Harmony Rag 2011 Winter Edition

Region 31 Quartet of Nations, Sweet Adelines International

Winter 2011/2012 | Issue 4

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY AND WELCOME International Convention October 30 – November 3, 2012, Denver, CO November 5 – 9, 2013, Honolulu, HI

Finesse – 2011 Region 31

Regional Convention Dates May 11 – 13 2012, Birmingham May 10 – 12 2013, Newcastle

Champion Quartet

International Education Event AHA 2012 July 19 – 22, 2012, Chapman University, Orange, CA REGISTRATION OPEN NOW!

Region 31 Quartet of Nati

ons, Sweet Adelines Internati

onal

Summer 2011 | Issue 2

Regional Education Dates

Region 31 Quartet of Nations,

Sweet Adelines Internatio

nal

Autumn 2011 | Issue 3

Region 31 Quartet of Nations

, Sweet Adelines Interna tional

Winter 2011 | Issue 4

Regional Satellite Education, September 15 and 22, 2012 (Venues TBC) I n t e r n a t i o n a l

Education weekend with Coastline Show Chorus, July 26 – 28, 2013 (Venue TBC) Barbershop in Harmony Events July 7 Solving the Puzzle More information on page 8

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European Convention Dates March 14 – 17, 2013, Eindhoven, Amsterdam LABBS and BABS Dates http://www.labbs.org.uk/calendar/ http://www.singbarbershop.com/diary.htm

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LABBS Convention October 21 – 23, 2011, Harrogate

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BABS Convention May 25 – 27, 2012, Southport BABS Harmony College August 24 – 26, 2012, Venue TBC

Hi everyone, Happy New Year to you all - I hope 2012 is going to be brilliant in every way!

So it’s about now that the countdown to our Regional Convention begins! How exciting!

It’s going to be a great convention this year (maybe even the best yet!), and I am excited to announce that this year, we are giving our weekend a name, and a logo! This year the weekend is called Going for Gold. I thought it was particularly appropriate given that we are hosting the Olympics here in 2012! Check out the logo for the event - I hope you like it!

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In the meantime, as we start our preparations, please do send me your news and experiences for the next edition of the Harmony Rag, out late March. Email me at harmonyrag@ sweetadelines.org.uk.

@SAIRegion31

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WELCOME

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In harmony, Emma Duguid Region 31 Marketing Coordinator, Vocal Dimension Chorus

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM REGION 31, WINTER 2011/2012

Harmonic Progression

Our Very Own Anne Receives Her Award From Anne In Houston!

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Open Division This will be for competitors who don’t wish to qualify for International.

They will present a 10 minute entertainment package that includes 1 contest arrangement and level scores will be given rather than numeric.

Competing in the Open Division ammi McKinlay, our will meet the requirement that a International President kindly registered chorus must compete sent me the speech that she every 1 in 3 years but will not qualify gave before presenting Anne Cargill for International Awards. of Aberdeen Chorus with the Ann Gooch Award! Congratulations Anne!

seven minutes for regional contests and international semi-finals will be introduced.

At International in Denver 2012 a celebrity judge will be invited to judge the chorus finals and present a Celebrity Award – this award will have no effect on the final outcome of the contest.

There are also going to be major changes to competition for both choruses and quartets in the future.

From 2014 there will be 2 quartet and 2 chorus competitions held at Regional level – International Division and Open Division.

International Division This will be for competitors who wish to qualify for International.

They will compete with 2 contest arrangements and receive numeric scores. Choruses will be able to qualify for Harmony Classic and International based on winning scores as usual.

A Regional Choice Award will be given and will be based on votes from the audience.

Competitors in the International Division and Open Division will be drawn for appearance in the usual way. They won’t be announced by the division they’re appearing in but it will be listed in the programme.

In 2015, at International in Las Vegas, both the quartet and chorus finals will require 2 contest songs to be sung in the semi-finals but only 1 contest song in the entertainment package.

All the presentations that were given at International Convention can be accessed on the SAI website (http://www.sweetadelineintl.org/ harmonicprogression.cfm). If you have any thoughts or queries on these changes please feel free to contact any members of RMT. The full article about changes within SAI is available in the October edition of The PitchPipe.

A summary of the changes that are in store

he RMT thought it would be helpful to write a brief summary of the SAI changes in store for us over the coming years.

In 2012 a maximum time limit of

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Anne Cargill

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Ann Gooch was instrumental in Sweet Adelines International’s expansion outside of North America, and we honour this memory at international convention every year by recognizing someone in the worldwide area who has also made a significant contribution in promoting the barbershop art form.

It is my absolute pleasure to present the Ann Gooch award to this year’s recipient, Anne Cargill.

When the stellar list of nominees for the Ann Gooch award was presented to the International Board in June, Anne Cargill was the unanimous choice. She is and always has been an avid and refreshing ambassador for the

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organization, with a quiet yet determined manner that is very compelling. I first met Anne at an IES about nine years ago when we were both Education Coordinators, and it was very obvious to me then that she was a quiet force to be reckoned with.

Let me tell you a little bit about her background. Anne hails from Aberdeen, Scotland (coincidentally, also my home town) and has recently retired from being a nurse.

She travelled the world on board cruise ships in this role, before rising to the ranks of senior management in a large Scottish Hospital. She has been a Sweet Adeline for 18 years and sings with the six time regional champion, Aberdeen Chorus. Like many leaders who go on to regional and international positions, she has been their president, PR chair, show chair, secretary and bass section leader. To each of these positions, she has brought style, class and enthusiasm for the art form.

Anne was on the Quartet of Nations Region 31’s Regional Management Team from 2001 to 2006, holding the positions of Chapter Coordinator for one year, and then Education Coordinator for four years. Anne transformed the education programs in Britain by offering bigger, better educational workshops than had been held previously. She introduced the idea of holding events in different parts of the UK over consecutive weekends, making the education more accessible to the members by minimizing travel time and giving people a choice of dates. The workshops also had classes running concurrently so that there would be something for everyone. These practices proved so successful, they are continuing today.

Anne was instrumental in putting together a five year strategic plan for the region, and many of the specific goals have already come to pass. There are now choruses singing at an A level, there is a 4

candidate judge in the Sound category, Valerie Taylor, and membership continues to grow.

Anne organized the educational portion of two European Education Symposiums in Glasgow in 2002 and 2004, both of which were extremely successful events. Her vision was to have international quartets and faculty teach the classes and so she invited Rumors quartet, Britt-Helene Bonnedahl and Ase Hagerman the first year, and The Buzz the second year. The events are still being talked about today, with fond memories of the parade of flags at the opening, and the closing International Night where each country represented had a chance to share their national music.

Alyson Chaney, who followed Anne in the position of Education Coordinator, attributes the meteoric rise of Region 31 to Anne. Anne organized their regional faculty, and gave them a reason to believe in themselves after many years in the doldrums. Alyson relates, and I quote, “All I had to do when I took over was to follow Anne’s game plan and legacy.....she had such a vision, but also a strategy which she communicated to the membership so effortlessly. You really wanted to work for Anne - she was such a motivator!! And a terrific organizer who gets things done effectively using her sense of humour.” End quote.

And speaking of her sense of humour (which incidentally, everyone does) - I’ve heard tell that Anne is a wonderful mimic and an excellent raconteur. Apparently she can recite Robbie Burns’ poem Tam O’Shanter from top to bottom by heart, complete with all the actions.

In case you think this is an easy task, it is 25 minutes long and apparently you can hear a pin drop when she does it. I personally would love to witness that!

At the International level, Anne was on the Editorial Review Board

for one year, and a member of the Regional Leadership Committee for two years. She was on the slate for election to the International Board of Directors twice, and an Approved International Faculty member.

Anne’s contribution and dedication to the organization at the chapter, regional and international level can only be described as enthusiastic and committed. One of her favourite expressions is “Nothing odd about me”. Val Muir who was on the RMT with Anne will tell you that there are plenty of odd or rather, unusual things about Anne – she is unusually talented, unusually outgoing, unusually energetic and unusually imaginative. These attributes have assisted her in the quest to ensure that barbershop harmony is spread far and wide, and it is this talent that makes her the perfect recipient of the Ann Gooch Award. Ladies and Gentlemen - Anne Cargill

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What A Holiday!

veryone always says that your first International Convention will always be your favourite and now that I have experienced it, I have to say I totally agree. The reason? It would be impossible for anything to be better than Milltown Sound’s experience in Houston.

Milltown Sound is a group that is made up of very special people. We are not only a group of singers but we are a little family who have been through so many ups and downs together and finally experiencing an

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM REGION 31, WINTER 2011/2012

Milltown Sound on Stage in Houston

proud to watch Lace City, Surrey Harmony and Finesse perform amazingly on stage. A particular well done to Finesse for being the first Region 31 quartet to reach the finals. So proud of you!! In my opinion Region 31 is the best region in Sweet Adelines and we are well and truly on the map, the future is looking extremely bright.

So we hope that we did you all proud and hopefully we will get the opportunity to perform our show package for you in the future as we know many of you would have missed it. See you all in May if not before and happy singing!

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a Broadway show. We all know what we could do to improve but Milltown wouldn’t be Milltown if we weren’t constantly critical of ourselves as we strive to improve year upon year.

So now we are all home safe and sound and our thoughts are turning to the future and we are so excited to compete at regional again in May 2012. We are so happy that we did our new director Jen CarsonFox proud and she already has us working on our contest songs for next year, practically as soon as her aeroplane hit the runway she sent out the teach tracks.

We are wearing our International Medals with pride and were so

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International convention was made so much more special because we got to experience it as a whole group.

The whole week was one big party. We got to know each other better even though we didn’t think that could be possible and even the partners of some of our members became integrated into the group.

We could not have asked for a better experience.

Our score of 1077 is one we are very proud of and the comments we got from the audience for our Hocus Pocus package were lovely, many saying that we were extremely entertaining. One person even said that it was like

Submitted by Kim Potter, Milltown Sound Chorus

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NEWS AND VIEWS FROM REGION 31, WINTER 2011/2012

You Heard It Correctly! Salt Will Be Our Guests!

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he RMT are very excited to announce that SALT, the 2007 Sweet Adelines International Quartet Champions will be our guests on the Show of Champions at Region 31’s 2012 Convention.

SALT will also be joining us at the Sunday morning Education classes –

1989 Queens of Harmony, Growing Girls. Annika, a coordinator at the Swedish Social Welfare System, is now a very appreciated sound coach, working with both quartets and choruses all over Sweden.

Karin works as an economist at one of Sweden’s largest banks and is the newest member of SALT, replacing the original baritone Anna-Stina. Susanna works as a County Head Speech Pathologist in

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so they are certainly not to be missed!

Many of you may have heard SALT sing live before - they are just fantastic! For those who haven’t “met” them yet, here is a small introduction!

SALT became the second Sweet Adelines International Quartet Champions from Sweden when they were crowned the 2007 Queens of Harmony in Las Vegas, NV. Quartet members include: Anna Öhman (Tenor - Huddinge,SWE), Annika Krook (Lead - Huddinge,SWE), Karin Sjöblom (Baritone - Huddinge,SWE), Susanna Berndts (Bass - Trosa,SWE).

Anna, works as a teacher for disabled children and sings a lot at work! She is also the baritone of 6

Sweden and is also a very popular sound coach all over Sweden.

SALT will be singing and performing throughout the year at regional gatherings and chapter shows across Europe!. They are in the middle of planning their own show at a jazz restaurant downtown Stockholm and all four are also singing together in a 6 part female vocal group called “Q” together with 1989 Queens of Harmony Suzanne Harrington and Naima Meyer.

For more information on SALT, visit their website at www.saltonstage.se.

They will also be selling and signing CDs during the weekend.

Houston – We Definitely Didn’t Have A Problem!

Finesse In Houston

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inesse were proud and thrilled to once again be boarding an International flight to represent Region 31 at SAI, this time bound for Houston. If it is possible I think we were even more excited than last year because we now knew what to expect and could anticipate what a wonderful time was ahead of us. Having learned from last year’s abysmal journey we had booked a direct flight and arrived in Houston relatively refreshed and relaxed on Sunday evening.

We had arranged to have some face to face coaching sessions on Monday and Tuesday with our wonderful coaches Renee Porzel and Lynda Keever who have worked so hard with us during the year via Skype. It was lovely to be in the same room as them for a change and it really focussed and lifted us for the competition ahead.

Contest day was soon upon us but we felt so much more relaxed about it second time around. Not only had we had experience of how the day would run but we had a much later draw so weren’t needing to rush at all. We even found time for a swim and steam room before it was time to get made up and ready.

Lynda had very kindly said she would take us through the system and of course with her wealth of expertise and experience she was an extremely calming influence backstage.

It felt very comfortable being back on the International stage. We love our contest songs and couldn’t wait to share them with the audience.

The auditorium gave us such a warm welcome and we knew that all our friends and family at home were

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM REGION 31, WINTER 2011/2012 also routing for us via the webcast.

Despite having loved every second of our time on stage, waiting for the results was agony! However it was worth the pain to hear our name read out in the draw for Friday’s

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Yours in harmony, Helen, Beth, Nicky and Tan

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final! All our months of diligence regarding vocal first aid went out the window as we screamed for all we were worth. I think maybe only Martini felt more delighted during their Houston Convention than we did right at that moment. It will certainly take something to top that feeling- knowing we had made British Barbershop history and made a dream come true for each one of us! Wow! The finals briefing immediately followed the results which we sat through giggling like schoolgirls,

too excited to take in!

Once the briefing was over we were able to catch up with all our wonderful Region 31 friends who had made the trip to Houston. We were overwhelmed by the squeals and hugs and congratulations that were showered on us. It really made us feel special and helped to make up for the fact that our families felt a very long way away just at that moment! All we had to do then was wait for the UK to wake up! Boy did we know about it once Thursday morning dawned in the UK! We were inundated with

Facebook messages, texts and calls from what felt like thousands of supportive friends. It meant such a lot to us that so many people were taking time out of their day to congratulate us on making the finals.

Needless to say on Friday we had an absolute blast! We had already achieved our dream of being in the top 10 so we were able to step out onto the finals stage with no pressure on us and just enjoy singing together. It was a truly exciting and humbling experience to be back stage waiting for the results surrounded by such fantastic current and previous competing quartets, many of whom we have followed for years on the webcast, whilst sitting in our PJ’s huddled around a laptop in the middle of the night. We still couldn’t believe our luck when we were presented with our 10th place ribbons. Suffice to say we were still on cloud nine on Sunday and felt like we floated home across the Atlantic (which is just as well since Beth & Tan are terrified of flying!).

So now the fundraising begins again in earnest to get us to Denver.

Unfortunately it seems harder each year to think of new ideas between the four of us – all brilliant ideas gratefully received! We can’t let anything stand in our way- we have a job to do ! To prove that we deserved our place in the top 10 by doing it again!

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Finesse in Houston

not able to believe we were there amongst many of our idols.

Fortunately Lynda escorted us to the briefing and took notes of all the vital information which we were far

October 2004

October 2005

October 2006

November 2008

May 2009

October 2009

May 2010

October 2010

May 2011

October 2011

First competition: LABBS Convention, Harrogate – Placed 1st

LABBS International Competition, Cardiff – Placed 1st

IrishInternational Competition Placed 1st

Audition for new Bass after Debbie sadly decided to stand down. Chose Nicky

First Sweet Adelines Competition Region 31, Gateshead – Placed 2nd

Eligible to re-compete at LABBS Convention for the first time, Cheltenham – Placed 1st

Region 31 Convention, Gateshead – Placed 1st

First SAI Convention, Seattle – Placed 25th

Region 31 Convention, Birmingham – Placed 1st

SAI Convention, Houston – Placed 10th

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January 2002

Finesse first sang together

Finesse 2002 to present day

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NEWS AND VIEWS FROM REGION 31, WINTER 2011/2012

From London To L.A.

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one way or another – the usual mix of new love, old love, love lost etc.

The title needed to be a bit punchy, roll off the tongue. Hilary (our MD) came up with “From London to LA”.

We’d weave a love story around the songs, starting in the UK and going across the Atlantic for the second half of the show. To find love, lose love? How did the geography work with Beatles numbers associated

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lanning for Cambridge Harmony’s September show (only the second show our small chorus has put on) started in good time of course but...

The team met. Yes, we’d use the same venue as last time. Jan could get an MC. We’d been adding new songs to our repertoire which would be suitable for a show and Hilary and the music team had come up with a couple more. What should we call the show? Cambridge Harmony Chorus Was there a theme? Well, some of with Liverpool and songs such as the songs were from the US (where Scarborough Fair? Was “Octopus’s else?) and some were from the Garden” a love song? Ah well, UK. They were mostly about love, “poetic (musical?) licence”.

What about costumes? The costume team had dwindled to one – Jan. Should we ask for more volunteers? Jan was happy to go it alone – easier to have a team of one, it was hard enough getting chorus to accept costume decisions.

Had anyone thought of any ideas for costumes? Well ..... bright, sparkly (who would have thought of that!).

Jan would see what designs she could come up with. At the next meeting Jan suggested waistcoats over chorus trousers and a tee shirt. Yes the team were happy with this. Could the waistcoat be red, white and blue? Jan would see what she could find. The team allocated the princely sum of £200

Solving the Puzzle

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ONE DAY WORKSHOP

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✪ Get to grips with chorus management fundamentals ✪ Join us for fun and interactive sessions on

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✪ PR and Marketing ✪ Recruitment and Retention ✪

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✪ Fund Raising: including ‘How to Make a CD’ ✪ Saturday 7th July 2012

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Birmingham Conservatoire, New Lecture Theatre, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Contact Jacqui Edwards on 01737 355306 or email: jeedwards@btinternet.com 8

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM REGION 31, WINTER 2011/2012

Membership In Harmony!

for costumes. Jan thought the Jan find lipstick and nail varnish that waistcoats might have to be made exactly matched the red waistcoats? of lining material, not a problem Reds can clash so! I definitely though. detected a rolling of the eyes this Jan brought swatches to the time! next meeting. But could we have ew Year greetings to you Jan made up a waistcoat and different costumes for the first all! I am Jeanette Yuile and brought it into chorus. It was and second halves? Could the I am your Membership a huge hit! And yes, of course, costumes for the first half have a Coordinator on the RMT. everyone would pitch in with the UK design – Union Jack material I been a sewing.... apart, that is, from Janet perhaps? And yes, Stars and Stripes who “never, ever sews”, Fiona who member for the second half. More swatches is “far too busy with work and of SAI appeared next time. Yes, we could since 2001 quartet and a golf tournament”, have stripes and we could have and as Stef who’s looking after her mother, stars. Both together and Union you might Anne who doesn’t have a sewing Jacks were a problem. OK, the recall I was machine and... Everyone was blue sparkly material was nice and on the RMT measured up and Jan cut out the the red sparkly material was nice. before - for waistcoats. She asked again who Could the waistcoat be reversible 4 years would sew their waistcoat. A few perhaps? We could switch from 2004 hands went up half heartedly. In costumes in the interval? “Yeeeees” the end, Jan decided to sew them to 2008 said Jan “but it will take more all herself – a huge task. Oh and by – then serving as the Marketing/ sewing”. Not a problem – yes, we Membership Coordinator and I am the way, they would be ready for a couldn’t get them made up within publicity photo to be taken 3 weeks back again because I just love it! the £200 allocated but, of course, I also sit on the joint Barbershop before the show wouldn’t they? In chorus members would volunteer in Harmony (BiH) board for the 3 the end everyone had a waistcoat to make them. Apart, that is, from for the photo apart from Jan! Some UK Barbershop organizations BABS, Janet who “never, ever sews”, Fiona were only pinned or tacked and a LABBS and SAI. This union triangle who is “far too busy with work and is very important for barbershop few buttons pinged off here and in the UK and we have achieved quartet and a golf tournament”, there but the photo looked great. so much together. We share in Stef who’s looking after her mother, Almost there! each other’s training events, we Anne who doesn’t have a sewing The day of the show arrived at machine and... last. The London to LA theme went attend each other’s conventions, we promote our talent across the Another meeting, the costume a bit awry – our guest performers, organizations and we put on joint design was settled. Until, that is, the Over Community Drummers events. some bright spark (yours truly?) did an African set, and Footlights Whilst the rest of the Sweet asked if we could get Union Jack quartet sang “I Want to Come Adelines world membership is and/or Stars and Stripes bowler Back as a Man”. Ah well, “poetic declining we continue to grow in hats. Oh yes, great idea! I looked (musical?) licence”. Everyone our region – and so much so that across the table at Jan. Did I detect looked fantastic. The lipstick we will shortly be the largest region a slight rolling of the eyes? No, a and nail varnish matched the red in the world! smile and “Yes, I’ll see what I can waistcoats perfectly. A ripple went Lake Ontario Region 16 is find”. Oh, and what about bow ties? round the audience when we came currently the largest region with Maybe they come in Union Jack back on in the second half wearing 1403 members and we are not and Stars and Stripes? “Yes, I’ll see the blue with the silver bowlers far behind with 1360! Let’s drive what I can find” said Jan. Another and bow ties. Everyone sang their membership up together so we meeting. Jan beginning to lay down best, we did Hilary and ourselves the law now. “No, we can’t have proud and the audience thoroughly soon can celebrate being the largest and of course the most fabulous Union Jack bowlers or Stars and enjoyed themselves. And there region in the world!

Stripes bowlers. Likewise bow ties.” were so many compliments about We also have a few prospective But she had come up with silver the costumes! choruses in the region who are bowlers and bow ties. OK, we’d With grateful thanks to Jan White waiting in the wings to charter and wear those in the second half with for a fantastic job! others knocking on our door so the blue side of the waistcoat. We’d Submitted by Rachel Radford, exciting times and we are seeing wear the red in the first half. Could Cambridge Harmony Chorus

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many people of all ages joining our existing choruses up and down the country.

Barbershop has become hip in the UK! Dale Diva’s winning the ITV “Can’t stop believing” and the Great British Barbershop Boy’s success, getting a record contract with Sony, has certainly helped to promote barbershop and enhance our reputation. We are also delighted to have Finesse in the top 10 quartets in the world! Region 31 rocks and what an incredible region we are!

Recently I watched “100 years at the London Palladium” – Huge stars from across the world were interviewed about the impact the

Palladium had on their lives and how special they felt having been on that stage and in those famous dressing rooms backstage.

It brought back amazing memories seeing that program – It made me realise that we, SAI region 31, are a part of the Palladium history. The fabulous show we put on in that famous theatre together with our friends in BABS and LABBS in September 2009 represented a turning point indeed for our public reputation and we are now going from strength to strength – let’s keep thinking big and let’s continue writing the script! http://www. barbershopinharmony.com/

awarenessweek-photo.htm. By the way – Christopher Biggins, who is in Panto in Cardiff at the moment, sends his love to you all – we still keep in touch.

I hear from many of you and please keep your emails and calls coming - I am here to help you grow and flourish in our wonderful organization. Onwards and upwards and please remember; Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Lots of love and harmony to you all and keep growing as well as singing!

Jeanette Jeanette Yuile, Membership Coordinator j.yuile@btinternet.com

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More Exciting Information On Ignite Workshops, September 2012

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he RMT are delighted to announce that the following International Faculty members will be visiting the below regions for the Ignite workshop days in September 2012.

These workshops have been planned as a direct result of your feedback that money was a big factor in preventing your attendance at these events, which is why we have tried to plan them in as central a location as possible, so costs are kept to a minimum for you. The registration costs have yet to be finalised, as we are still in the process of booking venues, but we will let you know as soon as we can.

We will be keeping this cost as low as we can and, as such, we are hoping registration will cost between £15.00 and £20.00. (Please note - this may be subject to change.)

Some of you will have realised this means there will be a number

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Ignite Scotland Darlene Rogers Saturday 15th September

Ignite North West England Gail Jencik Saturday 22nd September R e g i o n 3 1

Ignite Central England Mo Field Saturday 15th September

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In summary, please feel free to contact any of these amazing women if you feel you could fit them into your coaching plans. If you need their contact details, please contact Elaine Hamilton at Elainemrssh@aol.com. However, please remember they are here for the Region and the workshops are the top priority.

We’re really looking forward to seeing as many chorus members as possible at the Ignite workshops as this is a brand new venture for the Region. They will give everyone a great opportunity to receive coaching from some of these amazing women! Remember to put the date in your diary now!

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the RMT. Should you decide to contact any of the Faculty, it will be your responsibility to arrange and pay for any and all other expenses involved. As usual, with registration, we will be able to observe chorus attendance. The RMT will charge choruses an additional payment if they should obtain individual coaching but do not have a good attendance at the workshop, i.e. at least 50% of your membership. It would not be fair on the rest of the membership if choruses and/or quartets, under these circumstances, did not make a contribution to the airfare of the coach (the amount has yet to be decided.)

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of top Sweet Adeline educators in the UK and The Netherlands at this time and you may decide to contact them to see if they are able to arrive early or stay later and provide your chorus or quartet with some coaching.

The RMT would actively encourage you to do this.... however, we need to count on your chorus/quartet integrity if you do. International Faculty is being brought to the UK primarily to lead the workshop days and, as such, we need you to support these as much as you can. All expenses for the coaches, in relation to the workshop, are being funded by

Ignite South East England Vickie Dennis Saturday 15th September

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Ignite South West England Åse Hagerman Saturday 15th September

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Looking Back Over Our DaleDiva Year

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s we come to the end of the year it’s nice to look back on a busy 2011 – but we’re already setting our sights on an even busier 2012!

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It was great to perform at ‘Children In Need’ again and hand over the £760 we’d raised.

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Ally and the Divas meet X Factor winner Joe McElderry in Derby – he was so lovely!

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We’re already booked up to our target of two gigs a month (no

We staged our third annual show – ‘Believe’ – at Derby Theatre in November performing to 800 people at a matinee and evening performance. It was lovely to see so many of our barbershop friends there – thank you for coming along to support us.

We were also proud to be asked to support the BBC’s Children In Need appeal on the East Midlands TV coverage again and we were delighted to hand over a cheque for

We had a fantastic time at our annual show ‘Believe’ at Derby Theatre.

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doubt Ally will squeeze a few more in as usual) and it’s nice to have those to look forward to after a very exciting few weeks.

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£760 we’d raised with various fundraising activities.

The Divas also got well and truly into the festive mood by performing

at two Christmas light switch-ons – Chesterfield town centre and at Westfield shopping in Derby where we got to meet X Factor winner Joe McElderry. It was lovely to meet him and he was very happy to chat and pose for photos – well, he had no choice really!

We’re now preparing to take part in Manchester’s Amateur Choral Competition at the Royal Northern College of Music and a public sing in St Ann’s Square as well as singing for festive shoppers at Meadowhall in Sheffield just before Christmas.

And as we did in autumn’s Harmony Rag we’ve also welcomed another Diva baby – Robbie John Blundell born to tenor Pippa and husband Chris on October 16 weighing in at 7lb 8oz (that’s our second tenor baby in two months).

I wonder what news we’ll have for you in Spring?

Finally we’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Nicky Salt and Finesse quartet for their fabulous achievement representing Region 31 at International. Well done girls and we feel very lucky to have Nicky as our vocal coach.

We wish you all a very Happy Christmas and harmonious New Year and look forward to seeing you all at Convention in May. Submitted by Liz Tomes, DaleDiva PRO

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM REGION 31, WINTER 2011/2012

“WOW!! We Did It!!”

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Crossroads, the 2009 Barbershop International Men’s Quartet Champions, are planning a Mediterranean Barbershop cruise for July of 2013, and they would like to invite their Sweet Adeline friends in Europe to join them. The link below has more information, and we are hoping that you will be able to share this link with your members so that we can start to get the word out to as many people as possible.

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If you have questions, please contact me at : Dweave@comcast.net.

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http://events.SignUp4.com/ cruisingwithcrossroads

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Best regards, Doug Weaver President, Pioneer District President, Great Lakes Chorus Grand Rapids, Michigan

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ortuity have had some very special moments together over the past year - our very first rehearsal back in January, Naked Pizza in Birmingham (don’t ask!!), the privilege of singing alongside inspiring people at our shows….. but if I’m honest, nothing beats the ‘floating feeling’ you get when a Medal is placed around your neck, to look back at your best friends and see your own shock mirrored on their faces!

Fortuity formed in January of this year after Sarah, Sianie and Gem were messing around one day singing a few chorus songs together.

They enjoyed it so much that Gem made the switch from Bass to Lead and we went on the hunt for a Tenor (knowing full well who we dreamed of asking)……a few emails and a phone call later Veryan was in!

Before we knew it we were approaching May and the Sweet Adelines Annual Competition.

Thursday night was a whirlwind of tanning, singing in not much more than our birthday suit to the portable tanning lady (well she wasn’t portable but the tanning was!?) and PIZZA!! Then Friday amongst our friends, family and the amazing Region 31 Quartets and Choruses’ we stepped onto the Birmingham Symphony Hall stage and sang our hearts out.

Still to this day I can remember the feeling back stage not knowing whether I was going to be sick or if I was going to wee myself (you’ll be happy to know neither happened!), then turning on stage to see our Bass, Sian, with tears streaming down her face from the first note of the uptune to the tag of the ballad and then afterwards, walking off stage and getting that feeling that you’re going to either pop with excitement, or flood America with the tears you know are well and truly on their way! Then

Dear Sweet Adeline Friends,

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NEWS AND VIEWS FROM REGION 31, WINTER 2011/2012

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came the results announcement and I can honestly say that we hadn’t prepared ourselves for what came next! Our aim going in to competition was to do our best and obviously our dream was for that to be top 10, but hearing ‘Fortuity’ announced as the 2011 5th place medallists was a feeling I’ll never forget. It took a good few seconds for all of us to realise that we were in fact ‘Fortuity’ and a few more seconds for our legs to register that we needed to go collect our green-ribboned shiny medals, ahhhhhhhh!! Let’s just say the celebrations that night and the following Saturday night and come to think of it the weeks afterwards, were full of tears and “Oh My God! We did it!!”’s.

When Fortuity first formed it was a given that we would be members of Sweet Adelines as from a competing point of view, this is all we had ever known.

But after Veryan and Gemma’s fabulous experiences as part of the Ivy League Chorus and speaking to many of our LABBS friends we decided we would go for it and join The Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singing Organisation as well.

Our first experience of LABBS was at Prelims in June, now you know those nightmares us Barbershoppers have running up to Convention… the one’s where

you end up on stage completely naked, wake up on the day after convention and realise you’ve missed it all, or in true Amelia Charnock style dream that Fortuity walk on stage in Halloween masks!

WELL I’m afraid to say that the morning of Prelims turned into a bit of a convention nightmare! After our Sat-Nav took us to the other side of Birmingham we arrived with just minutes to spare and were ushered by the sweetest, friendliest group of LABBS couriers through to the changing room, then the warmup room, then the stage!! In the blink of an eye it was all over and we were sat watching all the other incredible Quartets thinking we didn’t stand a chance, made even worse by Sarah’s sudden panic that she hadn’t even registered us for the main competition at all! What a morning, huh?!

Then came results time, had we made it through to the semifinals? God knows how, but we’d done it, not only had Sarah actually registered us for the competition, but we were announced as the 2011 1st place Novice Quartet and 1st place over all!

Between June and October we had our work cut-out! Having heard the other Quartets at Prelims we knew we had stiff competition and to hold on to the top spot we had to work our little socks off! So amidst growing a baby (you may

have not have noticed the bulge at convention…think we did a pretty good job hiding that ), Veryan taking the plunge moving to ‘Brizzle’ and trying to cram in as many trio and quartet sessions we could get our hands on, we were lucky enough to receive some incredible, awe-inspiring coaching that Fortuity will never forget!

Then, sooner than we would have liked, it was October! Thursday night was a tanning, sleeping, junk food eating, Sweet Adelines International Chorus Semi-final Webcast watching kind of day.

Then Friday morning Veryan and Gem were hit with the ‘Contest Day Curse’……sore, croaky throats!

But with a good breakfast in our bellies and as much preparation as possible, orange from head to toe, Fortuity walked to the Harrogate International Convention Centre (The HIC) ready for the Semi-Finals.

As we walked into the dressing area our nerves were melted slightly by the incredible and heart-warming decoration of our dressing table; chocolate, good luck cards, glittery things and 4 shiny crowns! Reading through all of our Good Luck cards it hit us like a ton of bricks……in about an hour we would be on stage competing against some of the most talented Quartets in the country for the ultimate title and of course for a nice shiny medal.

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o f

DORDOGNE, FRANCE and MARBELLA, SPAIN

France: House with pool and garden to let in Dordogne area. Sleeps 8.

Attractions locally include Rocamadour, Sarlat, Gouffre de Padirac.

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Spain: Luxury apartment at Mijas Costa with magnificent views overlooking 3 golf courses. Sleeps 4. Large shared pool.

Details / availability at www.gitevisit.com T: 0034 617 697 778 or email: rgmb55@yahoo.com 14

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM REGION 31, WINTER 2011/2012 beautiful Miss-Demeanour Quartet.

I don’t think it honestly set in until we were back at the Hotel room all lying on a single bed surrounded by food and drink taking the above photo and realising that…We’d done it!

There is no way we could have achieved success without some wonderful people and although we thanked you on the Saturday Show at LABBS I don’t think we’ll stop thanking you for years to come! So we’d like to send a massive thank you to our family, friends and choruses (Lace City Singers, Bristol Fashion, Champagne Cornwall and Moor Harmony) for their constant love and support and for listening to the same 4 songs for the past 7 months!! Our coaches and mentors for being there with advice, love and some flippin’ good Barbershop knowledge. In no particular order Finesse, Stuart Owen, Craig Kehoe, Rob Barber, Delyth Knight and Kelly Shepard We are so proud to be the 2011 Sweet Adelines, Region 31 5th place medallists and the 2011 LABBS Quartet Champions and endeavour to be worthy Ambassadors for both of these incredible organisations. Even now after all the hard work, coaching, travelling backwards and forwards, stressing, baby brain and last minute song swapping it’s still completely surreal but…..we did it!

All our love

R e g i o n 3 1 Q u a r t e t o f N a t i o n s , S w e e t A d e l i n e s I n t e r n a t i o n a l

For the Semi-finals we sang the LABBS Quartets working their same songs we had sung at the magic on stage we had a sense of Sweet Adelines competition in ‘That’s it, we’ve done our best and May, minus the tears from Sian, that’s all we can do!’ staring at my and strangely felt at home on the girlies sat next to me I’ve never felt HIC stage with our family, friends prouder of them! and competitors in the audience Well… I say that… but as we all cheering us on. It wasn’t were announced as the until the announcement of the Quartets through to the finals that the anticipation and our nerves caught up with us, sitting amongst all of the other Quartets knowing that they were all feeling the same, the names were read, one by one, into the microphone… including Fortuity! Ahhhhh we had done it!! We were through to the Finals and had only a few hours to prepare!

Jumping up and moving as quickly as you can with a pregnant lady in tow, we headed back to the hotel for dinner, a touch up and naturally, to be sown into our Chinese made, ill-fitting dresses! (For that China we thank you, as lovely as the dresses are, we are not (I hope) shaped like Fortuity Quartet hippo’s with out-turned pockets!) In all this rushing around, winners of the Novice Trophy and we were also lucky enough to then to hear “For the highest marks get to watch the Sweet Adelines in Music, Presentation, singing Quartet Final Webcast and a piece and your quartet champions for of history, as our dear friends 2011………Fortuity” was the most and mentors Finesse made us surreal moment we have ever all proud becoming the first ever experienced! Nothing can prepare British Quartet to place top 10 at you for hearing your name read out the Sweet Adelines International in conjunction with winners or first Competition! No pressure huh?! place… nothing. And again to share So with an air of pride and our that with three of your closest dresses securely fastened, even friends is an honour! more orange, throats as sore as From then on it all seemed like before and nerves completely on a dream, like it was all happening form, we headed back to the HIC in slow motion and to somebody stage! I don’t think “emotional” else. From receiving our trophies, really sums up how we felt as we medals and absolutely beautiful walked off stage….it was a strange flowers, straight into singing a very feeling, don’t get me wrong we emotional (and ever so slightly cried our eyes out, but sat together flat!!) acceptance song, through to as a Quartet watching all the other our Champions party thrown by the

Submitted by Sarah Netherton, Baritone of Fortuity and member of Champagne Cornwall Chorus 15

NEWS NEWSAND ANDVIEWS VIEWSFROM FROMREGION REGION31, 31,WINTER WINTER2011/2012 2011/2012

European Convention 14-17 March 2013

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olland Harmony are organising European Convention 2013, which is being held at the De Koningshof Conference Centre in Veldhoven, The Netherlands. Listed below is more information about this exciting event:

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Who qualifies to participate in the European Convention 2013?

• The top three choruses and three quartets from each organisation, in the case of mixed organisations, three female choruses and quartets and three male choruses and quartets.

If the top three are not able to attend then three can be chosen out of the top five.

• Organisations that have a yearly convention and the rule that a winning chorus or quartet cannot compete the next year can send the champion chorus and quartet from 2011 as well as the top two choruses and quartets from 2012 or out of the best five.

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Costs Registration will be € 110 per person. This includes tickets to attend all competitions and all three shows during four days.

Competitions Competition starts early on Thursday 14 March and will end late afternoon Saturday 17 March The contest for men and women will be judged separately The national Holland Harmony contest will be take place simultaneously and will be judged by the panels below There will be four panels - one from Sweet Adelines, LABBS, BABS and Barbershop Harmony Society judges All four panels will judge according to BHS rules Contest rules for the 2013 International Convention are based on these rules and will be available from 15 March, 2012 The draw for the national and European contests

will be done during the annual Holland Harmony membership meeting in May 2012. This will be based upon three choruses and three quartets from each organisation, European Champions excluded.

The quartet competition will be held on Thursday and the chorus competition on both Friday and Saturday. All choruses will need to be prepared to be there on Thursday or very early Friday morning, in case they are competing on Friday.

A preliminary order of appearance will be announced followed by the definite order on 15 November 2012, when registration closes for the last two organisations.

Shows will be planned for Saturday evening and Sunday There may be a Jamboree on Friday evening.

European choruses and quartets to contact if they would be interested in taking part.

Accommodation Arrival in hotels will be possible from Wednesday 13 March 2013.

• De Koningshof cannot offer accommodation to all participants but a list of hotels will be available with special convention prices.

If you’d like more information about this event please go to the Holland Harmony website (www.hollandharmony.nl) The approximate timeline is listed below: •

2012 15 March Contest rules available April or May Draw for competitions, followed by preliminary order of appearance, 15 May Start of registrations for contest 15June Deadline for all choruses and quartets to register for the European contest (except for LABBS and DABS as their conventions take place in October 2012) 15 September Start date for booking hotels. To stay at the Koningshof book early!

15 October Deadline to register individual chorus and quartet members 15 November Announcement of order of appearance 15 November Deadline for DABS and LABBS to register their choruses and quartets 1 December Deadline for payments for contest If you have any queries about European Convention please contact Nelleke Dorrestijn at nellekedorrestijn@ qmail.com or Eric Ideler, Convention Manager at ideler@dse.nl - or don’t hesitate to contact any member of the RMT.

Nuala Hobden – Finance Coordinator Spinnaker Chorus 02392 231569 nualahelen@aol.com

Elaine Hamilton Forth Valley Chorus 0131 334 2372 elainemrssh@aol.com

Elaine Hamilton – Education Coordinator Forth Valley Chorus 0131 334 2372 elainemrssh@aol.com

Dorothy Main Aberdeen Chorus 01224 782124 themains@talktalk.net

Petrina Bache – Events Coordinator Phoenix Chorus 07772 932432 trinabache@btinternet.com

Mike Taylor Spinnaker Chorus 01489 600134 mike@singwell.me.uk

Jeanette Yuile – Membership Coordinator CAL 01330 811544 j.yuile@btinternet.com

Valerie Taylor Vocal Dimension Chorus 020 8660 8037 valerie.taylor@privacysolutions.co.uk

Jean Graham – Communications Coordinator Mayflowers Plymouth 01752 783724 jean.graham2006@btinternet.com

Gwen Topp Aberdeen Chorus 01224 575366 gmtopp@yahoo.co.uk

Emma Duguid – Marketing Coordinator Vocal Dimension Chorus 07815 114476 duguidemma@gmail.com

Michelle Walker Lace City Chorus 0115 965 4524 shelbywalks@yahoo.co.uk

As of February 2012 Sheila Doherty – Team Coordinator Surrey Harmony Chorus 020 8395 2765 shortscot@aol.com

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Glenn Chaney Lace City Chorus 07960 112732 glennsings@yahoo.co.uk

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Tracey Bailey – Directors’ Coordinator Champagne Cornwall Chorus 01726 63937 allthebaileys@aol.com

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Alyson Chaney – Regional Faculty Coordinator Lace City Chorus 01636 814377 alysonchaney@yahoo.co.uk

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Chris Bentley – Team Coordinator Forth Valley Chorus 0131 539 1247 chrisbentley963@hotmail.com

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Anne Cargill Aberdeen Chorus 01224 704627 acargill@lochside.fsbusiness.co.uk

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RMT

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REGIONAL FACULTY

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As of May 2012 Dulcie Williams – Communications Coordinator Heartbeat Chorus 01758 730 858 dulciewilliams@hotmail.com

COPY DEADLINE The Spring Harmony Rag will be issued at the end of March.

Please send all articles to harmonyrag@sweetadelines.org.uk by

26th February 2012 17