, and his optimistic jump up from the tritone seems The Orange Spiel Page 6 April 2019
PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS by Jay Giallombardo part 3 of 4
MUSICALITY
Artistic Musical expression requires a command of singing skills. To be musical requires the ability to perform a consistent Artistic Vocal Line.
Artistic Vocal Line
Rules for the artistic vocal line requires the master of Syllable Connection Technique. Some Basic Rules include: • Initial sound can be consonant or vowel • The Initial Sound has a pitch concept in mind before singing • Entrance is executed with proper breath technique • The end of the syllable sound is ALWAYS a vowel • Connective material ∗ Ending consonant becomes initiating consonant of the next syllable ∗ Diphthong is proportioned in 3 ways: ♦ As %: 50 50, 75 25, 90 10 ♦ Equal, More Target, Mostly Target ∗ Reverse Diphthong: Y or W is mostly target (10 90%)
DELIVERY • Phrasing • Execution • Tempo ∗ Steady ∗ Accelerating ∗ Slowing • Rhythmic Style ∗ Back Beat (Swing on the beats 2 and 4 with Triplet feel) ∗ March (on the beats 1 and 3) ∗ Rubato (ballad style; free form) • Dynamics ∗ p, mp, mf, f, ff ∗ Crescendo ∗ Diminuendo • Inflection ∗ Legato (Smooth and connected) ∗ Stressed (Tenuto) ∗ Accented (more dramatic) ∗ Marcato (Stress on each beat) The Orange Spiel Page 7 April 2019
artistic performance level, and thus to some extent, PROPER PREP: PRACTICE ≠ everyone’s time and effort isn’t being used to the full REHEARSAL ≠ SOUND CHECK potential.
by Karl Winkler Even if we are not musicians, we’ve likely heard the from prosoundweb.com phrase “practice makes perfect,” but again, going back to college, one of my professors corrected this idea to omething that easily defines “X “practice makes permanent,” which is an important number of minutes or hours we concept to understand. In other words, we do what we can’t get back” are those times practice – or not. Even the lack of practice can be S when we end up waiting for come a habit, or, to quote Rush: “If you choose not to someone to fumble around with their decide, you’ve still made a choice.” gear, seemingly unaware of how to make it work properly. Another concept I’ve learned more recently is “amateurs practice until they get it right, and profes The example that comes to mind is photographers sionals practice until they can’t get it wrong.” To bring and videographers who don’t remember where this discussion a little closer to the pro audio industry, certain settings are in the menu or don’t know how sometimes there’s confusion between sound check to set the white balance. Frustrating, isn’t it? and rehearsal. Much of it is on bands or artists – they should know the difference and not No one wants to have their time abuse a sound check time slot by re wasted on something that could hearsing. have been prevented with proper preparation. But when the roles Likewise, we need to know the differ are reversed, what are we doing ence too, and approach sound check to make sure we’re not the ones from a technical point of view. No fumbling around? First, to me, is question, we should endeavor to use having clear in our own heads the available time as efficiently as pos the difference between practice, sible. sound check, and rehearsal. The one area that I sometimes wonder about this is Making The Choice when 30 minutes are spent working on a kick drum sound. First, not only is the kick drum generally not the As a classical musician, I’ve literally grown up un featured soloist, but it’s one of dozens or perhaps derstanding the importance of practice. But in col even hundreds of inputs that need attention during a lege when I started to play in bands, I ran across sound check. If it was so critical, couldn’t the micro musicians who didn’t seem to know the difference phone and EQ have been chosen and worked out in between practice and rehearsal. advance – say, at the rehearsal space?
In a professional orchestra, the musicians are fully The Way Forward capable of sight reading complex music right on the spot. However, most of them still prepare their This brings me back to practice. Let’s look at some own individual parts, usu ways that we can be more effi ally starting weeks in ad cient, competent, and client vance of the first re No one wants to have their time pleasing. hearsal. Why? Because wasted on something that could have rehearsal is not the place been prevented with proper preparation. First, we must know our gear in to learn the music. In side and out. Every menu, every stead, it’s where the con obscure patch and plugin, and ductor shapes the nuances. every way that the matrix can route signals from one place to another. If we’re in the systems business, we If the musicians were to show up without preparing must know the inrush, static and peak current de their parts, then the two or three rehearsals af mands, available amplifier power, gain structure, loud forded the typical pro orchestra just wouldn’t be speaker coverage specs, and time alignment parame enough to bring the incredibly complex music to (Continued on page 8) The Orange Spiel Page 8 April 2019
PROPER PREP every gig, drag out the toolkit, make sure that every (continued) thing is accounted for and that it all works. (You might also remember to finally get that Leatherman you (Continued from page 7) loaned to your buddy returned.) ters for the system. And this is just a start. A really useful tool before setting up any system is to Manufacturers often go to great lengths to docu draw a block diagram and then make a list of gear ment these things so that users have access to the that will be required to make it work. I can’t tell you information in a readable, logical form. It’s often baf how many times this was the phase where I discov fling to me, especially as a person working with a ered I was short a cable or two, or that the console manufacturer, how many users just post their ques didn’t have enough outputs. This is the time to make/ tions on Facebook and hope to crowdsource an an source adapters and otherwise figure out a way to get swer instead of pulling up the manual. the job done right.
Sure, it may result in a correct reply, but it’s a lazy Of course there will always be unforeseen problems way to do things and there’s also significant risk that that catch us off guard. But if we’re as prepared as many of those answering don’t know any more than possible, these kinds of issues shouldn’t stop us, but we do. There may even be those that are dead set instead merely have us scratching our heads for a on their wrong information being equal to the gospel minute before a solution can be found. Then come on high. performance time, everything should just “click” and we can actually have fun without the stress of won House mix engineers need to have a good grasp on dering if some half baked, last minute fix will bring how to build a mix for the given situation. Perhaps down the gig. this starts at home – one of the “old timer” methods was to listen to the record and take notes about the At least, that’s the theory. And you know what they mix: what effects are used? When do solos hap say: “In theory, theory and practice are the same. In pen? What’s the overall arrangements of instru practice, they aren’t.” ments for every song?
When I was studying audio, one of the instructors had us do this exercise at the beginning of every class. Sure, after hearing and mixing a given set hundreds of times, we can all probably memorize this stuff. But what about the first time? And I cau tion everyone about thinking we can memorize this stuff without writing it down. Remember, that takes practice!
What If?
Next is actually spending time on the gear itself out side of rehearsal and sound check.
About 20 years ago, when I was doing photography more seriously, this meant, the day before a shoot, taking everything out and looking it over, checking the batteries and bulbs, connecting everything, test ing everything, and getting extra film, more batter ies, a certain backdrop, another light stand, and so on. It also involved thinking through the process of what the shoot would entail, using the “what if” method – what if “x” happens, what if “y” happens, etc.
The same applies to pro audio sound gigs. Prior to The Orange Spiel Page 9 April 2019
MAGIC CHORAL TRICK #377 CHAPTER QUARTETS WORKING THOSE INTERCOSTALS by Janet Kidd from betterchoirs.wordpress.com
lthough this takes consistent Facts Only reminding and practice, the Apayoff is a much richer, fuller Brian Kerr, tenor and more blended sound. Mark Graham, lead Mark Roblez, bari While placing the hands over the bottom John Alexander, bass of your ribcage on either side, take in a long, slow, deep breath and feel the expansion. On Point
As you sing a note, press in slightly with the hands, Gavin Andrews, tenor and resist that pressure by holding the ribcage out – Daniel Pesante, lead using your intercostal muscles to press outward. It’s Timothy Keatley, bari not necessary to actually know anything about these Alex Burney, bass muscles. The only thought that’s required is that you’re resisting the pressure from your hands. Slice! Once you have a sense of this, drop the hands and just focus on leaving the ribs expanded outward, as Terry Ezell, tenor long as possible, as you sing. Eric Grimes, lead Jason Dearing, bari There’s also an additional bonus – and that is that Daniel Proctor, bass when you begin a note with the ribcage expanded it’s much easier to start a vowel without a glottal bump. No Name Yet
? tenor ? lead ? bari ? bass The Orange Spiel Page 10 April 2019
FREE YOUR VOICE FREE SINGING TIPS by John Newell, Lead, Realtime by Yvonne DeBandi from Let It Out ©2013 Used by permission from a2z-singing-tips.com
You must elevate your thinking to a M = Mirror. Training in front of a mirror can different level. help a singer discover many things about their instrument, as well as confirm that If you have been bumping against a other actions are being done correctly. Be glass ceiling, then trying a different sure to rely on a mirror during vocal training, but be coach, or a different approach and mindset, might able to leave the mirror to face an audience. just be better than remaining convinced that stick ing to your old ways will eventually work. Open FREE SINGING TIPS your mind to new ways of thinking. Clinging rigidly to core principles can sometimes hold you back. by Nicole LeGault from a2z-singing-tips.com Get out of your comfort zone. Take a leap of faith. There is nothing to be feared by occasionally do M is for Music. It is my opinion that a singer is ing things differently. Sometimes we fail. Some only as good as the song that he/she is sing times we make a breakthrough. It is how we learn ing. You must choose your material wisely; and grow. you would be surprised at how it alters peo
ple’s perception of your voice. Never be afraid to start over with the basics. For some, like me, it can involve creating fundamental habits anew. Success may not happen until that FREE SINGING TIPS occurs. Never close your mind and think you have by Mick Walsh mastered the basics. Like golfers, singers can de from a2z-singing-tips.com velop problems and often must return to the funda mentals to find solutions. Some golfers and sing M. Music theory. When I began in Musical ers alike have remodeled their fundamental skills Theater back in London, it was imperative for from scratch and changed their careers for the singers to be able to sight sing. Nowadays, better. even on the top West End shows, singers
learning new material are given CD’s with the songs Be open to what you can learn from other styles of already recorded . I think this is a little sad as it’s kill singing and music. After, good singing is good ing a skill which is A) not that hard to learn and B) a singing, regardless of the genre or style of music definite advantage when learning new songs. You being sung. Good singing is freely produced with don’t have to be a Mozart so don’t be afraid to learn out apparent effort, filled with honesty, and driven Music theory. It’s easier than you think. by passion. Good singing should involve a com fortably open throat, refreshing diaphragmatic breathing (as opposed to physically rigorous), and FREE SINGING TIPS as much relaxation of certain muscles as is practi by Teri Danz cal. from a2z-singing-tips.com
The amateur practices M = Mouth sounds Using mouth sounds until he gets it right. such as a creek or a cry, give your voice more resonance and presence. In your chest voice, knowing how to use mouth sounds properly is The professional practices critical especially in getting to record quality. Many until he cannot get it wrong. singers mistakenly put their sound in their nose. Prac tice putting the sound in your mouth by placing it all the way in your nose and then forcing the sound into The artist practices until ‘right’ and your mouth. FEEL the difference. Your body can as ‘wrong’ have been transcended. sist you with correct placement. The Orange Spiel Page 11 April 2019
effective way. But what should I have done instead? HOW TO KEEP YOUR COOL BACKSTAGE BEFORE AUDI How do the best athletes (or performers) keep their cool and manage their emotions during the inevitable TIONS AND PERFORMANCES wait before performances? by Dr Noa Kageyama Table tennis? from bulletproofmusician.com
ootball is a very physical sport A team of German researchers recruited 310 competi of course, but there is certainly tive table tennis players to find out not just what specific a mental aspect to the game emotion regulation strategies they relied on most often, F as well. Likely, you’ve seen but which ones were associated with the best perform ances as well (Kubiak, Rother, & Egloff, 2019). coaches use a strategy known as “icing the kicker.” This is where a coach will call a time out, right as the kicker is about to attempt a field But wait…what is emotion regulation, exactly? goal. In principle, the idea is to give them a chance to start overthinking things, and choke. Emotion regulation Kind of devious, and it makes sense – even though the data suggests that it probably doesn’t Emotion regulation is our ability to manage and re work as well as the team would hope. spond to the emotions we feel at any given moment. Whether it’s dealing with rush hour traffic with two pre I remember having a similar experience before teens bickering loudly in the back seat about who hit one particular competition. I can’t remember if it who first, or managing your fear and insecurities while was poor planning on my part, or if we were all sitting next to an intimidating stand partner in an or supposed to check in at the same time, but I was chestra you’re subbing in for the first time, life con at the hall with at least a couple hours to kill be stantly presents us with situations that induce an emo fore I was scheduled to play. tional response.
I tried to pace myself, so I sat around for a bit and Most of the time, we probably manage these emotions did a little visualization. I also did some scales, without really thinking about it, and get on with our day some stretching, and played through a few sec just fine. But when it comes to the day of a big perform tions. I felt like I was in a really good place, but ance, it may be more effective to approach emotion then I looked at the time, and – a little like the regulation a little more purposefully. warehouse scene in Spiderman Homecoming – was a little horrified to see how much time was So to learn how the most successful athletes handle left! pre competition emotions, the researchers selected 10 specific emotion regulation strategies, and gave all 310 And that’s when things started to go downhill. I athletes a questionnaire to find out how often the ath figured I’d take my coat off. But then I got cold. I letes used these techniques when they felt the pre put it back on, but that made me antsy. So I took match nerves kick in. it off again, but then my hands started to get cold. So I kept them in my armpits. But that made them The strategies included: sweaty and sticky. So I went to the bathroom to wash them and warm them up. But they got cold 1. Physical preparation – like scales, long tones, or again anyway. And then the butterflies kicked in. perhaps even some stretching or yoga like move And I started worrying about memory. So I ment exercises to get warmed up. checked the score, and played through the sec 2. Distraction – like visualizing best performances in tion – but my intonation was all sketchy. Which the past or thinking about what you’ll do after the made me start worrying about that…and on and performance. on it went, until it was finally my turn to play – at 3. Reappraisal – like reinterpreting the performance which point, frankly, I was a little exhausted and as a challenge or growth opportunity, as opposed mentally fried. to a threat. 4. Positive self talk – keeping the inner dialogue sup Obviously, I didn’t use my wait time in the most portive and positive. (Continued on page 12) The Orange Spiel Page 12 April 2019
HOW TO KEEP YOUR COOL BACKSTAGE association between their ranking and the use of (continued) four strategies in particular:
(Continued from page 11) 1. physical preparation 5. Planning – going through your performance plan, 2. positive self talk imagining how you’re going to start each piece, 3. planning how you’ll recover from little slip ups, etc. 4. impression management 6. Catastrophizing – worrying about memory slips, missing shifts, cracking notes, etc. (and yeah, not There was also a significant negative association all of these strategies are helpful ones) with catastrophizing. Meaning, the higher their rank 7. Self blame – blaming yourself for not practicing ing, the less catastrophizing they tended to do. more, how you shouldn’t have binge watched all 5 seasons of Chuck because you got sucked Strategies used by the most improved players down the Shazam rabbit hole, and so on. Basi cally all of the “should have’s” that pop into your The researchers also looked at what strategies were head after it’s too late to do anything about it. associated with the players whose rankings im 8. Rumination – dwelling on your sweaty hands, proved the most over the course of the season. your racing heart, the butterflies in your tummy, and how awful and uncomfortable that all feels. Like the best players, positive self talk was a signifi 9. Expressive suppression – trying to calm down or cant factor for these athletes too. Likewise, the not feel the nerves. most improved players did less catastrophizing, self 10. Impression management – trying to act more blaming, and rumination as well. confident than you feel, and change how you ap pear to others. Takeaways
So what strategies were used most often? It’s important to note that this study doesn’t neces sarily establish a cause and effect link between Most used strategies these emotion regulation strategies and perform ance. Because maybe winning tends to influence Well, for what it’s worth, impression management, the way you experience and manage emotions in positive self talk, expressive suppression, and reap subsequent matches, and not the other way around. praisal were the most frequently used strategies over Still, many of these strategies are often mentioned all. by athletes and top performers, and do come up regularly in the research, so they certainly seem But that’s across everyone. What about the highest worth experimenting with. performing athletes? Which strategies did they use? How, specifically? Player rankings 1. Well, if you haven’t done so already, consider To find this out, the researchers looked up each developing and practicing a short day of player’s performance from the past season – most performance warmup routine. Something that importantly, their official rankings prior to the start of you can use on a daily basis, but also works the season, and their ranking at the end of the sea really well to help you loosen up and get con son. These rankings were based on wins and losses nected with your instrument before perform of course, but they also factored in the ranking of ances or auditions too. their opponent. So winning a match against a higher 2. Working on your self talk is another helpful daily ranked player would increase one’s ranking more habit, where you practice keeping your inner than winning against a lower ranked player. dialogue optimistic, constructive, and positive under pressure. Not oblivious to imperfections And were there any trends? and things in need of work of course, just pro ductive. Strategies used by the best players 3. Script out a visualization routine. Something that involves your personal performance highlights. Yes. Among the players who were ranked highest at So when you find your brain gravitating towards the end of the season, there was a significant positive (Continued on page 13) The Orange Spiel Page 13 April 2019
HOW TO KEEP YOUR COOL BACKSTAGE 33 MOST EFFECTIVE (continued) SINGING TIPS (Continued from page 12) from how2improvesinging.com worst case scenarios, blaming yourself for not practicing more, or dwelling on how nervous you feel, you’ll have something more productive and #19 by Ben Harding performance enhancing to redirect your attention Feel Good, Sound Great to.
BARBERSHOP HISTORY
QUIZ 61 “This quick tip has literally changed the lives of my by Mark Axelrod students because of the rapid and obvious improve ment that comes out of it EVERY time. from probeweb.org If singing feels good, it sounds great. When we sing, The only father son combo in society history to sing we like to listen to ourselves. We think about how in first place international quartets consists of Harlan we sound, and how we can make that sound better. Wilson, baritone of our 1961 champs, the Suntones, And that’s actually a big problem because our ears and Todd Wilson, tenor of the 1990 champs, lie to us. Acoustix. There were, however, many other intra family champion duos. In each of the following five Have you ever listened to a recording of yourself questions you will be given the name of a barbershop singing or speaking? Sounded totally alien, right? champion. There are more than five of these top prize So why would we use those lying ears to assess our winners whom I could have selected, but I specifically vocal technique? chose the ones I did because I feel they have the greatest name recognition. With reference to each, Instead of worrying about how your voice sounds, your answer must be in two parts. Part A: Specify focus on how it feels. If your voice feels good how each person became a champion, i.e., as a (meaning that it is increasingly relaxed and comfort singer or director, the name of his quartet or chorus, able) it will sound good. So instead of asking your and the year in which he was in the winner's circle. self, “how do I sound?” ask these two questions: Part B: Identify each person's champion relative, the name of that relative's quartet or chorus and the year Question #1: How does it feel? in which each relative took the gold. Note carefully, dear students, while doing the heavy research to en How DOES it feel when you sing that exercise, able you to ace this quiz, that I did not specify the song, or high note? relative's gender. Question #2: How can I make it feel BETTER? 1 Gene Cokecroft What is one small thing you could tweak, relax, or 2 Brian Beck move to make that exercise, song or note easier to produce? 3 Buzz Haeger These two questions have made more positive 4 Gary Parker change in my personal development than any other single question, tip, or exercise.” 5 Jim Clancy https://youtu.be/Up4MAcB6xKY answers on page 16 The Orange Spiel Page 14 April 2019
you are willing to join their community or volunteer HOW CAN I DO A VOCAL for them in exchange, even better! Suggest that as WARMUP IN PUBLIC a swap.
WITHOUT LOOKING CRAZY? There’s always a solution! by Arden Kaywin from backstage.com
Q: I’m having a lot of trouble finding a vocal warm up I’m comfortable doing in public before an audition. I feel like such a weirdo doing vocal warm ups on the crowded side walk or subway, but there’s really no other place to prep before an audition. — @ProfessorMcGonagall, Backstage Community Fo rum
Don’t wait to warm up right before your audition. As you point out, there’s never a good space where you can actually let go and warm up freely and com pletely, so you end up holding back, feeling self conscious, rushed, and frazzled, and then take all that into the audition with you.
Luckily, there’s a really easy solution: Whether it’s a singing or a speech warm up, I suggest doing a ro bust 30 to 60 minute warm up and practice earlier in the day, when you’re home or somewhere you’re comfortable. You’ll be able to relax, concentrate on your technique, and bring present moment mindful ness to your craft, which is just as essential in ready ing yourself for an audition as warming up your actual voice.
Doing a warm up this way—even if it’s several hours in advance of your audition—will help the voice main tain a level of “warmed up” so that with a few lip trills and sirens up and down the expanse of your range right before the audition, you will feel back to being completely warmed up, in good voice, and ready to go.
A word for those of you singers who don’t have a liv ing situation conducive to warming up or practicing at home: Take a look around your immediate neighbor hood for the closest church. Nearly every church has a choir room that sits empty most of the time. Ap proach the church administrator or pastor, be super friendly, say that you’re a neighbor and love the sense of community their church brings to the neighborhood. Explain that you’re a singer and ask if it would be OK for you to warm up or practice in their choir room from time to time if it’s not being used, since you’re not able to practice in your apartment. If The Orange Spiel Page 15 April 2019
CHAPTER MEMBER STATS
he following are our current membership statistics:
T type active lapsed Lifetime 50 Year 1 0 Lifetime Regular 0 0 Regular 31 4 Senior 50 Year 4 1 Senior Legacy 2 0 QUARTET CORNER Senior 15 0 Youth 1st year 2 0 No news from the chapter quartets. Youth 6 2
What is YOUR quartet doing? Don’t have one? Total Membership 61 7 Find three other guys and start one! Can’t find a match? Drop me a line and I’ll run a list of guys PAST DUE MEMBERS looking to quartet up here in the bulletin. It’s one of those really fun things that you don’t fully under stand until you’ve done it. he following members are listed separately on the BHS website as past due or within It’s never too early to be thinking about Singing Val two weeks of due. They will automatically entines. Quartets are always needed, officially T be removed from the society roll at 180 formed or pickup. It’s only a few easy songs. days overdue. Learning more than one voice part to these songs Gavin Andrews can help make you easier to fit into a quartet. Jason Boddie Ryan Henry Men who have indicated interest in forming quartets Bob Lau (entertain, compete, or both) include: Brian Moore Jeff Packer Don Hartsfield and Ken Moyer Robert Pucciariello Andrew Wohl ...and hopefully more who haven’t contacted me yet. COMING DUE MEMBERS
he following members are coming due in the next 60 days.
T Alex Burney Gregg Flowers Timothy Keatley Jan Stenback Ken Tureski The Orange Spiel Page 16 April 2019
BOARD MINUTE SUMMARY
The board did not meet in March. Board meetings will be scheduled as required. All members will be invited to attend. Here’s a simple way to financially support the Big Orange Chorus, at no cost to you! If you shop on amazon.com you can sign up for the amazonsmile program, and designate the Big O as your charity of choice. Then anytime you BARBERSHOP HISTORY make a purchase on amazon (smile), they make a donation to us! No cost to you, and a donation ANSWERS 61 to us: win win! by Mark Axelrod from probeweb.org To sign up, visit smile.amazon.com/ch/59 1981228 and sign in to your amazon account. Answers to this month's history/knowledge quiz: From then on, any amazon (smile) purchase you 1 Gene sang with our 1961 championship quartet, make will help the Big O. the Suntones. His wife, Iris, sang with the 1967 Sweet Adelines quartet champs, the Hurricane Hon Thanks in advance!! eys.
2 Brian was in the winner's circle with our 1973 quartet champs, the Dealer's Choice and once again with our 1983 champs, the Side Street Ramblers. His mother in law, (Bergen County's own) Renee Craig, Here’s a simple way to financially support the sang with the 1957 Sweet Adelines quartet champs, Big Orange Chorus, at no cost to you! If you the Cracker Jills; she also directed the Ramapo Val shop at any of the more than 400 merchants or ley Chorus to the Sweet Adelines top spot three like to purchase eGift Cards, FlipGive will give times between 1979 and 1990. us back from 1% to 20%, depending on the mer chant. 3 Buzz sang with our 1965 quartet champs, the Four Renegades. Phyllis Haeger, Buzz's sister, sang To sign up, visit https://www.flipgive.com/ with the 1955 Sweet Adelines quartet champs, the f/570688 and start shopping. Nota Belles. Thanks in advance!! 4 Gary sang with our 1973 quartet champs, the Dealer's Choice. His wife, Ruth Ann, sang with the 1967 Sweet Adelines championship foursome, the Hurricane Honeys.
5 Jim directed the Vocal Majority to the society's top position in chorus competition 11 times between 1975 and 2006. Jim's wife, Judy, sang with the 1987 Sweet Adelines quartet champions, Ginger 'N' Jazz. The Orange Spiel Page 17 April 2019
REHEARSAL SCHEDULE BIRTHDAYS
Thu 04 Apr Shepherd of the Woods Wyatt Ledford 09 Apr Thu 11 Apr Shepherd of the Woods Ken Mull 15 Apr Thu 18 Apr Shepherd of the Woods Paul Stiles 15 Apr Thu 25 Apr Shepherd of the Woods Dave Scott 17 Apr Jason Dearing 20 Apr Thu 02 May Shepherd of the Woods Steve Cragg 27 Apr Thu 09 May Shepherd of the Woods Howdy Russell 28 Apr Sat 11 May Mt Pleasant SC Thu 16 May Shepherd of the Woods Thu 23 May Shepherd of the Woods Thu 30 May Shepherd of the Woods RECENT GUESTS PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Bob Ice Charlie Young
Barry Flynn Pat Eimers Sun 02 Jun Annual Spring Show Juan Stegmann Grant Gladden Fri 05 Jul International Contest Ted Louckos Shamus McIver Thu 08 Aug Jumbo Shrimp Matt Watts Jake Stonecypher Sat 26 Oct Sunshine District Contest Josh Sanders Matt Setor Sat 14 Dec Christmas Show David Pesante Pat Glenn Dale Pratt Cary Quick John Kerr Bruce Allison Jeff Verhoot Juan Stegman Mike Pruitt William Watts { Big O Buck$ } James Matti Paul Williams James Langford Steve Woodbeck Joe Plumlee Keyton Rentz Erik Petroni Jerald Carter BIG O BUCKS SCHEDULE Steve Moody Winkie DeLoach Wyatt Ledford Robert Hall Sat 13 Apr Kenny Chesney Tom Frutchey Wayne Futon Wed 24 Apr Rolling Stones Rodney Herlong Dillon Tidwell Thu 25 Apr NFL Draft Party Tom Rooney Hunter Stanford Mon 06 May Bryan Adams Thu 09 May Greta Van Fleet Sun 12 May Bob Seger Sat 01 Jun Lionel Ritchie Fri 28 Jun Tideschi Trucks Band Sat 06 Jul Rob Thomas Tue 09 Jul Train and Goo Goo Dolls Fri 02 Aug Why Don’t We WELCOME Sun 04 Aug Dirty Heads Wed 07 Aug Moe & The Blues Traveller Fri 16 Aug Brad Paisley NEWEST MEMBERS Sun 18 Aug Bush & Live Sat 24 Aug Pentatonix David Scott Feb Wed 04 Sep Peter Frampton Seth Brewer Jan Thu 03 Oct Zac Brown Band Collin Clark Nov Cyrus Dillinger Aug ...more to come Wyatt Ledford Jun
See Mike Sobolewski to help fund your experience The Orange Spiel Page 18 April 2019
2019 DIRECTING TEAM
Jay Giallombardo George Gipp Chuck Griffith Front Line Associate Director Director Director Emeritus 2019 OTHER CHAPTER LEADERS
Dave Walker Jason Dearing John Alexander Uniform Chorus Bulletin Manager Manager Editor
Frank Nosalek Mike Sobolewski Rick Morin Webmaster Big O Bucks Big O Bucks Technology Coordinator Bookkeeper
EDITOR’S NOTE Print off two copies
Article and column submissions are solicited. of this newsletter Help make this a better bulletin. Send me stuff! The deadline for May is 26 April. to share - one with Items without a byline are from the Editor. your family and The Orange Spiel John Alexander, Editor one with someone 2429 Southern Links Dr Fleming Island FL 32003 you are bringing to a chapter meeting. Back issues are available online at: www.bigorangechorus.com/newsarchive.htm Let them know they More specific and timely performance information is in my weekly sheet, Orange Zest. belong here! The Orange Spiel Page 19 April 2019
2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Terry Jason Dearing John Mike Gregg Flowers Ezell Executive Alexander Sobolewski Chapter President VP VP Music Secretary Treasurer
Daniel Brian Kerr Robert Rick Morin Jay Proctor Immediate Reeves Finance Giallombardo VP Membership Past President VP Marketing/PR Chairman Director
2019 MUSIC TEAM
John Brian Kerr Steve Mullens Daniel Pesante George Cipp Tim Keatley Alexander Tenor Lead Lead Bari Bari VP Music Sec Ldr Sec Ldr Asst Sec Ldr Sec Ldr Asst Sec Ldr
Daniel Proctor Alex Burney Jay Giallombardo George Gipp Mike Sobolewski Daniel Proctor Bass Bass Front Line Associate Presentation Learning Materials Sec Ldr Asst Sec Ldr Director Director Coordinator Coordinator
Imagine 80 men on the risers Be a singer-bringer
John Alexander, Editor 2429 Southern Links Dr Orange Park FL 32003
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