Harmony Rag September 2015 Edition

harmony rag September 2015

Achieving artistry Will perfect notes, pitch, image be enough

Contents FEATURES

13

Springboard to Artistry

Achieving the ultimate goal in performing

USUALS 4 9 17 19 20

Regional Buzz Warmed Up RMT Updates Calendar of Events Coaching Directory

Editor's note Light that fire inside What is it about barbershop singing that gives me goosebumps every time I hear and watch a performance? I wonder if it’s the nerdy, scientific side of me that makes me excited to hear those chords lock and ring or is it my romantic side connecting to the story being conveyed through music? Whatever it is, music is truly a universal language so as singers and performers we’re blessed to be given the best and most powerful instrument of all, the human voice. It is therefore our responsibility to look after it and harness it to its greatest potential.

harmony rag QUARTET OF NATIONS REGION 31 SWEET ADELINES INTERNATIONAL Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organisation of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education, competition and performance

Harmony Rag is published quarterly in March, June, September and December by the Regional Management Team (RMT) of the Quartet of Nations in digital format. The June issue is also published in print format.

Materials sent for publication are at the author’s/contributor’s risk and while every care is taken, neither the Quartet of Nations RMT nor Sweet Adelines International accept any liability for loss or damage.

Send all queries, copy and images to the Harmony Rag Editor, harmonyrag@sweetadelines.org.uk Deadlines are one (1) month prior to publication

CHARL ASUIT Communications Coordinator

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HURRICANES TAKE PITTSBURGH BY STORM

Submitted by Andrea Day

Each year the Barbershop Harmony Society host their International Convention featuring the best of men’s barbershop choruses and quartets in the world. This year the event was held in Pittsburgh and the UK representation was as strong as ever with British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) champion Hallmark of Harmony in the chorus competition and The Emerald Guard and Reckless flying the Union Jack on the quartet stage.

Alongside all this competition are evening events and shows, one of them being the World Harmony Jamboree; a showcase of the best of barbershop from around the world, with a focus on groups from outside of the USA. Each year, the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS) are invited to nominate a quartet to appear on this special show and this year, Hannah and the Hurricanes were there representing the UK as the UK Mixed Quartet Champion.

Although the Mixed Quartet Champion, Double Date is American, mixed quartets in the US are still a very rare occurrence;

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Hannah and the Hurricanes at the World Harmony Jamboree

many people approached us after the World Harmony Jamboree to find out more and told us that we were the first mixed quartet that they had ever heard! It was a great experience for us to open the eyes (and ears) of so many people to how much fun it could be.

Continuing with the success that we had, the President of the Barbershop Harmony Society, Don Fuson, invited us to perform for all the dignitaries at the President's reception after the quartet finals, normally something that is reserved for the top ten competing quartets that have just finished on stage.

From there we were whisked straight to the Chorditorium, an informal stage area where acts are invited to perform throughout the evening and into the early hours of the morning where we were

meaning that all Quartet of Nations Region 31 Sweet Adelines International members are welcome to compete without having to join LABBS. We are really excited to see the wealth of talent from all the UK barbershop organisations that crosses the stage as part of the competition.

We hope to see you at #LABBS15 convention!

Hurricanes at President's Reception

welcomed off the stage with a standing ovation – what a thrill!

With our baritone, Tim, singing with Hallmark and Emerald Guard, our Bass, Duncan singing with Reckless in the quarterfinals and mic testing the semifinals, our tenor, Andrea, taking part in the Harmony Platoon (like Extreeme quartets!) and our lead, Hannah, being an afterglow tag master – it was an exceptionally busy, but amazing week for all of the Hurricanes – we were all so proud to be out there representing, the UK and Mixed barbershopping!

The UK Mixed Quartet Championships will be held at the LABBS convention on 01 November and for the first time it will be run by Barbershop in Harmony (BinH),

THE BIRTH OF A NEW REGION 31 CHORUS WE ARE NO BORDERS SHOW CHORUS! Submitted by No Borders Show Chorus

Our chorus journey started in October 2014. Stuart Sides and a few close barbershop friends had this wild idea to start a new chorus – a chorus that would invite membership from across all borders. Would this idea possibly fly?

The idea continued to take form and a venue for this fantasy chorus was found – in Venray, the Netherlands. To cut a long story short – the fantasy has very much turned into reality. No Borders Show Chorus already has 84 members coming from all over Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.

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A few “come join us” adverts were sent out via social media and by word of mouth.

The idea of this European chorus really struck a chord with many singers and membership applications started streaming in. Although there is a set criteria for accepting members into the chorus, with formal evaluation and audition processes in place and so on, that didn’t put anyone off.

After Stuart and his music team evaluated initial audition tapes and agreed on songs to sing, the first chorus rehearsal took place in April 2015. Sixty very keen women turned up from all over Europe well prepared, with our first three songs of homework learnt and off-paper before the first rehearsal.

Nobody knew quite what to expect as we were standing around in the rehearsal room, waiting to get started but it was a fantastic experience to sing that first song

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together – a bunch of highly motivated, enthusiastic and well prepared good singers, creating this wonderful resonance and sound together that blew our amazing and euphoric director Stuart off his feet!

After the first rehearsal finished, everyone was talking in superlatives about what had just happened and that still carries on after every rehearsal we have.

No Borders Show Chorus is currently preparing their fifth repertoire song and looking forward to welcoming current Region 31 Membership Coordinator, Fiona McGlashan. Fiona is taking us through the formal chartering process towards Sweet Adelines International membership and 06 September is the date for our first formal Regional Management Team (RMT) visit. A second RMT visit is already planned for January 2016. We hope our chartering will complete in time so we can carry out our

next step of the grand plan – No Borders Show Chorus is aiming to compete at the Quartet of Nations Region 31 Convention in Newcastle in May 2016 and we look forward to seeing you all there.

Our target goal since we began has been to reach at least 100 members. Everyone is warmly welcome to join us. Please send in an audition tape for first evaluation and get ready to participate in what we think is an incredible chorus. You can find all the joining details on our website – http://www.nobordersshowchorus.eu/ The No Borders Show Chorus rehearsals are different to most choruses as we rehearse only once a month, normally on the first Sunday of every month from 10:00 to 17:00 – except if colliding with other barbershop events – then we move our rehearsal a week forward.

For further information, please visit our Facebook page facebook.com/nobordersshowchorus or contact us via email publicrelations@nobordersshowchorus.eu

MIXED QUARTETS CONTEST DRAW

Submitted by Barbershop in Harmony

On Sunday 01 November 2015, the first Barbershop in Harmony Mixed Quartet competition will take place.

Previously the UK Mixed Quartet competition has been held as part of the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS) Convention but this year for the first time, it will be run and supported by all three UK barbershop organisations – British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS), Quartet of Nations Region 31 Sweet Adelines International and LABBS – under the banner of Barbershop in Harmony.

The competition will take place after the close of LABBS National Convention on the afternoon of Sunday 1st November at Bournemouth International Centre and everyone is welcome to come and cheer on the 17 (yes 17!) mixed quartets who will be competing to win the title of Barbershop in Harmony Mixed Quartet Champions 2015 and the subsequent opportunity to represent the UK in Mixed Quartet barbershop competitions within Europe.

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Tickets to watch the event can be purchased on the day from the registration team at Bournemouth International Centre. Entry to the watch the competition is priced at £25 for an adult ticket, £20 for an under 25 and just £10 for those aged 5-16.

Keep an eye out on social media for more information on the event and come along to cheer on your fellow barbershoppers!

The draw for the competition was completed on Saturday 15th August and include members from BABS, Sweet Adelines International Region 31 and LABBS and is as follows: 1. Hannah and the Hurricanes 2. 4 Moor 3. Tetrafonica 4. Frisson 5. 4 Kandles 6. Constellation 7. Delekaté 8. Jigsaw 9. Patchwork 10. Way out West 11. Blind Date 12. Connect4 13. BS4 14. Mastermix 15. Man Overboard 16. Noteability 17. Mojo

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Of course there are many different ways in which we can keep the entire mechanism of our voices working well, but I thought it would be useful to discuss a few of the main ways in which I try and keep vocally healthy during the rigorous touring schedule in The King’s Singers. However, before this, it really is impossible to talk about ‘vocal hygiene’ without first touching upon the simple physiology of the human voice. I will try and keep it brief, don’t worry!

VOCAL HYGIENE Note from Alyson: This time I'm pleased to feature a fantastic article on vocal hygiene, written by Timothy WayneWright and published by none other than the amazing The King's Singers, which we are honoured to reprint below. I'm sure their no-nonsense approach to taking care of the voice will resonate with all of you. I'd like to thank The King's Singers for their kind permission in allowing us to reprint their original article.

As singers, we have to look after our instrument – our voice, but what does ‘vocal hygiene’ actually mean? Essentially this term tries to explain how we should use and care for the human voice, enabling it to always be healthy and in prime, working order.

Vocal Folds or Vocal Cords

The vocal folds, also commonly known as the vocal cords, are folds of mucous membrane. They are roughly the same size as our eyelids and are located in the larynx.

Larynx

The larynx is the protective hard casing in which the vocal cords sit. The larynx is often referred to as the Adam’s Apple (in men), the Eve’s Apple (in women) or simply, the voice box.

How do we actually sing?

We make sound when the air expelled from our lungs passes through the larynx, causing the vocal cords to vibrate. It is this vibration that produces sound, enabling us to sing. Please bear in mind that this is a very basic guide on the physiology of how

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we sing, but I hope it helps in your understanding of the main principles.

So, back to ‘vocal hygiene’. Here are my top three topics with regards to looking after your instrument and keeping vocally healthy.

1. Hydration

This has to be top of the list, but why is drinking plenty of water so important in maintaining good vocal health?

Hydration allows the vocal cords to stay limber and flexible, allowing the cords to vibrate in the way that they should.

Secondly, drinking water helps us to maintain the protective lining of mucous which surround the cords. This layer of lubrication protects the vocal cords from the natural friction that occurs whilst they vibrate together. Without this layer of moisture the cords are not able to be as flexible as they need to be during singing.

As a result of singing without this added moisture, the vocal cords can get swollen, resulting in the singer’s voice lacking in power. If this issue is not addressed, dehydration can cause serious, sometimes permanent damage to the vocal cords.

SOLUTIONS Drink at least eight large glasses of water per day. Also, I firmly believe in steam inhalation, which really helps to rehydrate the cords.

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2. You are a vocal athlete!

Your larynx is like any other muscle in the body – it gets stronger with use but it also gets tired too. Treat your voice like a long distance runner treats his/her legs. You would not expect an athlete to train for a marathon all day and then go to the gym for a leg workout in the evening would you? The same applies to the voice.

Continually overusing your voice during the following activities can cause long-term damage:

• Throat clearing • Coughing • Screaming and shouting • Extended periods of loud talking • Extended periods of singing at extreme pitch or volume All of the above behaviours cause a high impact upon the vocal cords, resulting in them being forced together – vibrating very aggressively, for potentially a long period of time. Once again, the result can be a swelling of the cords, leading to a much weaker singing voice.

SOLUTIONS Vocal rest before and after performances is key to good vocal hygiene and it takes a lot of discipline. I try and have at least an hour of very little or ideally no talking, at least 30 minutes to an hour before each concert. After the show I try to get to bed as soon as possible to rest my voice for the performance the following day! Also, as is often the case, you will individually have a good idea of how your voice is feeling so listen carefully to what your body is telling you. Look out for any warning signs such as croakiness or pain in the throat.

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Here are the main benefits of warming up the voice: • Helping to avoid any damage to the vocal cords • Keeping your voice fit and strong • Helping to develop your vocal range Well, I hope this article has been of interest to you. There are of course many other issues that surround the concept of ‘vocal hygiene’ but the three topics above are the ones that I get asked about most regularly.

It is clear that using your voice for a hobby or for a profession is not easy, and there are many stumbling blocks along the way, but over time, looking after your instrument simply becomes a way of life.

3. The importance of warming up

Is warming up before you sing in a rehearsal or concert important? In my opinion, most certainly, yes. Yet why should you actually warm up? Well, warming up your vocal cords before you sing can be likened to the athlete once again. Just as you stretch and warm up your legs before you go for a run, we warm up our voices to avoid injuring or straining the delicate vocal muscles. If we put too much strain on the vocal cords whilst they are still ‘cold’ then we could easily cause damage to them.

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SPRINGBOARD TO ARTISTRY

Written by Darlene Rogers from the 2008 class at IES taught by Dale Syverson, Peggy Gram and Darlene Rogers

Note from editor: Used with permission from Sweet Adelines International.

Originally published in the October 2008 issue of Forward Motion, the newsletter for members of the Director’s Certification Program and front line directors.

From the American Heritage Dictionary, “artistry 1. Artistic ability, quality, or workmanship. 2. The practice or occupation of an artist.”

Artistry should be the ultimate goal of all performers yet the definition seems cold and forbidding, rather matter of fact, not necessarily something to achieve. When I see or hear a performer achieve artistry it is neither cold nor forbidding. It makes me feel warm, enriched, and enthralled, a part of the story that is being shared.

The artistry from the words, from the music/arrangement and from the emotional investment of the performer.

Yet, emotion only cannot produce artistry at the enthralling level. You know what I mean—a performance where the audience becomes a part of the performance. The performer achieves “a passionate imaginative sound that makes the listener see the music.”

That kind of artistry is built on skills that allow one to perform and share with ease.

The skills no longer show but were they not in place, there would be a noticeable difference in the performance. The pyramid is intended to give a visual picture of the skills needed to achieve vocal artistry and the hierarchy in which those skills should be developed.

Some people are born with the skills in place but most of the world must develop them one level at a time. The pyramid presents the layered learning that will lead to an artistic performance. To begin the journey toward artistry we will build the pyramid

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level by level. In the immortal words of Julie Andrews, “Let’s start at the very beginning.”

Breath/Posture

For a singer, the very beginning is getting your body, your instrument, prepared for the singing experience. Take the time to release and relax especially the upper body, those areas nearest the vocal mechanism. Next, make certain that you establish a singer’s alignment and engage the breathing apparatus. This level is so important to a singer’s development. Don’t be tempted to take it too lightly. Improving breath management improves our sound, our synchronisation and the movement of our phrases. Singers who breathe together and prepare the tone on the air, sing at a higher level. If you take the time to develop competence in breath/posture it will make the ensuing levels easier.

Accuracy

Artistry lives in the details delivered with finesse. An audience won’t buy into a performance, won’t believe the story you’re telling if they are made to feel uncomfortable with wrong notes or out of tune chords. Maintaining a tonal center and singing accurate intervals is a very good place to start. Strive to sing the appropriate intervals and sing the correct notes. Sylvia Alsbury, Certified Music Arranger in Sweet Adelines International

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says, “At the very least be piano accurate then we can worry about Pythagoras.” Joni Bescos, another acclaimed arranger of barbershop music, reminds us, “Pitch is a point not an area.”

Beauty of Tone/Vocal Freedom

Sing your voice. Be confident in your own sound. Explore the freedom that comes from singing with ease. This level is an ongoing process. I’m not sure if you ever really get past being concerned about the beauty of tone and your vocal freedom. It is a constant awareness as you grow. The things that interfere with your freedom and therefore the beauty of tone are not always easily identified. Tension, increased effort, using the wrong muscles to produce sound, emotional disturbances even the wrong idea of what you should sound like can all affect your tone. All these things get in the way of your vocal freedom and it takes time and concentration to develop this skill. Appropriate posture and good breath management are the foundation.

Resonation – Backspace & Ring

There are four areas of resonation available to the singer: the area from the top of the larynx to the back of the mouth, the back of the mouth, the mouth, and the nasal passages and sinus cavities. To use them to your best advantage you should keep them open and allow the sound

to go where it will. If you keep the pathway open, you will achieve the best resonated sound. Tension in any form, particularly in the area of the singing apparatus, will get in the way or inhibit the sound from traveling where it needs to go. The easily identified problem areas are a tight throat, an elevated chin, the head in front of the body (turtle like), a lazy soft palate, and the tongue. The tongue occupies three of the four resonating areas so learning to relax it and allow it to remain in neutral position until needed is an absolute necessity.

Resonance is ten percent space and 90 percent imagination but you have to be in control of keeping the space free and ready to receive the sound.

Backspace is where the warmth of your sound is developed. The back of the mouth and the throat are the resonators that are soft tissue and absorb the highs in the sound. Incorporating more backspace can lead to an overly dark sound. We want a well-balanced sound with equal parts backspace and ring. Ring is developed in those resonators with hard surfaces, they put the “ping” in the sound and that is where the overtone lives. These resonators magnify the highs in the sound but too much will bring about an abrasive, less than beautiful sound. An appropriate amount of backspace and ring is the balance desired.

Vocal Energy

The balance here is identifying physical energy and breath energy and distinguishing them from tension – energy v tension. Energy is that fire in your belly, it comes from the inside. It motivates and keeps your momentum going. Tension is from the outside. You can create tension by tightening parts of the body therefore slowing down or stopping the flow of energy. This is what happens when choreography is not appropriate to the music; it’s layered on top of the singing instead of coming from within. Tension is produced by making the muscles react.

Appropriate choreography allows the muscles to move while creating energy.

Breath energy comes from using the appropriate amount of air to spin a sound.

Too much air is too much energy, singing with force rather than energy. Singing with force will make the sound bypass resonators. Sound can be generated by a small amount of air—it just has to be steady and constant and the sound will be magnified by the resonators.

Verbal Skills & Articulation

From the Sweet Adelines International Judging Category Description Booklet (JCDB), the Expression Category “judges the performer’s ability to communicate musically. In vocal music, communication is strengthened by the meaningful

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delivery of lyrics, musical diction, artistic phrasing, appropriate dynamics and a projection of sincere emotion.”

At this level we learn to sing appropriate, well-matched vowels and consonants that don’t interrupt the flow of the tone. We learn to articulate with the artistry that allows communication of beautiful thoughts and ideas delivered on a beautiful tone. “The musical term for the desired style of delivery is legato, a basic style of vocal technique consisting of a seemingly uninterrupted, flowing vocal line with corresponding non-interfering articulation and pronunciation.” (source: JCDB)

Remember, the artistry is in the precision executed with finesse. This is the area where repetition must be with the intention of improving every time.

ARTISTRY

At last we have arrived at the ultimate—communicating our feelings, telling our story with our voice. We have built our pyramid of skills and are competent in executing them without tension. We can sing a well supported, accurate, beautiful tone with balanced resonation and lots of vocal energy and you can understand our words. Is it truly artistry until it is appreciated by an audience? We can rehearse our passionate, imaginative sound all day but I believe it becomes artistry when we make a listener see the music.

Your voice is your gift to share and the gift should be given joyfully. Allow your audiences to see your story and share your joy.

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SUMMARY OF THE JULY 2015 RMT MEETING The following items were discussed and agreed at the Regional Management Team (RMT) meeting held at the Jury’s Inn Hotel in Birmingham last 18-19 July 2015: • Reviewed feedback from Nottingham 2015 convention. Some key points will be addressed by the RMT and distributed to chapters.

• RMT is making plans to revise the convention weekend activities, especially with the Show of Champions. Further details will be communicated soon.

• Because of the continuous high scores at regional convention, it was decided that the Jean Miller Rose Bowl and the Beryl Mort Award will now be awarded to choruses with over 500 points and highest score in the Showmanship and Music categories, respectively.

• Deborah Pollard has agreed and been appointed as the Competition Coordinator for Gateshead 2016.

• All Events Tickets (AET) for Gateshead 2016 are set as follows: - Early bird – £65 for members, £75 for non-members, 50% off for youth - Standard – £70 for members, £80 for

non-members, 50% off for youth - Single tickets are set as follows: £25 for Friday, £35 for Saturday (includes Show of Champions), concessions apply • Volunteers needed for the following convention posts: - Official Panel Liaison (OPL) - Registration Coordinator - Courier Captain - Couriers - Pages • Rates to advertise in the convention programme are as follows: - same rate as 2015 for members - for non-members £100 for full page, £60 for half and £40 for quarter page • The 2017 regional convention will also be held at The Sage in Gateshead.

• Applications are now being accepted for the following RMT positions, term starting May 2016 to April 2018: - Team Coordinator - Membership Coordinator – note: will be elected by membership - Education Coordinator – note: will be appointed by International - Communications Coordinator • The mechanics of Women of Note in Region 31 are being finalised and will be announced shortly.

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• Next RMT meeting dates: - 13-15 November 2015 in Birmingham - 14 November is the RMT Open House, open to members interested in joining the RMT (details to be announced soon) - 19-21 February 2016 in Gateshead

RMT VACANCIES AND OPEN HOUSE 2015 Applications for the following Regional Management Team (RMT) posts are now being accepted: • Education Coordinator – deadline is 15 September 2015 • Membership Coordinator – deadline is 30 November 2015 • Team Coordinator – deadline is 31 December 2015 • Communications Coordinator – deadline is 31 December 2015 All posts listed above start in May 2016 for a two-year term. The application form is available to download from the regional website. Click on each position to read the job description.

Completed applications submitted to iwanttohelp@sweetadelines.org.uk will be forwarded to the Regional Nominating Committee, who will, in turn, request confidential appraisals from the people listed as references.

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Applications for Membership Coordinator will be carefully considered and at least two nominees will be selected by the Regional Nominating Committee. The slate for Membership Coordinator will then be prepared for election by the regional membership. Voting details will be provided later in the year.

The RMT will review the applications and appraisals to appoint the Team Coordinator and the Communications Coordinator. They will also forward recommendations to the Regional Leadership Committee and the Education Direction Committee (over at International HQ) for the Education Coordinator position.

Do you know or have members in your chapter who have all, or most, of the qualities listed below, and are interested in serving on the RMT? If so, please encourage them to complete and submit an application. The ideal potential nominee should work well on her own and as a team member to define and pursue goals and to carry out the aims of the region and Sweet Adelines International.

Her qualities should include the following: • Positive and objective attitude • Good listening skills • Critical and analytical thinking as well as imaginative and creative thinking

• Effective verbal and written communication skills • Knowledge and ability to use available resources • Ability to adapt easily to different environments • Ability to relate to a variety of personality types • Training and experience in a field which could be of value to the RMT

Applicants and nominees will also be invited to attend the RMT Open House on 14 November 2015 at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Birmingham. We’ll arrange for one night’s accommodation as well as reimburse travel expenses to and from Birmingham. It will be an opportunity to see what’s involved and how the RMT works.

19 September 2015

Ignite 2015 Scotland

Dundee

19 September 2015

Ignite 2015 South West

Devon

19 September 2015

Ignite 2015 Central

Nottingham

26 September 2015

Ignite 2015 North West

Manchester

26 September 2015

Ignite 2015 South East

Redhill

05-10 October 2015

69th Annual International Covention LABBS 2015 Convention

Las Vegas

Ignite 2015 Netherlands

Hoofdorp

30 October - 01 November 2015 07 November 2015 29-31 January 2016 06-08 May 2016

Bournemouth

Spring Forward with Birmingham LoveNotes Quartet of Nations Region 31 Gateshead Convention 2016

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ELLIE BLACKEBY, Lace City mills_ellie@hotmail.com

SANDRA LEA-RILEY, Heartbeat UK sandraleariley@virginmedia.com

ANNE CARGILL, Aberdeen annecargill2012@btinternet.com ALYSON CHANEY, RMT Workshop Coordinator, Lace City alysonchaney@yahoo.co.uk

DOROTHY MAIN, Aberdeen themains@talktalk.net NICKY SALT, CAL nicky.salt@hotmail.co.uk DAVID SANGSTER, Forth Valley carsonsangster@aol.com

GLENN CHANEY, Lace City glenn.chaney@yahoo.co.uk EMMA DUGUID, Vocal Dimension duguidemma@gmail.com NORMA FERRIER, Forth Valley norma.ferrier@whec.edin.sch.uk ELAINE HAMILTON, RMT Education Coordinator, CAL elainemrssh@aol.com TANYA JENKINS, CAL tunefultan@virginmedia.com

VALERIE TAYLOR, Vocal Dimension valerie.taylor@privacysolutions.co.uk GWEN TOPP, Aberdeen gmtopp@yahoo.co.uk MICHELLE WALKER, Lace City shelbywalks@yahoo.co.uk LYNDA WOOD, Phoenix lynda@pottonwoods.co.uk

NANCY KELSALL, Heartbeat UK nancykelsall@hotmail.com

COPY DEADLINE The next Harmony Rag will be issued in December - please send all contributions to harmonyrag@sweetadelines.org.uk by 15 November 2015