INSIDE: Get ready for Tampa and Philly • Comfort in hard times through Voices • Singing for Life 2010
September/October 2009
Remember the Magic! Recap of the 2009 international convention
Crossroads 2009 International Quartet Champion INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION RECORDINGS ORDER YOUR 2009 CONVENTION CDS AND DVDS!
2009 International Chorus Competitors: DVD: $40 CD: $15 2009 International Quartet Competitors: DVD: $40 CD: $15 Buy any 2 items, SAVE $5 Buy any 4 items, SAVE $10
Order online at: Phone orders toll free: Fax orders to: www.harmonymarketplace.com 1-800-876-7464 615-313-7615 LM
“I Was There!”
Making history. Crossroads bass Jim Henry was presented the international quartet trophy on the same night he, as director of the Ambassadors of Harmony, accepted the newly won chorus WURSK\³DQKLVWRULFÀUVW7KHZLQQLQJVHWDOVRUHFHLYHGWKHKLJKHVW DYHUDJHVFRUHLQFKRUXVFRQWHVWKLVWRU\ -LPDQGDVVLVWDQW GLUHFWRU'DYLG:ULJKWVSHQWWKHEXONRIWKHLUPLFURSKRQHWLPHDW the trophy presentation honoring The Vocal Majority, who earned VLOYHUZLWKWKHVHFRQGKLJKHVWVFRUHLQKLVWRU\ DIWHUKDY- LQJGRPLQDWHGWKHFKRUXVVWDJHIRUPRUHWKDQ\HDUV Don’t cry for the VM.7KH\·YHQHYHUEHHQEHWWHU$V-LP DQG'DYLGUHPLQGHGXVWKH90UHPDLQVWKH\DUGVWLFNRIH[FHOOHQFH E\ZKLFKDOORWKHU6RFLHW\FKDSWHUVDQGFKRUXVHVDUHPHDVXUHG
By Lorin May Editor, The Harmonizer
Ambassadors of Harmony 2009 International Chorus Champion MP
Photos by: Miller Photography (MP) & Lorin May (LM) Competitor portraits: Miller Photography Background photos & page desig: Lorin May LM
“I WAS THERE!” 7KHAmbassadors of HarmonyUHSHDWHGWKLVSKUDVHDJDLQDQGDJDLQDV´6HYHQW\6L[7URPERQHVµFOLPD[EXLOWRQFOLPD[XQWLOÀQDOO\WKHODVW FKRUGUDQJRXW/LYLQJURRPVÀOOHGZLWK:HEFDVWSDUWLHUVVKDUHGWKLVPRPHQWRQELJVFUHHQVDQGWKH\·OOUHSOD\WKH'9'LQ\HDUVWRFRPH %XWQRERG\ZKROHDSHGXSIURPKLVVRIDH[SHULHQFHGDVOLYHURIWKHSDQGHPRQLXPWKDWHUXSWHGLQWKH+RQGD&HQWHUIROORZLQJWKHEHVW EDUEHUVKRSFKRUXVSHUIRUPDQFHLQKLVWRU\³MXELODWLRQWKDWFRQWLQXHGORQJLQWRWKHQLJKW,NQRZEHFDXVH, wasWKHUH 7KLUW\PLQXWHVDIWHUWKH$PEDVVDGRUVOHDUQHGWKH\KDGZRQ,VWLOOFRXOGQ·WSXVKWKURXJKWKHMXELODQWWKURQJWRVKDNH-LP+HQU\·VKDQG6WLOORQ DQDOO)ULGD\EX]]VOHHSZRXOGEHLPSRVVLEOHIRUKRXUV6R,IRXQGVRPHEUDQGQHZEDUEHUVKRSIULHQGV H[WUHPHO\HDV\WRÀQGDWDQLQWHUQDWLRQDO FRQYHQWLRQ WRWUDFNGRZQP\ÀUVW,Q12XWEXUJHU$WDP,KDGWRIRUFHP\VHOIWRVWRSWDJJLQJDQGOHDYHWKHVWLOOFURZGHGKRWHOOREE\ 1RXVHSUHWHQGLQJWKHUHDUHZRUGVIRUDQ\RIZKDWZHH[SHULHQFHGLQ$QDKHLP7KH+DUPRQ\)RXQGDWLRQ6KRZÀQDOHFRXOGQ·WKHOSEXW PDNH\RXZHDNLQWKHNQHHV³ZRUGVDQGSLFWXUHVQHYHUFRXOG1RERG\EHOLHYHVWKDWWKH:HEFDVWRUDFRQYHQWLRQ'9'LVDFORVHIDFVLPLOHWRD
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The Vagrants 2009 International Collegiate Champion
Crossroads 2009 International Quartet Champion Big party day kicking off the big party week
Before you arrived. 7KH ORFDO FRPPLWWHH ERDUG PHP- bers, judges, committee members and staff showed up far in DGYDQFHWRGRWKHYLWDOZRUNRIUXQQLQJWKHFRQYHQWLRQDQGWKH 6RFLHW\LWVHOI2XUJUDWLWXGHLVIDUJUHDWHUWKDQWKHVSDFHDOORWWHG DQGHYHQWKH\·GUDWKHUUHDGWKHIXQVWXII6RRQZLWKWKHVKRZ He snags two It’s Disney every year of The Four Hundreds of barbershoppers showed up for Barbershop Day Pitchhikers DW'LVQH\ODQGEXWZLWKDOOGXHUHVSHFWWRWKH0DJLF.LQJGRP GRADY KERR WKHIRONVKDQJLQJRXWDWWKHKHDGTXDUWHUVKRWHOPD\KDYHEHHQ
KDYLQJDVPXFKIXQ7XHVGD\VDUHSDUWIDPLO\UHXQLRQ³H[FHSW MP MP ZLWK´FRQYHQWLRQIULHQGVµDQGZLWKRXWWKHDZNZDUGIDPLO\EDJ- JDJH³DQGSDUWEDFNVWDJHSDVVZLWKWKHURFNVWDUV Who is honoring who? Fixtures of nostalgic Main Street U.S.A. since the beginning, The Dapper Dans of Disneyland are al- ways polished and always ready to sing Barberpole cats with barbershoppers. Many Society luminaries have sung with or coached the Dans, who have kept quality barbershop in the public eye better and longer than any other group. Honorary lifetime member- ship was the least we could do—we’ve always been honored to have them representing barbershop harmony to the world. 18 The HARMONIZER • September/October 2009 Quartet Quarterfinals ,PLJKWHYHQPLVVWKH bus lines in Philly— “Hey! Stop being polite!” VRPHKRZ , DOZD\V 7KHVHZHUHP\WKRXJKWVDW :HGQHVGD\PRUQLQJDIWHU end up standing and watching Crunch TimeWKHVHFRQGTXDUWHWRIWKHZHHNJHWSROL- riding with the most LWHDSSODXVH5HPHPEHUWKDWJURXSDW\RXUODVWGLVWULFWFRQYHQ- LQWHUHVWLQJSHRSOH WLRQWKDWUDQJWKHVQRWRXWRIHYHU\WKLQJDQGHDUQHGDOOWKHVWDQG- LQJ2V"7KH\GLGQ·WTXDOLI\IRU$QDKHLP%\DQ\VDQHVWDQGDUG MP &UXQFK7LPHKDGKLW´3XW LM the more you want, and LM instead of it all running to- Number of quartets Most original.1RERG\LQ$QD- gether, the music becomes 25 with an 80%-plus KHLP ORRNHG VRXQGHG RU PRYHG PRUHH[TXLVLWHDVWKHZHHN scoring average in quarter- OLNH‘Round Midnight, whose strong SURJUHVVHV +DUPRQ\ 1LU- finals (2004: 14) WKSODFH GHEXW UHPLQGHG XV RI YDQDZDVVHWWOLQJLQJURXS Songs Fraser Rush Street ZHOO QRERG\ )URP WKHLU VRQJ E\JURXS,WDOZD\VGRHV 13 8 Brown (Audacity, FKRLFHV WR WKHLU EORFNLQJ WR WKH far right) has performed on MP Ironic lack of irony. 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Musical Island Boys were a true UDULW\³IRXULQWHUQDWLRQDOQRYLFHVUHDFKLQJWKHÀQDOVLQWKHLUGHEXWMaster- pieceUHDFKHGWKHÀQDOVLQWKHLUGHEXWWRRDVGLGGlory DaysLQ·EXW YHWHUDQTXDUWHWWHUVKDYHWRZRUNDORWKDUGHUIRUWKHLURYDWLRQVDVHLWKHU JURXSFRXOGWHOO\RX )<,WRDXGLHQFHV *ORU\'D\VKDVMXVWRQHJROG LM PHGDOLVWDQGKH·VVLQJLQJDGLIIHUHQWSDUW7KH\GHVHUYHGEHWWHU 5HDFKLQJWKHVHPLÀQDOVLQDTXDUWHWGHEXWLVDELJGHDOWRR-RLQLQJ Comedic Masterpiece. Storm ’Round Midnight in the honor were McPhly and The Edge7KHIRUPHUDQLQ- Front’s “Lida Rose”—worth WHQWLRQDOO\TXLUN\SHUVRQDPDWFKHGZLWKDQLQFUHGLEO\EULJKWGLVWLQFWLYHVRXQG the price of the DVD alone. 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LW\DQGWKH90·VFRPSHWLWLYHUHSXWDWLRQDQ\RQHEHWWLQJWKH\·OO before the VWHSIROORZLQJWKHLUQHDUPLVVZLQLQ+RZHYHUWKDWUHFRU VXUHVHHPWRKDYHDORWRIFKDPSLRQVWKHVHGD\V LM h HARMONIZER The :HVDZWKLVNLQGRIDWWLWXGHVKLIWFLUFDIURPQRQHRWKH AY7KHUH·VRQO\URRPIRURQHJROGPHGDOLVWD\HDU7KDW·VWRREDG 7KH$PEDVVDGRUVDQG Great NorthernUnion Ambassadors ofHarmony Masters ofHarmony • The Vocal Majority September/October 2009 MXVWEHIRUHWKH\NLFNHGLWXSWKHÀQDOQRWFKWRFDSWXUH Yes, Yes, Chorus Contest,sessions1&2 Westminster Chorus Great NorthernUnion DUHXQGHIHDWHGVLQFH VKDWWHUHGLWZLWKD %DVHGRQGLUHFWRU-LP&ODQF\·VSHUV GLGQRWORVHLQ$QDKHLP³WKH\ZHUHRXWVFRUHG7KHLUÀUVWVLOYHU KDYHDOOHDUQHGVLOYHURYHUWKH and Sound oftheRockies 'DOH·V´6ZHHW*HRUJLD%URZQµ7KH\EULHÁ\ UHVWWKHVSHFXODWLRQWK IURPERWKWKHLUVFRUHVDQGWKHHQGOHVVRYD RXWGRWKHPVH WKHLQWHUQDWLRQDO JDQGVXSHUE GODVWHGRQO\ KRXUVDQGPLQXWHV The Vocal Ma- EHFDXVHZH UWKDQWKH WKH\ OYHVDJDLQLQ3KLOO\" LM KDYH DWWKH90KDGORVWD Sound oftheRockies RQDO rest ofit—inthemedals. cade wheretheyspentthe Lights finishedoutthede- competition, TheNorthern After abriefbreakfrom Familiar territory. primary reason the top10.Seebelowstatfor improved whilemovingoutof Kentucky Vocal Unionlikewise have wonamedalin2008. with an87.9scorethatwould Six Trombones” for Ambassadors“Seventy- guys: zero8andVocal FX thesame in thetop10.It’s zero8, Vocal FX Union, TheNorthernLights, cal Majority, GreatNorthern in thetop102009:TheVo- 3 2 5 12 - - scores (out of 5 judges) scores (outof5judges) Perfect 100Presentation 10 ORaffiliatechoruses Youth chorusesinthetop pete in2008andfinished Choruses thatdidn’t com- Vocal projectin2009, Placement forAtlanta MP MP College Quartet Contest LM LM Prestige Go Fish LM The Vagrants have the whole package, anchored by dynamic lead Jonny 4-Way Stop Tillery (second from left), who owns the distinction of being the first and only man ever invited to substitute for OC Times lead Sean Devine in a show set LM LM MP Varsity Swedish Match came within two points On Demand looked like they were going of winning it all. Ringmasters tenor to win until things heated up toward the Jakob Stenberg is a phenomenal lead end of the contest. A very strong third MP Early morning high Number of 2009 collegiate MP 7KDQNJRRGQHVVWKHTXDUWHWFRQWHVWLVPRYLQJWR 12 quartets posting scores 7XHVGD\QLJKWLQ3KLOO\³LWZDVDPLQ$QDKHLP above 76 points, the threshold for %XWIRUPRVWTXDUWHWV\RX·GQHYHUKDYHNQRZQWKH international competition (number early hour, nor listening to the audience, at least in 2004: 1). Four 2009 quartets WKRVHPHPEHUVFKHHULQJRQDKRPHWRZQDIÀOLDWH scored more than 80 points TXDUWHW $Q DGYDQWDJH" 7KH FRQWHVW VWDUWHG DW Quartets named after high- SP6WRFNKROPWLPHEXWLWZDVDOVRDPLQ 2 powered blender clips on 1HZ=HDODQGVRZKRNQRZV" YouTube (Blend Tec, Will it Blend) $IWHUJRLQJWREHGVRODWHWKHQLJKWEHIRUH,ZDVQ·W ORRNLQJIRUZDUGWRWKHHDUO\ZDNHXSFDOO0RVWO\EH- Last year the inter- Hilarious. Spotty cellular cover- FDXVH,ZDVVWXSLG(YHQWKHERWWRPKDOIWKDWGLGQ·W 2005 national quartet age was killing Blend Tec’s love life. post scores high enough for the international contest champion didn’t feature at least A segment where the sound kept cut- was still entertaining, and the other guys made me one past collegiate medalist ting in and out was comedic genius. UHFRQVLGHUP\EHOLHIWKDWWKHTXDUWHWVHPLÀQDOVLVWKH Collegiate medals owned EHVWURXQGRIFRPSHWLWLRQDWWKHLQWHUQDWLRQDOFRQWHVW 6 by Paul Saca of On Demand $IWHU WKH ÀIWK RU VL[WK WLPH (above, second from left). Number Max Q KHOSHG FRYHU WHOOLQJ P\VHOI ´7KHUH·V RXU of years he’s competed: 6 ´6LQJZLWKWKH&KDPSVµ QHZFKDPSLRQµ,MXVWJDYH Collegiate medalists quartets in the morning while XSDQGJDYHLQ featuring members of 2008 OC Times sat all but ,·OOKDQGWKHNH\VWRWKH 2 collegiate champ Ringmasters— their own time slot in the future of barbershop to living up to the “encouragement” front row watching col- WKHVH\RXQJJX\VDQ\GD\ aspects of chapter life. All three lege group after group 0LJKWDVZHOO³WKH\SUDFWL- past champs switched voice parts MP LPLWDWH2&7LPHV FDOO\RZQWKHSUHVHQW 40 The HARMONIZER • September/October 2009 Quartet Finals MP Northwest Vocal Project Honoring the Dapper Dans of Disney, past and present LM Who needs drama? Storm FrontH[SUHVVHGZKDWHYHU\RQHZDVWKLQNLQJLQDÀQDOVELWZKHUHWKH\·G VSHQWWRRPDQ\KRXUVUHKHDUVLQJWRVWD\DZDNHRQVWDJH$ZDNHDQGH[DV- SHUDWHGOHDG-LP&ODUNGLVFRYHUHGKLVQHZO\QDUFROHSWLFTXDUWHWPDWHVZHUH VRPHWLPHVUHVSRQVLYHRQDQXQFRQVFLRXVOHYHODQGWULHGWRUDOO\WKHWKUHHLI QRWZDNHWKHP ´*LYHPHDQ¶V·µ ´6µWKH\VDQJEDFNEHWZHHQVQRUHV7KLVUHSHDWHGWKURXJKDOOWKHOHWWHUV XQWLOWKH\·GVSHOOHGWKHTXDUWHWQDPH ´$QGZKDWGRHVWKDWVSHOO"µ-LPVDQJ ´6WRUP)URQWµKLVVWLOOVOHHSLQJTXDUWHWPDWHVVDQJEDFN ´$QGZKR·VJRLQJWRZLQ"µKHEHDPHG ´&URVVURDGVµWKH\VQRUHGEDFN LM CrossroadsRZQHGWKHVWDJH(YHQWKHIXQQ\ORRNLQJ«XP«ZKDW RIDUWDQGVKRZPDQVKLSSRVVLEOHLQDEDUEHUVKRSFKRUXV ZDVWKDWKDQJLQJDERYHWKHVWDJH"³JHRPHWULFWKLQJ\³ORRNHG $V WKH ÀQDOV GUHZ WR D FORVH ZH VDZ KLVWRU\ RQFH DJDLQ NLQGRIOLNHWKH&URVVURDGVORJR:H·YHKDGDORWRIFRQWHVWVLQUH- 7KHÀUVWTXDUWHWZLWKIRXUSDVWJROGPHGDOLVWVWKHDPD]LQJ1HZ FHQW\HDUVLQZKLFKQRERG\FRXOGUHDOO\FDOOLWIURPWKHVHDWV,WZDV =HDODQGEDVHGÀQDOLVWVMusical Island BoysDVWKH\ZRQWKHÀUVW QLFHWRKDYHDEUHDNIURPDUJXLQJDERXWJROGVRZHFRXOGDUJXH ´'HDOHU·V&KRLFH$ZDUGµ³WKHLQWHUQDWLRQDOHTXLYDOHQWRIWKHQRY- DOOWKHPRUHDERXWVHFRQGWKURXJKÀIWK,QDQ\FDVHZHNQHZWKHUH LFHTXDUWHWWURSK\:HZDWFKHGDVHFRQG\RXQJDIÀOLDWHTXDU- ZRXOGEHDJUHDWVKRZLQWKHPLGGOH tet, Ringmasters PDNH KLVWRU\ DV WKH ÀUVW RIIVKRUH LQWHUQDWLRQDO :H KRQRUHG WKH Dapper Dans of Disneyland ZDWFKHG PHGDOLVW³PRVWO\ZKLOHVLQJLQJWUDGLWLRQDOEDUEHUVKRSVWDQGDUGV LM Mission accomplished. Going into the contest, Stateline *URFHU\ZRUNHG H[WUDKDUGRQFUHDW- LQJYLVXDOH[FLWHPHQW to match their stellar YRFDOV(YHU\WKLQJ was great from our side of the footlights, as they remained in the medals despite their toughest compe- WLWLRQ\HW 46 The HARMONIZER • September/October 2009 Crossroads’ 93.7 scoring average, the highest of any quartet champ since PLATINUM (2000) Number of finals 8 quartets featuring past collegiate competi- tors (all but Old School LM LM and Glory Days) MIB vs. MIB. Men in Black and Musical Island BoysFKRVHWKHVDPHLQLWLDOV$OVRWKH\·UHERWK\RXQJWKH\ number of intact ZRQFROOHJLDWHJROGLQDQGUHVSHFWLYHO\ERWKVLQJDZHVRPH$Q\GLIIHUHQFHV"-XVW PLOHV 3 collegiate champions RQDQDLUSODQHKRXUVRQDFORFN1RUWKHDVWHUQ'LVWULFWYV1RUWK,VODQG1HZ=HDODQGGUDPDFOXEYV in the quartet finals. SHSFOXESRZHUHGÀQHVVHYVÀQHVVHGSRZHUGD\YVQLJKWQLQWKSODFHYVWHQWK-XVWGRQ·WPL[WKHPXS Ringmasters (2008), Mu- sical Island Boys (2006) and Men in Black (2005) Figuratively and literally, it was all made their first finals as if Crossroads loomed over appearance this year the quartet stage all week long CROSSROADS LOGO OBSERVATION: GRADY KERR CROSSROADS BACKGROUND PHOTO: LORIN MAY Auspicious image. Old School and Ringmasters ZHDULQJ VLOYHU DQG EURQ]H RQ 6DWXUGD\ QLJKW %RWK PDGH LPPHQVH LPSURYHPHQWV EHWZHHQ DQG ,I WKH\ LPSURYHOLNHWKDWDJDLQDQ\GRXEW ZH·OO VHH ERWK VLQJLQJ ´.HHS WKH :KROH:RUOG6LQJLQJµRQVWDJHRQ 6DWXUGD\ QLJKW LQ 3KLOO\" :LOO WKHUH be a different color of medal around WKHLUQHFNV" MP September/October 2009 • The HARMONIZER 47