February, 2010, #2

Singing Valentines Program Successful!

A huge round of applause goes out to all those who helped to plan and perform the 2010 Singing Valentines Program. Chapter quartets once again provided a wonderful way for the expression of love at this special time of year. Clear Choice made an appearance on the early morning WNIR radio show to promote the program, and chorus member Chris Eitman sang lead in a quartet and concluded this singing valentine with a proposal of marriage to his then girlfriend, now fiance. Congratulations Chris and Sabra.

There has already been much interest in barbershop generated by this weekend of singing, including interest in the annual show, and potential gigs for chapter quartets. Again, thanks to all who participated in any way and lets work to make this program continue and grow in the coming years.

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Baseball and Barbershop

Our Chapter has developed a great connection with baseball through our chorus and quartet performances for the Indians and the Aeros. Here is a another connection between our hobby and the Grand Old Game.

The music to "Take Me Out To The Ball Game," 1908, was written by Albert Von Tilzer, brother of Harry Von Tilzer, who gave us many barbershop songs. When Albert wrote the music, he had never seen a baseball game. (Source: PBS radio broadcast)

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What O. C. Cash Forgot To Tell Us
by Bill Gibbons, courtesy of PROBE

(Note: Some of the veteran chorus members may have seen these before, but the new guys have not. Anyway, they are still and will always remain relevant. (and hopefully entertaining)

• There is no such thing as being a little flat.

• The worst (insert your choice: tenor lead, bari or bass) always sings the loudest.

• 90 % of the members of any given barbershop chorus will consider themselves to be in the top 50 % of that chorus talent pool.

• The older you get, the better your voice used to be.

• There is too much apathy in most chapters ... but who cares.

• Chorus favorite; a bass, bari or tenor who would say, just once, that he wasn't brought down by the lead section.

• Chorus sadist; the guy who feels obligated to blow the pitchpipe at the end of the song.

• Stages in the life of a lucky barbershopper:

• Who's Joe Schner?

• Let's get Joe Schner in our quartet.

• Let's get a Joe Schner type in our quartet.

• Let's get a young Joe Schner in our quartet.

• Who's Joe Schner

• God has given man the seemingly infinite capacity to remember countless tags plus one of the chapter chorus contest songs.

• The three other guys in your quartet will always have the uncanny ability, without any apparent signals between them, to simultaneously go sharp.

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Birthdays

John Rohal 2/24

Spike Hudson 2/26

Richard Gintert 2/28

Dennis Conrad 3/4

Vic Dandrea 3/4

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Getting To Know Us

Check the "Featured Chorus " link at the top right hand corner of the Bulletin page to visit this issue's group of barbershoppers.

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Black History Month

The important influence of African-American singing groups on the development of barbershop has been well documented. This influence begins around the turn of the century and continues to this day. To honor that contribution, let's listen to The Mills Brothers sing one of their classic numbers.