March 2006 2001 International Gold Medal Chorus XXIV NUMBER 2 Where Are All Your Members? By Max Kieba, President If you haven t heard it enough from our VP of Chapter majority is information either chorus can discuss openly. Development and others in the chorus this year, you ll Maybe it s at a different scale, but these are problems hear it from one of our most respected competitors. with which any chorus deals. The same happened last That s one of the first things that our guest, Bruce Beer year when I talked to Gary DePew from MOH to get ad- from the Vocal Majority, said Monday night. It s inter- vice going into my first year as VP of Marketing & PR. I esting what you talk about when you sit down with was amazed with the advice he was giving me, and we someone like that during your own chorus rehearsal. knew nothing of one another other than the choruses of First though, I d like to dispel some humorous rumors which we were a part. Realize these guys are true gentle- connected to comments I sometimes hear such as men of Barbershop, and their goal is first and foremost to they re sending spies or it s unethical to attend the help you improve. Sure, we know when to avoid airing rehearsal of your competitor. too much dirty laundry, but we re still rooting for one another even when we re facing each other on the stage. They re sending spies. Sure, they may be interested in how and what we re doing. But I say he s a pretty bad They still want to win of course, as do I. But like me, spy when he announces himself to me a week in advance they probably want to win by beating their competitor at to see if it s appropriate, then proceeds to wear a VM his best. I ve been in quartet contests where my quartet name badge that night. was fortunate to jump a few spots from semi-finals to finals because the member of another quartet was in poor It s unethical to attend the rehearsal of your competi- voice during the finals. I was happy for the improvement tor. Why? Maybe for a chorus that would love to do a in place, but not so happy with the way I earned it. When parody of their competitor s contest set, but I have a feel- I run 5Ks or marathons, I ll never let my buddy hear the ing the VM has better things to do with their time. I m end of it if I beat him, but only if he s at a level close to sure they would welcome me to their rehearsal next mine and he s at his best that day. If he s injured, we week if I showed up. Moreover, realize when you talk to don t put that one on the books. We just say, We ll members from the VM, Masters of Harmony, etc. they meet again next time. I also play volleyball. I d much often give you much more information with their opin- rather win a hard fought battle 25-23 than I would a game ions and advice 25-2 where the other team just didn t have it that day. than you can ever In this issue . give them. The same goes for Bruce and the VM I m sure. When I Editorial Comment...page 2 was talking to Bruce, his tone was almost as if he were Engagement...page 3 Bruce and I talked disappointed for us. Note I said for us, not disappointed Where (continued)..?...page 4 about A LOT Mon- with us. He was hoping to see more guys on the risers, to Great Thoughts .page 5 day night, some of see us performing at our best, to cheer us on from the sidelines. All I could tell him was we re working on it, Recruiting Tip #4...page 6 which will remain between us but a Page 2 Harmony Gazette March 2006 The New Tradition Chorus Editorial Comment Northbrook Chapter Illinois District Meets every Monday at 7:30 P.M. The time is fast approach- at the Christian Heritage Academy ing. We will be finishing 315 Waukegan Road, Northfield, Illinois MUSICAL DIRECTOR up our recording session Jay Giallombardo on the 11th of March, and President Max Kieba we, us, the chorus, in to- Executive Vice President Stan Sakalowski Don Meseth Board Member-at-Large George Moloney tal, everyone, needs you Editor Board Member-at-Large Max Karpiak Chapter Development Vice President Ralph Brooks there. More of this in the Chorus Manager Enrique Signoret article entitled "Great Thoughts" Immediate Past President John Trumbull Marketing & PR Vice Pres. Greg Lee Music Vice President J.D. Rich After the recording comes the polishing Operations Vice President Ken Rotter Fundraising Vice President Noah Miller time for our Spring Concert. Each time, I Secretary Mike Saeger hear comments about how great we Treasurer Bob Katin Music Team: sound, and we're always better than last J.D. Rich, VP-Music year. We have a responsibility to our au- Jay Giallombardo, Music Director Duane Fenn & Brian Milnikel, Assistant Directors diences, friends, groupies, or whatever Duane Fenn, Chapter Coach Bob Tempas, Tenor Section Ldr. you want to call those faithful faces in the Pat Brady & Noah Miller, Admin Tenor Section Ldr. Ralph Brooks, Lead Section Ldr. rows listening to us. We owe them. We Dennis Barto, Admin Lead Section Ldr. owe the advertisers. We owe the stage Dick Kingdon, Baritone Section Ldr. Ben Ahring, Admin. Baritone Section Ldr. and sound crew. We owe them our very Duane Fenn, Bass Section Leader Bob Haselsteiner & David Lee, Admin. Bass Section Ldrs. best in sound and presence. We owe the Ben Ahring, Music Librarian Greg Lee & Josh Leath, Learning Tape Prod. other guys in our section, and most impor- Barry Cain, Presentation Team Leader tantly, The HARMONY GAZETTE is published by and for the WE OWE OURSELVES. New Tradition Chorus, Northbrook, Illinois Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, an educational and non-profit society. Articles without by-lines are written by the editors. Contributions are appreciated and will be credited to the author. All submissions will be edited for clarity and for reasons of space. Editor: Don Meseth Assistant Editor: Jennifer Sievers The Gazette PO Box 2235 Bulletin of The New Tradition Chorus Northbrook, IL 60065 Editorial Goal [email protected] Phone: 630-462-3694 Photographers: Nancy & Tom Nicholson By means of professional reporting, articles, photos, Past Editors Richard Nelson and Michele Arnette were features, letters, and editorials, provide information Illinois Bulletin Editor of the year about the Chorus to our chapter, the Society and the 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001 community, which will assist our members in International BETY:Second place 2003, Third place 1999, 2000 - Fourth place 2001 achieving our goals and objectives. THE SOCIETY VISION STATEMENT The Society is to be a widely recognized ever-growing, singing Submissions for the next issue of the fraternity of men, drawn together by their love of the four-part a capella, close-harmony style of music known as barbershop whose Harmony Gazette are due by mission is to perpetuate that style by sharing it and their love for it with people of all ages throughout the world; and to be a leader in the April 7, 2006. cause of preserving and encouraging vocal music, in our education Please submit your systems and in our communities, as a lifelong recreational activity and an essential element in one s cultural well-being. pictures and articles! Page 3 Harmony Gazette March 2006 Engagement! Congratulations to Kristin Shrake and John Hansen, who recently got engaged. An August 12th wedding is planned in Chicago. BARBERSHOP HISTORY QUIZ author: Mark Axelrod, editor of "Blue Chip Chatter," Teaneck, NJ. 1- Name the youngest man ever to sing in a 1st place quartet, his age when he was crowned, his voice part, the name of his quartet, and the year in which they won. 2- Name the oldest man ever to sing in a 1st place quartet, his age when he was crowned, his voice part, the name of his quartet and the year in which they won. 3- The "Bartlesville Barflies", our first quartet champs from way back in 1939, came in 2nd place in 1940, which resulted in the "once a champ always a champ" rule. How did this quartet run an endplay around this rule? 4- What is the youngest quartet in terms of combined age ever to take 1st place in international-level competi- tion? In what year did this quartet win the gold? 5- Only one district ever sent back-to-back chorus champs to the internationals. Name the district, the choruses, and the years. Answers on page 7 Page 4 Harmony Gazette March 2006 Where are all your members? I hear we used to have an intense performance qualification (continued) in the past. Even in recent years we ve tried a stricter taping sidelines. All I could tell him was program, but admittedly it wasn t quite planned well enough we re working on it, we have some by its leaders, resulting in understandable frustration by its snow birds and other inactives that will members. While we re trying to get new members, could we be back, and we re working on other benefit from a more intense interview? Yes, it may be hard new members. Is that a true statement? to get in, but once you re in, you re well prepared for com- Can you give us your help and ideas for mitment and you re also agreeing to the musical vision set getting more men on the risers? forth by the current leaders and the champions before you.