June, 2012

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Indians Ball Game

(remember, click on any Bulletin picture to enlarge it)

On June 2, we journeyed to Progressive Field in Cleveland to sing the National Anthem before the Indians-Twins game.  The pregame music around the ballpark made it a little difficult to do our usual impromptu concert.  Also, the band playing by the Bob Feller statue prevented our friends and families in section 303 from hearing our on-field singing.  To their credit, the Indians organization sent a nice apology letter regarding this last problem.  The Tribe lost the game, but the post-game fireworks were excellent.  Thanks to all chorus members who participated and for those who cheered us on from the stands.

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Spreading The Word About Barbershop

Chapter supports vocal music education

The Akron Chapter made a monetary contribution to the Cuyahoga Falls High School Choral Music Association (CMA) at the school on May 18. Choral Director Jesse Lange and his Choral Elite Ensemble hosted annual show director Mike Sitter, who presented Mr. Lange with a check for $200.

The Elite Ensemble had performed a choral set on the chapter’s 65^th annual show, How the West Was Sung, at the high school in March. Lange said the CMA would use the donation to purchase new sheet music for his singers.

“Including the Ensemble on our show begins a revival of our chapter’s Youth in Harmony program,” said Sitter, who recently agreed to coordinate the program.

A big Bulletin pat on the back to Mike Sitter for including the YIH program in his busy schedule.  There is more information about this program later in today's Bulletin.
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Birthdays

Bob McCullough-6/7

Robin Reid-6/7

Bill Weddington-6/11

Bill Halter-6/18

Don Frame-6/20

Chris Eitman-6/23

Charlie Horning-6/28

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Now It's Official

Though Lou Elliott has been with the chorus for a while, at a recent rehearsal, he received his framed membership certificate.  Congratulations, Lou.  It's great to have you singing with us.


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Rehearsal Visitors

Chorus member, Chris Eitman, was accompanied to a recent rehearsal by his wife, Sabra and his mother-in-law, Susan Bonnett.


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Chapter launches ambitious YIH program

The Akron Chapter’s mission statement says, in part, “We support vocal music education.” Our Youth in Harmony program is the primary vehicle for addressing this task.

New YIH chairman Mike Sitter began the revitalization of the program by including the Cuyahoga Falls High School Choral Elite Ensemble on our 2012 annual show.

“The next step in the process,” Mike said, “is to visit local area high schools and introduce choral students to the barbershop style.” Mike and his YIH team of Scott Giles, Jim Heaton and Tom Gentry began making school visits last month.

On May 21, they visited Akron’s North High School and addressed Richard Eder’s 9^th – 12^th grade choir. “We were very well received by approximately 30 girls and boys, several of whom speak English as a second language,” said Sitter.

Then, on May 24, the team traveled to Akron’s Kenmore High School, where they visited Barbara Bellamy’s select choir. “About 50 girls and boys responded tremendously,” Sitter noted, “and several students expressed a keen interest in attending Harmony Camp in August.”

The team plans to visit many more schools in the fall. “One of our short-term goals is to include a chorus consisting of quartets from various schools on our 2013 annual show,” Sitter said. “Eventually, we hope to feature high-performing individual quartets on our shows, host local high school quartet contests, and send quartets to district contests.”

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For The Good Of The Order
Vocal Spectrum

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Upcoming Events

Friday, June 22-Fairlawn Concert

Tuesday, July 3-National Anthem at Canal Park

Watch for details at rehearsals and in the High Notes.

May, 2012

Director of the Year

Our chorus knows that our director, Scott Giles, is a very special and hardworking musician, who devotes tremendous time and effort into making our group the best that it can be.  

Recently, the JAD recognized these same qualities in Scott when he was awarded the Bob Loose Golden Apple Award as the District's Best Director of 2011.

Congratulations to Scott on this well-deserved honor.

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Singing In The Sunshine State

As many of you may know, Oscar (Buzz) Fraley, a Chapter member and 54 year member of our Society, winters in Florida.  

As you will soon discover, Buzz was very much involved in barbershop during his latest time down south.

First, Buzz sings with the Hernando Harmonizers, a chorus that represents Hernando County, which is in the west-central section of the state.  Among the other chorus activities, they competed in the Sunshine District Chorus Competition, held in Punta Gorda this past April.  

He also sang with a quartet that starred as the School Board in a performance of "The Music Man" presented by The Stage West Community Playhouse, located in Spring Hill, FL.

(click on the image to enlarge it)

The Weeki Wachi Springs attraction, which is in Hernando County, was the scene of another quartet gig in which Buzz sang.  The quartet delivered a singing Valentine to one of the famous Weeki Wachi mermaids.  I, for one, am more than a little envious of that opportunity.  

It is great to know that one of our own has taken his talents south for the winter and contributed to the enjoyment of barbershop harmony down there as he does with us in Ohio.  Keep up the good work, Buzz, and congratulations on your accomplishments.

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2012 Annual Show-The Sequel

On May 5, The Derbytown Chorus performed the main parts of our March show at the beautiful Performing Arts Center in Medina, OH.  Chapter quartets, Gear Shiftin', Summit Chordsmen and Keyed Up also performed to a very appreciative audience.  Guest quartets What's Next and 4 Way Stop added their talents to top off the evening.  An afterglow at Jo Jo's in Medina allowed us to wind down a bit and of course do a little more singing.

Word is that this is an event that may be repeated next year, so watch for future announcements.

(Note:) My apologies to Gear Shiftin'.  I did not get a photo of them at Medina.

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Birthdays

Since there were no Bulletin issues in March or April, I will catch up with those birthdays first, then do the current ones.

March

Dennis Conrad-3/4

Vic Dandrea-3/4

Matt Sherer-3/4

Tom Andrjwski-4/13

Tom Duplaga-3/14

Scott Foltz-3/15

Vic Estafen-3/16

Jack Huggins-3/16

Terry Arman-3/17

April

David Breen-4/3

Bob Gest-4/3

Oscar Fraley-4/12

Scott Giles-4/12

Ray Stone-4/13

Bryan Waters-4/18

Allen Foltz-4/19

Keith Fuller-4/23

Guyles Clifford-4/29

Jim Heaton-4/30

May

Charlie Wilson-5/5

Dennis Siwik-5/14

Tom Gentry-5/23

Lou Elliott-5/27

Jim Murfin-5/31

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Upcoming Performances

June 2-National Anthem at Progressive Field

June 22-Fairlawn Concert

Check the High Notes for details and updates.

February, 2012

Hall Of Fame Induction

Next month, Akron Chapter member, world-renowned arranger, and fellow baritone, Tom Gentry, will be inducted in the Barbershop Hall of Fame in Germany. Congratulations, in advance, to Tom. Watch for more details on this story in the March Bulletin.







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February Birthdays

Wil Veith- 2/5
Bud Couts- 2/8
Mike Sitter- 2/10
Richard Mull- 2/14
V. Frank Pittman- 2/14
Bill Trumpold- 2/20
John Bracht- 2/21
John Rohal- 2/24
Spike Hudson- 2/26
Rich Gintert- 2/28

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2012 Show Songs

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Some Of What I've Been Up To Lately

Recently, in an email conversation with Mike Sitter, I talked a little bit about what I had been doing, musically, down here in SW Florida. He suggested putting some of that information in the Bulletin. So, here goes:

Each Tuesday, the choir here at our RV park practices from 2:00-4:00. It's an SATB choir, this is my third year and I sing tenor with this group. ( not too far removed from a barbershop bari part). Other than having fun, our main focus is to prepare some songs for the big park variety show in March. Last year we did medleys from The Music Man and Carousel. This year, it's a medley from The Sound of Music. Then the men are doing "There is Nothing Like A Dame" from South Pacific and the women are doing a very bluesy number called "Men". Our director was a high school vocal instructor for 35 years. He is great to work with, but pushes us enough to get good results.

On Wednesday, the jam sessions that I started in 2010 are held from 3:00-5:00. Musicians from the park come down and we just come up with songs and figure out how to play them. Basically it comes down to picking a key and having at least one person in the group who knows the lyrics. We do a couple of songs for the variety show also and provide accompaniment for some of the other performers. We have 8 regulars now (4 guitars, keyboard, harmonica, baritone ukelele and drums)

I haven't been singing any barbershop here. The baritone ukelele player in our jam band also sings bass in our choir and with the Naples BHS chapter, The Paradise Coastmen. Sue and I attend their show in March each year.

So, I'm keeping my voice in shape and working on the learning tracks for our show too. There is still lots of time to see the sights and relax in the warm weather that we have had this year. Looking forward to seeing all of you sometime in April.

Last Thursday, our jam band provided 2 hours of music for a happy hour (plus 1) at the tiki hut, next to the pool. Here is a sample of that performance. Since half of our musicians are French-Canadians, I found out that baby boomers from Quebec are familiar with Hank Williams Sr. too.