OVERTONES CELEBRATING OUR 70TH ANNIVERSARY A PUBLICATION OF THE WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN
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Celebrating 50 years as a Barbershopper!
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LEADERSHIP TEAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MUSICAL DIRECTOR Keith Harris ASSISTANT DIRECTORS Al Fennell Scott Kruse Chet Miechkowski Stash Rossi
PRESIDENT: Bob Sideli SECRETARY: Walt a.k.a. “Skip” Adams TREASURER: Simon Landless MUSIC VP: John Ford MARKETING VP: Stephen Bartell OPERATIONS VP: David Gasparik MEMBERSHIP VP: Joe Dempsey YOUTH IN HARMONY VP: Al Fennell GIG MASTER: Marc Schechter MEMBERS AT LARGE: Bill Kruse, Stephen Banker, Rick Roberts
OVERTONES STAFF EDITOR: John Fotia PRODUCTION EDITOR: Stephen Bartell AD SALES DIRECTOR: Mitchell Stein PROOFREADER: Stephen Banker PHOTOGRAPHER: Connie Delehanty
OUR MISSION STATEMENT We aspire to become one of the best musical organizations in the barbershop tradition. We embody and share the job of quality singing, entertaining, performing and community service. We strive to increase the awareness and appreciation of our art form locally and worldwide. We achieve this through a commitment to musical growth, mutual support, fellowship and fun!
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INCLUSION STATEMENT
HIRE US
Do you need to hire a quartet for a special occasion, like a birthday or a wedding? Would you like our chorus to perform at your next corporate event? Would you like to do a concert fundraiser for your charitable organization or cause? Barbershop music can be just what the doctor ordered! Call us today with any and all of your questions 914-298-7464 or visit Chordsmen.org and fill out our contact form and we will call you right away. Contact us via “snail mail” at: The Westchester Chordsmen, P.O. Box 587, White Plains, New York 10602. THE WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN is a non profit 501(C)(3) performing arts organization.
OVERTONES CELEBRATING OUR 70TH ANNIVERSARY A PUBLICATION OF THE WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN
Top: The early 1960s. Contest Package. Gardner Peene, directing. Middle: The late 1970s. Contest Package. “Mustaches.” Bottom: The new Millenium. “The Sailor Package.” Keith Harris, directing.
OVERTONES WESTFAIR COMMUNICATIONS INC. CUSTOM PUBLISHING DIVISION
Fairfield County Business Journal, Westchester County Business Journal 4 Smith Ave., Suite 2, Mount Kisco, NY 10549 Tel. 914-694-3600 • Fax 914-694-3699 westfaironline.com
PUBLISHER - Dee DelBello CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER - Dan Viteri SUPPLEMENT COORDINATOR - Anne Jordan
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The Westchester Chordsmen are proud of the many decades in which we have welcomed men of all backgrounds and ethnicities. The members of the Westchester Chordsmen not only accept differences in our chorus, but we also celebrate them. We are committed to having a diverse membership, considering it to be a source of strength. All membership applicants receive equal consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age. A basic ability to sing, and a desire to share in the joy of singing with others, are the only prerequisites for membership.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 4
SCHEDULE OF WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN PERFORMANCES/ACTIVITIES
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UP FRONT WITH KEITH HARRIS
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SEVENTY YEARS AND GOING STRONG
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A STORY TO TELL
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THE CHORDSMEN AND THE BRONX BOMBERS
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LYN KAUFMAN, SPIDER MAN
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HOW I BECAME A CHORDSMAN
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HIRING THE WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN
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A PAST PRESIDENT WHO KNOWS ABOUT CHANGE
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BACK IN BUSINESS
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QUARTET AND CHORUS GIGS
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SINGING ALL OVER WESTCHESTER AT THE HOLIDAYS
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FROM THE CHORDSMEN...WITH LOVE
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BEST OF WESTCHESTER
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REMEMBERING HOWARD SPONSELLER
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REMEMBERING IAN TELLIS
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REMEMBERING CARTER WILLSEY
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LETTING SINGABLE CONSONANTS DO THEIR WORK
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OVERTONES
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A note of thanks to the
Westchester Chordsmen
for bringing joy to people around the world with your a cappella performances!
Douglas C. Lane & Associates
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_______________________________________________
159 Underhill Lane, Peekskill NY, 10566
Schedule of Westchester Chordsmen Major Performances/Activities
DECEMBER 4, 2022 Holiday Show at Rye Presbyterian Church FEBRUARY 2023 Ready Set Sing! - Free Singing Lessons for six weeks Singing Valentines 4
MAY 20, 2023 Spring Show at Chappaqua Performing Arts Center SEPTEMBER 2023 Ready Set Sing! - Free Singing Lessons for six weeks OCTOBER 2023 OVERTONES Magazine 9th Edition NOVEMBER 2023 A Capella Youth Festival
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Schedule subject to change and subject to Covid restrictions Check our website for latest update: chordsmen.org.
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The Westchester Chordsmen Tenors
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OVERTONES
UP FRONT WITH KEITH HARRIS KEITH HARRIS. AND WE’RE BACK.
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Most articles now seem to start off by restating how hard the last two years have been. I prefer to thank our fans for their amazing support during the shutdown, and to recognize the dedication of our members who kept our amazing organization together. Thank you, ALL! As with all musical groups, returning has not completely been business as usual. That said, the Chordsmen have been very fortunate to return to a busy schedule. In December, we sang for four outdoor tree and menorah lighting events. Due to the then “new” omicron variant we were not able to host our annual holiday concert (which will return this season on December 4th), so the support from our local community was very much appreciated. In April, we started a new tradition and it was a smash hit. After so much time away from the rehearsal hall, and arguably too much time on Zoom, we held a members-only retreat at Camp Winadu in the Berkshires. It was a wonderful weekend and a great chance to rehearse and socialize. We have already booked another retreat for April of 2023. The big news of 2022 is that our return to the stage entitled “Back in Business” SOLD OUT! On May 21st we hosted a 90-minute concert at the Ossining Presbyterian Church to a very excited and sold-out house of fans. Moving ahead, we’re looking forward to the return of our youth festival on November 6th, sponsored by Mamaroneck High School. This event will feature the amazing and renowned female quartet “GQ” (www.girlsquartet.com). As noted above, our holiday
Keith Harris
concert will return on December 4th, and we are excited to also bring back our Ready Set Sing program which offers free voice lessons to men or male identifying singers. (To sign up for our next session please visit www.Chordsmen.org). Sing in Harmony, Live in Harmony.
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2022
GOLDEN APPLE CHORUS
Golden Apple Chorus is an award-winning women’s barbershop chorus and a chapter of Sweet Adelines International. Contact us to entertain at your next event.
Love to Sing? Join us!
Tuesdays, 6:30pm
Contact membership chair for location and more information Contact: dbuschel@optonline.net www.goldenapplechorus.com
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2023
OVERTONES READ ABOUT OUR 2019 A CAPPELLA YOUTH FESTIVAL WITH SPECIAL GUESTS 2019 INTERNATIONAL BRONZE MEDALISTS MIDTOWN A PUBLICATION OF THE WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN
Distributed via the Westchester County Business Journal on-line, given out at Chordsmen performance venues and other locations all over Westchester County.
For ad rates and sizes, please contact: Stephen Bartell, VP Marketing at 914-833-8683, or email sjbartell3@gmail.com
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The Westchester Chordsmen Chorus will be proud to publish its Nineth Annual Edition of OVERTONES Magazine to be published in November, 2023. We are accepting advertising for your business—or post a personal message for your student (or spouse) singer!
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OVERTONES
SEVENTY YEARS AND GOING STRONG BOB SIDELI
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BOB SIDELI. I am honored to be writing this column for our eighth edition of Overtones. I took over as president of the chorus this year, following in the footsteps of Steve Banker who served as our president for five long years. During the depths of the pandemic, when many performing arts organizations were disappearing, or at best shrinking, we seemed to be experiencing a renaissance. As Steve wrote about so eloquently in last year’s edition of Overtones, we took great advantage of the technologies available to us, we were able to spend quality time together, and we produced many virtual performances. We owe much of these successes to Steve’s steady leadership. In 2023, we celebrate our 70th anniversary, having received our charter on June 26, 1953. I was born just a few months later. In fact, when I joined the chorus in 2019, I remember saying to myself, “Gee isn’t that nice? The chorus is as old as me!” John Fotia, a longtime member, and Overtones editor has written a wonderful book titled, “The Westchester Chordsmen – A History” which fully documents the first 65 years of our existence. Many things have changed over the years, but the one constant throughout our history (and that of the human species) is a driving need for people to sing together. So, I thought it would be appropriate for me to tell my own nearly 70-year history of finding a singing voice. Music has always been a core part of my life. Family lore includes stories about how, as an infant, my mother would park me in front of the TV and I would be mesmerized by classical concert music. In grade school, I started piano lessons, but that didn’t last very Bob at the piano. A little Ray Charles, perhaps?
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Bob Sideli
However, nobody wants to hear the piano player vocalize a ballad’s melody in a ridiculously whiney falsetto voice. So, I started thinking that it would be nice if I could actually sing. My introduction to the Chordsmen happened at a winter holiday party. I was playing holiday tunes on the piano and Joe DiSalvo joined along and sang a couple of songs. We got to talking about singing and about my desire to learn how to sing and he told me that he was a member of a barbershop cho-
rus and that the chorus had a program called Ready Set Sing (RSS) that could help me learn how to sing. And that’s how I found my way back to the “choir.” When I retired several years ago, my plan was to dedicate myself full time to playing the piano, but the thought never entered my mind that my life would be forever changed by re-discovering my lost voice. And best of all, I have had the opportunity to join up with the one of the greatest group of guys I have ever known.
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long. My sister had a falling out with our piano teacher over song selection. She terminated her lessons and no one thought to ask, “What about Bob?!” However, I stubbornly continued to play the piano, mostly making noise, but slowly teaching myself how to play. My mother signed me up to sing in our church boys’ choir where I learned to sing Gregorian chants. I have fond memories of singing a solo during midnight mass. I started in the soprano section and was moved to the alto section. I was asked to leave the choir when my voice began to mature. By seventh grade, I was playing the organ in a garage band called The Phase Phour. We even played a few gigs, including playing at a grade school dance and at a classmate’s bat mitzvah. By the time I was in high school, I was playing with the older guys. We were doing well, getting gigs, and learning how to jam, but it all fell apart when the older brother of our lead guitarist drove us to the 1969 Woodstock festival. My parents locked my keyboard in the closet when I got home, and that was the end of my rock and roll career. I continued to play the piano and figured out that girls really liked it when I played for them. My repertoire included many girl-pleasing popular songs. But mostly, I improvised on the blues and played fast boogie-woogie pieces. That is how my music life progressed for many decades. As my repertoire expanded and I discovered the American Songbook, I found that I loved the melodies and harmonies of the 20s through the 40s. Like many pianists, I vocalize and, in my case, in a falsetto voice. This isn’t as much of an issue when I play blues and boogies.
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OVERTONES
A STORY TO TELL JOHN FOTIA
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John Fotia
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JOHN FOTIA. About nine years ago, Stephen Bartell and I met with Dee Delbello, editor of the Westchester Wag. Our mission was to convince her to publish an insert in her magazine. It would be what was to become Overtones. I remember seeing her interest pique when I told her that we had been around for almost 60 years and that we “have a story to tell.” Today, as we publish our eighth edition, and celebrate the chapter’s 70th anniversary, we have more stories to tell. The year 2022 has seen many changes in the world of Barbershop. Since its beginnings in the middle of the 20th Century, change has always been an integral part of the Westchester Chordsmen story. Stephen Banker, having served as chapter president for
an eventful five terms, was succeeded by Bob Sideli. Stephen’s leadership during the pandemic proved to be just what the doctor ordered and we all owe him our gratitude for a job well done. Bob’s leadership skills became clear during the past few years as well. Today, he oversees a chorus that continues to grow and continues to provide the kind of services to the community that have become the hallmark of the Westchester Chordsmen. Singing Valentines, public performances, and free singing lessons all continue to thrive as the chapter meets the challenges of this decade with a sense of determination and a song in our hearts. The more things change, the more they remain the same. There are the
constants. Sharing a mutual love of harmony; an admiration for the magic made possible by combining human voices to produce sounds that excite, move, and inspire us. That is what keeps the chorus on the risers for hours rehearsing to get it as close to perfection as possible. Another constant over the past 12 years has been the guidance of a superb maestro. Keith Harris challenges us. He excites, moves, and inspires us. In June of 2023, The Westchester Chordsmen will celebrate seven decades of sharing their love for music with the world. From the White House to the wall in China, from CBS Good Morning America to Late Night with David Letterman. We were there. Here’s to the next 70 years!
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0 — ver — tone (noun). A musical tone that is a part of the harmonic series above a fundamental note and may be heard with it (e.g., when the bass, baritone and lead sing their pitches, the tenor pitch — the overtone — c an be heard without the help of the tenor). When achieved, the result is a perfectly pitched combination of voices.
Steve Delehanty, Steve Marrin, Keith Harris, and Al Fennell as “The Chordon Bleus” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. They “reimagined” Neil Young’s Cinnamon Girl as sung by Barbershop quartet.
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OVERTONES
THE CHORDSMEN AND THE BRONX BOMBERS STEPHEN BANKER
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STEPHEN BANKER. It’s a singer’s dream to perform the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium. The Chordsmen had that pleasure last summer, just as we were emerging from our Zoom cocoon. Having isolated for over a year, we finally started rehearsing outdoors, and then felt comfortable moving indoors. Yet, we were starved for performing opportunities. I approached the Yankees about the National Anthem and sent them a few videos of the Chordsmen in action. They quickly gave us the thumbs-up, but noted that, due to COVID restrictions, they were not allowing live anthems, instead resorting to video presentations on the Big Screen for the entire season. We sprang into action and assembled the risers, all the necessary recording equipment and 43 of Westchester’s finest barbershoppers. The recording session was a real joy, especially after our long period of COVID limitations, and we were all (including the Yankees) pleased with the results. Once the Yankees set a date, about 40 of us stepped to the plate and bought tickets for the game (my thanks to the group sales office for their help in securing a block of seats). After a grand introduction over the stadium loudspeakers, we all stood and watched (and listened to) ourselves sing. Of course, it was met with a roar of applause from the crowd, even as the final notes were still ringing. To top it off, we were treated to the Yankees thrashing the Twins! A great day all around. You can watch our performance on YouTube, in its pristine form youtube. com/watch?v=FgCx6irwLQo or in the ambience of Yankee Stadium youtube. com/watch?v=ttHN2YWsXfs&t. Either way, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
Stephen Banker
The Westchester Chordsmen perform the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium.
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OVERTONES
LYN KAUFMAN, SPIDER MAN JOHN FOTIA
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JOHN FOTIA. In June, assistant director, Stash Rossi shared an email which showed a worker suspended high above the earth working on the West Antenna Tower of the Sears building in Chicago. This prompted a response from Lyn Kaufman which I want to share with you. But first a word about Lyn. As show director for a dozen Chordsmen shows, I spent many hours working with Lyn. He was my right-hand man when it came to all things technical. He was always the first to show up on tech day, having managed to beg, borrow, and rent (not steal) the equipment and personnel needed for the shows. We could not have done it without him. Often suspended high about the stage focusing lights, it is little wonder that his past included climbing tall television towers. I remember once when we car pooled to a gig, we passed one of these towers which had a crew climbing. Lyn educated the rest of us on what was happening. It became clear to all of us that this was a man with a very interesting past. He is the oldest member of our chorus and yet nobody would know it. He can be counted on whenever the need arises, chorus jobs, valentine quartet assignments, sing-outs or retreats. He is there. He probably still helps put up the risers. He is an amazing man. What follows is Lyn’s comment after reading Stash’s blurb. LYN KAUFMAN. 1n 1953, I climbed a different tall Chicago building to fix a TV Channel 3 batwing antenna problem on a rooftop tower that RCA Service Company sent me to fix. In 20-degree weather gloves were a must. Any skin touching metal at below freezing will stay on the metal. I preferred summer days climbing guyed towers, up to 1000 feet, hand over hand. Climbing in open country from tower tops, I could look down at light planes (Piper Cubs J3 and J7, Aeronca
Chiefs, Taylorcrafts, etc.) practicing turns. I’m glad I didn’t stay in it full time. Instead, I had fun in Sales and Marketing. In Spring of 1956, “El Presidente” Anastasio Somoza of Nicaragua asked RCA International to demonstrate a complete TV station with 50 TV sets distributed around Managua, the capital, for the public to see it in action. I obligingly took a team down with the equipment, set it up and operated two weeks of programming (in Spanish) for several hours each evening. Of course, it got the favorable local press coverage El Presidente sought. And I easily negotiated a successful sale with Somoza. A sale was a lot easier than having to pack up all the equipment and ship back those 50 TV sets and the works. Another time, RCA sent me to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia to plan the first TV studio and system in Arabia, for Aramco. Their engineers were mostly concerned with drilling for oil, but they also knew how to take good care of their families who were with them overseas usually for several years at a time. They had neatly plotted out one quarter acre parcels of land as for single-family ownership like Westchester County’s Scarsdale, New York. And, being engineers, several showed me their secret cellar operations of a complete still so they could produce their own alcoholic products, strictly verboten in Muslim countries. You either had to smuggle them in and take a chance of not being caught or produce your own. The pharmacy at 43rd St. and Lexington Avenue in New York is where they got fragrance drops to match a Johnny Walker Black label or an oak barrel aged Scotch. Labels from the genuine empty bottles in the USA were mailed to them. I scored well in several blind tastings. Jim Bain’s scotch was so sought after that he made extra bottles to trade with Carl Lang’s Black Label. That was July 1956 during the Suez conflict -- thousands
of miles away and of no concern to us. I finished the sketches for their TV studio and show production offices and returned home for another assignment. EDITOR Along with confirmation of his author proof, Lyn mentioned that the whole thing got him reminiscing. He sent along a few other souvenirs I think you might enjoy. LYN KAUFMAN: In 1956, at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York (the RCA building), sometimes I would share an elevator ride with “the general,” David Sarnoff, president, and CEO. He had to keep going to the top floor executive offices while I was able to descend at the 12th floor to dictate letters while looking out my window at the girls ice-skating below doing figure eights and spins. Sometimes, I was asked to escort visitors from foreign countries to see the NBC Studios or to meet “the father of television.” Vladimir Zworykin, who invented the iconoscope tube which made electronic television possible and rendered obsolete the earlier mechanical attempts. We would lunch in the top floor Rainbow Room right next to the General’s office. In 1958, the Television Equipment Section at RCA International got a phone call from Washington. The State Department “expressed a strong interest” in having RCA respond to a request for quotations from the United Arab Republic, a newly formed coalition of Egypt, Syria, and several other Arab States, to provide complete networks of TV stations and telecommunications throughout Egypt and Syria. With all others of our group out on foreign assignments, I had to take the call. Next day, I was in DC with several senior RCA execs, the non-exec who would be putting it all together. Major stations for Cairo and Alexandria. Satellites at Aswan, Luxor, and Suez. In Syria, big stations for Damascus and Aleppo. Factories to assemble TV sets. Telephone systems throughout each country. After seven weeks of work, mostly until 2 AM, the resulting mega-million-dollar bid was awarded to RCA and was the largest contract in RCA International history.
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Westchester Chordsmen
Westchester Westchester Chordsmen Chordsmen on the seventh edition of edition edition ofof ononthe theseventh seventh OVERTONES Magazine
OVERTONES OVERTONES Magazine Magazine "The toughest part goes to the toughest guys!"
"The "Thetoughest toughest part part goes goes The Chordsmen Baritones totothe thetoughest toughestguys!" guys!" The TheChordsmen ChordsmenBaritones Baritones 15
To Al Fennell, Benjamin and Stephen Banker: May your chords always ring true! Call (914) 328-0163 280 Mamaroneck Ave. or visit Suite 201 White Plains, NY 10605 www.Smiles4Families.com For more information
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We Salute the WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN Chorus and Quartets
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OVERTONES
HOW I BECAME A CHORDSMAN RICK ROBERTS
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RICK ROBERTS. January 2017. I’m reading something. I don’t remember whether it was print or online but something caught my attention, “Free Singing Lessons for Men.” Other than singing in my car or occasionally in the bathtub, I hadn’t done any singing in a lot of years. I was in my high school choir until about 10th grade. The only other “formal” music training I had was attempting to learn to play an alto saxophone in the 4th grade. My music skills were very limited and my intentions upon seeing the Westchester Chordsmen’s advertisement for singing lessons wasn’t to become a “singer.” I had known Bob Lohaus for several years by 2017. I even went to see him perform with the Chordsmen at Highview school in White Plains when they were doing a show featuring the Beatles music. As a side note, my then girlfriend was furious with me that evening because I was singing along, rather loudly, to the songs I knew, with the chorus. She protested that she was there to hear the chorus and not me! But I digress. I never thought for a moment that I would be on stage as a member of the Westchester Chordsmen. What was Barbershop music anyway? When the girlfriend told me that we were going to see Bob sing with the chorus along with Anne and a couple of other friends, I was happy to go to support a friend in his hobby. When I thought of Barbershop singing my thoughts went immediately to four White guys in straw hats, bowties, and vests. I was surprised and impressed when I saw that show. The thought of singing as a member of the chorus never even crossed my mind. When I did see the ad in January 2017, I remembered the show and Bob’s participation, but that’s not what got me out to the “Ready Set Sing (RSS)” singing lessons. I love to entertain and I love to read short stories. One of the events that we would often have at our house was “short story reading” parties. When
Rick Roberts
we found two or three short stories that had interesting themes, ideas, situations, or concepts, we would invite friends over for food, drink, and conversation. Then, I would read the short stories that we had chosen. It was sort of like having a book club where no one had to read the book in advance. All the guests would hear the story at the same time, we would have discussions about the issues raised by the authors, eat, drink, and have a great time. The reason the RSS ad caught my attention was because I wanted to improve my “reading voice!” So, off I went. When I arrived at Kol Ami that first evening, I had no idea what to expect. I came into the doors at the front of the building and was warmly greeted by Steve Banker and everyone working at the front door. My voice placement test was given by
Erik Contzius, and I was sent to join the leads where I was introduced to my riser buddy, Jim Taylor. By week two, at a breakout session with Keith, he immediately saw that I was no lead, so it was off to the basses for me. By the end of the RSS program, I had fallen in love with this group of men. I was having a Bromance with 60+ guys that I had just met so I continued to come to the rehearsals, every Monday night, through February, March, April, and May as the chorus was preparing for the Division Contest. I knew that unless I was a member of the chorus and BHS, I couldn’t sing at Contest, I couldn’t let “my guys” go on without me, so I finally auditioned. I’ve been proudly standing on the risers with these men, my friends, ever since, still learning to sing in the “Barbershop” style.
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What does it take to be a Lead? Leads sing the melody. The melody must be sung with authority, clarity and consistent quality throughout his range. The lead sings with limited vibrato to add color and warmth to the sound.
The lead conveys the interpretation, emotion, and inflections of the song.
Have you got what it takes to be a Lead? Visit our website at Chordsmen.org
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Too much vibrato and the chord will not “lock” or “ring” or produce the unique, “expanded” or full sound that is characteristic of barbershop harmony.
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OVERTONES
The Westchester Chordsmen entertain the crowd at Crawford Park in Rye Brook.
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HIRING THE WESTCHESTER CHORDSMEN Hire Us!
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Do you need to hire a quartet for a special occasion, like a birthday, anniversary, or retirement? Would you like a quartet or our chorus to perform at your next Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Halloween, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukah, or other holiday celebration? Have you considered engaging one of our quartets or our chorus to perform at your business or marketing event, city/town recreation program or performing arts series, or charitable fund fundraiser? Impress your guests and fill the air with the rich chords of Barbershop style a cappella singing in four-part close harmony! Our repertoire includes popular songs from rock and roll, jazz, country music, the big band era, Broadway shows, hit movies, memorable songs for the Christmas and Hanukah holidays, patriotic songs such as the Star Span-
gled Banner, God Bless America, the U.S. Military fight songs, inspirational songs, classic Barbershop Polecat love songs, and more. We have a wide range of offerings to fit your needs. Prices start at $100. • Anytime Singing Valentine. A Westchester Chordsmen quality quartet dressed in black tuxedos, white shirts, red vests and red bow ties will perform two classic Barbershop Polecat love songs, and/or Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, or Happy “other occasion” for your friend or loved one. The quartet will travel to your specified location within the local area and give a live performance lasting about 5-10 minutes. • Master Quartet. A Westchester Chordsmen premium quartet with an expansive repertoire will perform a variety of songs suitable for general entertainment or your particular occasion. The quartet will travel to your specified location within the local area
and give a live performance lasting 15 to 60 minutes. • Custom Quartet Videogram. We will produce a high quality video of a Westchester Chordsmen quality quartet dressed in black tuxedos, white shirts, red vests and red bow ties performing two classic Barbershop Polecat love songs, and/or Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, or Happy other occasion for your friend or loved one. We will email a private YouTube link of the quartet recording to you, or if you prefer we will email it directly to your friend or loved one on the date you specify. • Small Chorus. A Westchester Chordsmen Chorus of 8 to 12 singers will perform a variety of songs from our chorus repertoire suitable for general entertainment or your particular occasion. The chorus will travel to your specified location within the local area and give a live performance lasting 30 to 60 minutes.
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Contact us today by filling out the form on our web site at https://chordsmen.org/hire-a-quartet-or-our-wholechorus/, or by sending an email to gigmaster@chordsmen.harmonysite.com. Our Gigmaster will call you right away!
Steve Delehanty, Scott Pollak, Stephen Bartell, and Simon Landless make someone happy.
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John Knight, Chet Miechkowski, Richard Greif, and Simon Landless bring joy to a hospital staff.
Leonard Sklerov, Bill Kruse, Glen Allen and Marty Taylor surprise another happy recipient.
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
• Full Chorus. A Westchester Chordsmen Chorus of 25 to 35 singers will perform a variety of songs from our chorus repertoire suitable for general entertainment or your particular occasion. The chorus will travel to your specified location within the local area and give a live performance lasting up to 60 minutes. • Valentine’s Day Specials. A Westchester Chordsmen quality quartet dressed in black tuxedos, white shirts, red vests and red bow ties will perform two classic Barbershop Polecat love songs, and/or Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, or Happy “other occasion” for your friend or loved one. The quartet will travel to your specified location within the local area and give a live performance lasting about 5-10 minutes. A Singing Valentine must be pre-ordered on our web site (or our Valentine telephone hot line) for delivery on Valentine’s Day, February 14. Orders may be placed beginning in January. For senior communities, hospitals, and recreation centers, we offer a Valentine’s Day Master Quartet performing an expanded repertoire of love songs for 30 minutes. Valentine’s Day Master Quartets may be requested by calling our Valentine telephone hot line or by emailing gigmaster@chordsmen.harmonysite.com in January. Please note that we request two (2) weeks lead time for booking an Anytime Singing Valentine, a Master Quartet, or a Custom Quartet Videogram, and three (3) months lead time for booking our Chorus. However, these are minimums. To assure the availability of a quartet or our chorus for your performance date, you should contact us as early as possible. All our offerings are subject to our availability on the requested date.
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A PAST PRESIDENT WHO KNOWS ABOUT CHANGE
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EDITOR. One of my fondest memories of working with Joe Dechiario was in one of the shows that I directed for the Chordsmen. It was called “A salute to the American Presidents.” In it, we presented a takeoff of the “Who’s on First” sketch. Tom LaMotte portrayed George W. Bush and Joe was Dick Cheney. The bit played with the delightful fact that the new leader of China’s name was “Hu.” You can imagine. Joe’s lovely wife, Joy, is an active supporter of the Chordsmen. She has been a regular guest on our shows, and we grabbed every opportunity to feature her lovely voice. I’ll never forget her appearance as a gossip columnist in a show titled, “The Westchester Daily Note, A Barbershop Newsical,” written by the talented and witty Steve Delehanty. Besides getting laughs channeling Bud Abbott, Joe served as chapter president during a period of tremendous change. The chorus was getting a new look and a new name. Joe’s calm leadership during those years was, and remains, greatly appreciated by the members and fans of The Westchester Chordsmen. When asked how he became a member, this was Joe’s reply. JOE DECHIARIO. It was Christmas time and my wife and I were shopping at Macy’s in New Rochelle. Suddenly, we heard a men’s chorus singing. We were enjoying the seasonal music, and, as we stood there listening, one of the men asked if I could sing. Without hesitation my wife responded, “Oh, yes he can!” As the years passed, I was privileged to be president of this wonderful group of men. It was at the time when the chorus was “re-imagined” and the
(Sebastian) Joe and Joy Dechiario. Joy is an active supporter of the group and has volunteered both on and off the stage.
Joe and his grandsons at the ballpark.
“Golden Chordsmen” became “The Westchester Chordsmen.” Through the years, we have had many wonderfully talented directors: Dave Schuman, Alan Fennell, Renee Craig, Dusty Schleier, and now, taking us to new heights, Keith Harris. Well, now, thirty-eight years later,
I still go to rehearsal once a week (albeit with my walker) and with my good friend, John. Each time, I look forward to another evening of friendship, camaraderie, good cheer, and great harmony. I look forward to being a part of the Chordsmen for as long as I can.
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To The Westchester Chordsmen Thanks For Your Efforts To Keep The Whole World Singing
The Sideli Family
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BACK IN BUSINESS
The Chordsmen perform live for the first time in two years. (Photo courtesy of Connie Delehanty).
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MITCH STEIN. “Welcome, everyone, to the 2022 Ossining Summer Music Festival.” So began the Westchester Chordsmen’s Spring concert on May 21st. The line was a joke – the temperature outside was 90 degrees - but the “welcome” certainly was not. Almost two and a half years after our last live performance, there was an overwhelming sense of excitement and anticipation as we took the stage for our aptly named show, “Back in Business.” The audience was ready to be entertained and the chorus members were anxious to give them what they wanted. We opened with a new addition to our repertoire, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Black National Anthem. The audience stood and sang this moving song with us, setting the mood for the evening. Other new tunes on the set list included Duke Ellington’s “Satin Doll,” the “Armed Forces Medley,” a tribute to all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely.” The emotional peak of the show was the Chordsmen’s performance of Kurt Bestor’s “Prayer of the Children,” a haunting song dedicated to the inno-
Dan Rendich, Rob Scholl, Stephen Scholl, and Scott Kruse. (Photo courtesy of Connie Delehanty).
cent victims of war. The show also featured five quartets spread throughout the evening. The quartets sang a wide variety of songs, ranging from the barbershop classic “Coney Island Baby” to Broadway’s “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” to a medley of ABBA tunes. The audience was enthusiastic from start to finish, enjoying up tunes as well as inspirational songs and participating in a sing-along of “New York, New York.” It was a very emotional evening for
both the participants and the performers. It ended with a flourish with our presentation of Chordsmen director Keith Harris’ composition “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor,” with words adapted from the work of Emma Lazarus, featuring a solo by our assistant director, Scott Kruse. After being sidelined by the pandemic for two-and-a-half years, it was fantastic to be back on stage doing what we do best and enjoy most – entertaining our fans with four-part harmony. It is truly great to be Back in Business!
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Thank you to Director Keith Harris and the Chordsmen for the music The Quinlan Family
Erin Talboys erin@desiresbymikolay.com 914.331.7945 914.238.2223 55 King Street Chappaqua, NY erin_desiresbymikolay
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QUARTET AND CHORUS GIGS MARC SCHECHTER
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MARC SCHECHTER. (Westchester Chordsmen Gigmaster). Since the founding of the Westchester Chordsmen in 1953, we have been excited to perform Barbershop style a cappella four-part harmony singing throughout the greater Westchester community. Typically, each year, we produce shows, concerts, and festivals featuring our chorus and quartets. We stage our shows, concerts, and festivals at venues selected to serve a wide range of Westchester locales. Dates are chosen to cover a generous assortment of seasons and holidays. Many of you have attended and enjoyed our shows and concerts. On February 14 of each year, a multitude of Westchester Chordsmen quartets bring Singing Valentines to sites throughout Westchester and nearby counties. On either the first or second Saturday in December, we split into two choruses which bring Christmas and Hanukah holiday songs to nursing homes and senior residential communities. At the end of the day, the two choruses join up at the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plains to bring holiday cheer to the patients, staff, and their families. We perform numerous gigs on other dates and at other places in celebration of family, community, business, and other events. One of our favorite chorus gigs was performing at the New York Botanical Garden annual Christmas tree and Menorah lighting ceremony on Southern Boulevard in the Bronx. In December 2021, we expanded our holiday gig offering with live chorus performances at Scarsdale’s Light the Dale, the Hastings-on-Hudson Christmas Tree and Menorah lighting, and the town of Rye annual tree lighting at Rye town park. In addition, Westchester Chords-
Marc Schechter
men Master Quartets performed live holiday gigs at the Untermyer Performing Arts Council “Caroling for a Cause” at Untermyer Park in Yonkers, the City of Rye holiday bonfire, and the New Rochelle Holiday Market. A Master Quartet is a premium Westchester Chordsmen quartet with an expansive repertoire for performing a variety of songs suitable for general entertainment or a particular occasion. A Master Quartet will travel to a specified location within the local region and give a live performance lasting 15 to 60 minutes. Beside holiday gigs, Westchester Chordsmen Master Quartets entertain at numerous other events or occasions every year, such as ice cream socials, birthday parties, Memorial Day cele-
brations, Nursing Home Week celebrations, and more. Over the years, our Singing Valentines on February 14 have been so popular, that we receive frequent requests for “Valentine” quartets for birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions on other dates throughout the year. As a result, we created our “Anytime Singing Valentine.” Each Anytime Singing Valentine consists of a Westchester Chordsmen quality quartet dressed in black tuxedos, white shirts, red vests, and red bow ties performing two classic barbershop “polecat” love songs, and/or Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, or Happy “other occasion” for your friend or loved one. Anytime Singing Valentine quartets
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“The Letterman Quartet” appears on Late Night with David Letterman. (Left to right: Tom LaMotte, Bob Seda, Paul Shaffer, Steve Delehanty and Al Fennell).
travel to various locations throughout the local area and give live performances lasting about 5 to 10 minutes each. An Anytime Singing Valentine can be booked on any date throughout the year, and, therefore, it is priced slightly higher than the special discounted price for February 14. As of the writing of this article, we plan two very exciting live gigs for the
Fall of 2022. The Westchester Chordsmen Chorus will be performing at the Tarrytown Halloween Parade on October 29. A Westchester Chordsmen Master Quartet will be performing at the ArtsWestchester Serious Fun Arts Festival on Thursday, October 13. During the height of the Covid pandemic, in the interest of health and safety, the Westchester Chords-
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The Westchester Chordsmen perform at an assisted living facility.
men suspended live performances. Instead, we developed a new offering that we call Custom Quartet Videograms. A Videogram is a high-quality video of a Westchester Chordsmen quality quartet dressed in black tuxedos, white shirts, red vests, and red bow ties performing two classic love songs, and/or Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, or Happy other occasion for your friend or loved one. The Custom Quartet Videogram is emailed in the form of a private YouTube link featuring the quartet recording. While we have now resumed live performances in the greater Westchester region, we are still offering Custom Quartet Videograms for customers outside of the Westchester area, and for local customers who prefer a recorded quartet. If you would like to book either the Westchester Chordsmen Chorus or one of our quartets for your special event or occasion, please see our advertisement in this issue of Overtones, or go to our web site at chordsmen.org. The Westchester Chordsmen is a non-profit 501(c)(3) performing arts organization.
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SINGING ALL OVER WESTCHESTER AT THE HOLIDAYS
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SIMON LANDLESS. Every holiday season, the Chordsmen have a tradition of performing at local nursing homes and senior centers all over Westchester. But last year, because of Covid, we had to put those plans on hold as indoor singing was just too risky. Instead, we decided to take our show on the road by performing outdoors for local communities at their holiday tree lighting events. It turned out to be a big hit! We ended up performing at local town events all over the county. We scheduled stops on our “Holiday Tour” at Scarsdale, Yonkers, Rye Brook, Rye, New Rochelle, Hastings-on-Hudson, and Mamaroneck. Singing outdoors proved to be the healthiest way to perform both for our audience and for our members. And it was a great way to connect with hundreds of people who heard us sing for the first time. This coming holiday season, we are planning to resume our sing-outs at local senior homes culminating with a final performance at the Burke Rehab center in White Plains. But we’re still going to do more outdoor performances for local community events. Maybe, we’ll appear at a town near you. Come out and see us sing! It’s the best time of year to see the Chordsmen perform. And if you’re interested in hiring the chorus or an ensemble for your holiday event then reach out to us at www.chordsmen.org/contact.
Simon Landless
The Westchester Chordsmen perform at “Light the Dale,” a holiday tree lighting event at Scarsdale Village.
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FROM A FRIEND OF THE CHORDSMEN
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FROM THE CHORDSMEN...WITH LOVE
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TED HOWARD. One of the most important dates on the Westchester Chordsmen calendar is February 14, Valentine’s Day. It is a joyous day of happy and memorable love songs and caring wishes personally delivered to loved ones by our Singing Valentine quartets. The Chordsmen have traditionally crisscrossed Westchester County and nearby communities on THE BIG DAY to deliver in-person Singing Valentines to over 100 lucky spouses, significantothers, family, friends, and/or groups. In addition, the Chordsmen now offer a personalized video Valentine for persons inside and outside of Westchester that are delivered via e-mail to the recipient on Valentine’s Day. These digital “videograms” are a wonderful way to send your love to family and friends residing anywhere in the world, accompanied by the special harmonies of the Chordsmen. In-person Singing Valentines include two love songs from the Chordsmen Valentine repertoire. Prices start from $100 per delivery and our videograms, which also include two songs, are $50-$75 depending on the level of personalization you want. To order your special Valentine this season, please visit www.chordsmen. org/singing-valentines. If you have any questions, you can call us at 914-2987454. Please note that we often sell out of Singing Valentines quickly. To secure your preferred time slot this season, we recommend you place your order by February 1.
Ted Howard
Scott Kruse, Lyn Kaufmann, Scott Pollak, and Erik Contzius surprise a happy recipient.
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BEST OF WESTCHESTER
Westchester Magazine names The Westchester Chordsmen “Best Choir on Call.”
chordsmen.org
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SIMON LANDLESS. Thank you to all our friends and supporters who voted for us in this year’s Best of Westchester awards. We’re honored to be awarded the “Best Choir on Call.” We’re featured in this July’s Westchester Magazine and you can read all about us at: www.pageturnpro.com/Today-Media-Inc/104997-Westchester-MagazineJuly-2022/sdefault.html#page/98 Do you have a special event coming up? We can help brighten up with song any birthday, anniversary, office party or special celebration. We have quartets available for hire, smaller ensembles, and even our full chorus. To find out more, give us a call at 914.298.7464 or send us a note at Chordsmen.org/contact.
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REMEMBERING HOWARD SPONSELLER
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JOHN FOTIA. Howard Sponseller passed away on the morning of May 22nd, 2022. He was 76. He was predeceased by his wife, Kathy. They leave behind a son, Joshua. Howard loved Barbershop and he loved singing in a quartet. He sang both lead and tenor. He was a self-identified Valentine Quartet Wrangler, playing a vital role as quartet program coordinator. Each year he would diligently round up quartets to deliver singing Valentines. In 2011 he was voted Barbershopper of the Year. In 2016, he was given the President’s award, and in 2018 he was inducted into the Westchester Chordsmen Hall of Honor. He also did a lot to round up new members, serving as Membership Vice President on the chapter board. Coming from the world of the theater, Howard was a natural for Show Chairman. His friends called him “Howie.” He had a lot of Barbershop friends and a lot of friends in the theater, including fellow cast-mates from the national touring company of Godspell. The following is an excerpt from “The Westchester Chordsmen: A History,” and describes how Howie became a Chordsman: “Although we were to do many shows together the first show with Keith was a holiday show and was written and directed by Howard Sponseller. Howard had joined the chorus after seeing an ad on a diner placemat. As a lad in Tiffin, Ohio, he would tag along with his grandfather to his men’s chorus rehearsal. At the end of the evening, they would head off to a local Irish pub and sing some more. In high school, he and his best friend would entertain classmates at assemblies with old songs. This continued when they both went off to the same college where they entertained at parties. There, he joined the a cappella chorus where the director introduced the chorus to barbershop. He was
Howard and Kathy Sponseller. Kathy was an active supporter of the group, always volunteering to assist in the group’s activities.
Howard as Julia in Peter Kellogg’s A Westchester Christmas Howard, Steven Berkwits, Joel Willett, and Len Sklerov. Carol. With Adam Samtur. (Photo courtesy of Connie (Photo courtesy of Connie Delehanty). Delehanty).
Dan Rendich and Howard share the stage and a few laughs. (Photo courtesy of Connie Delehanty).
also in the national touring company of Godspell, the Stephen Schwartz musical. Howard was to become one of the real workhorses of the Westchester chapter. He would wear many hats, directing and writing shows, serving as show chairman, handling the tickets and front of the house duties, running the quartet programs, overseeing the Valentine programs. His contributions to the Westchester Chordsmen have been extraordinary.” I’ll never forget the time Howard
made his appearance on stage as Julia in a Chordsmen holiday offering titled “A Westchester Christmas Carol,” It was written by two-time Tony Award nominee, Peter Kellogg. As you can see from the photo, he was ravishing. Howard liked to laugh. We laughed a lot. As Beefsteak Charlie he took a bucket of fish water in the face for a laugh. His battle with ALS is over. We remember the good times. The songs, the creative differences always resolved with a beer, and the laughs.
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REMEMBERING IAN TELLIS
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Ian Tellis
When I went to medical school in Delhi, our free moments (and there weren’t many) were spent singing. After graduating, I went to DC and did a residency in surgery. Some of my classmates came to the USA and whenever we got together, we always sang. At family gatherings, we would still stand around the piano and sing when either my brother or sister played. I had started piano lessons when I was a child but dropped out. My only regret! On April 29, 2009, Pat and I went to the Hudson River Museum to hear a
quartet from the Westchester Chordsmen. I don’t remember the name of the quartet but Steve Delehanty was there. I knew him from Montefiore. He encouraged me to consider joining but at that time I was on call for transplant every third night. I told him I would when I could commit fully to the Chordsmen. That day came and I went to the school in White Plains. I have been a part of this wonderful group for 10 years. When I had a stroke in 2019, I lost my speech. Even with therapy I have trouble saying what I want to say. But I can sing!
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EDITOR. On May 5, 2022, Chordsmen President Bob Sideli received a call from Pat Brown informing him that her husband, our brother in harmony, Ian Tellis had passed away. Ian was an active member of the chapter having spent several years as a member of the board. He was always on hand to take part in all Chordsmen activities. In the first issue of Overtones, we featured stories of how some of our members became members and why they were still here. Ian’s response is printed below. We miss you, Ian. IAN TELLIS. Growing up in India, music played a big part in our lives. Both my mother and father came from large families and there was always someone visiting. That meant that after dinner we would gather around the piano and sing whatever book the guest(s) picked. We had such an array of songs; British, American, war songs, national anthems of the USA, Britain, and France. We even sang the French national anthem in French. In 1947, we sang the national anthem of India. That was such a moving experience. I was eight standing in the school courtyard when the British flag was lowered and the Tricolor flag of India was raised. I was an avid reader, still am. I was a member of the Boy Scouts of India. We always sang around the campfires. When I was older, we traveled a lot around India. I was on my way to becoming an Eagle Scout when it was time to go to college. My maternal grandfather was a veterinarian and I had dreams of becoming one too. He delivered an elephant in obstructive labor by using two elephants, one on each side, to hold her still while he delivered the baby. He saved the mother who would have been shot, otherwise. He was my hero. My father had been studying to become a doctor, when his father died and he had to leave school to help support the family. He encouraged me to become a doctor.
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REMEMBERING CARTER WILLSEY
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MARTY TAYLOR. It was a cold, gusty day in April, but one would never know it. Streaming out of the parking lot and headed for Abatino’s Italian restaurant in White Plains, were hordes of people dressed for summer in Hawaiian shirts. Upon entering the restaurant, seeing it jammed with people shoulder to shoulder, I was concerned. Could this be a freaking super spreader? However, my desire to be part of this large group of friends, gathered to honor and celebrate the life of this wonderful human being, superseded my fear. Upon looking around at this sea of humanity, I guess they felt the same way. Judy, Carter’s feisty, full-of-life wife, must have sent out hundreds of invitations requesting Hawaiian shirts be worn. What a celebration it turned out to be! This event reminded me of Judy and Carter’s annual Christmas parties in what I call “The Little House That Could.” A small house, packed to the rafters with singers and friends. Great camaraderie, friendship, loads of singing in every square inch of the house, and good food were all on the menu. Judy, in her funky outfit and Carter, wearing his bowtie and green corduroys, were gracious and generous hosts. I learned much about Carter at the celebration of his life. He was never one to talk about himself; always curious to know about others. We spent many hours in cars driving to Valentine’s Day gigs. Carter always wanted to know about the quartet members. I learned from his college roommate about his accomplishments and credentials. Who knew that he was accepted to Harvard, Yale, and Princeton? Never did I realize his athletic accomplishments in rowing and cross country running. I could talk about his wonderful sense of humor and the jokes we would tell riding in the cars, but I better not. As a Chordsman, Carter was a fine singer, quite modest, always on pitch, but
Marty Taylor (in artist costume) with Carter Willsey.
Carter’s wife, Judy Gilmartin Willsey, was surrounded by dozens of relatives and friends who came from far and wide to honor Carter.
The famed Yale Whiffenpoofs entertain the crowd.
never propelling himself to the forefront. His athletic ability made him a “FROG” – a front row guy. Choreography is part of the Chordsmen concert presentation. Always helpful, schlepping the risers if he physically could. I never heard him complain. Always smiling and being involved and curious about the lives of others. A highlight of the afternoon was the surprise arrival of The Whiffenpoofs, a group from Yale, Carter’s alma mater. They were followed by the Gracenotes and the Chordsmen singing, “Happy Together.” You should have seen Judy and her chorus mates moving to the groove of this upbeat song! It truly added flavor to the celebration of Carter’s life. To sum things up, this was a beautiful and humane man. He was kind, gener-
ous, and deeply concerned with the plight of those around him. People like Carter make the world a more wonderful, peaceful place. He had so much to give, while taking very little. Thanks to Judy, his spunky wife, we all came together for Carter. Upon leaving the celebration, everyone was given an ice scraper for their windshield. This was Carter’s favorite implement, so Judy had hundreds made and inscribed as a token of remembrance. The inscription reads “Carter Pete Willsey, July 11, 1945 to December 14, 2019.” On each cold, icy, snowy day, I will think of Carter as I scrape my windshield with the ice scraper and remember this beautiful, wonderful, human being.
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Former Chordsmen director, Dusty Schleier (center), currently directing the Music City Chorus, took home the top prize at the 2022 International Barbershop Competition. Congratulations, Dusty!
Glen Allen (left) was inducted into the Westchester Chordsmen Hall of Honor. Director Keith Harris presented the plaque. Congratulations, Glen!
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LETTING SINGABLE CONSONANTS DO THEIR WORK LETTING DORossi THEIR WORK EDITOR. In the lastSINGABLE issue of Overtones,CONSONANTS an article submitted by Stash contained several errors introduced during production. The article, “Letting Singable Consonants Do their Work,” is reprinted here. Dr Anastasio Rossi, assistant director of the Westchester Chordsmen, director of the Golden Apple Chorus, and the recipient of the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cab Calloway Foundation, offers some expert advice on singing consonants. Most of us have been taught that the English language has five vowels and 21 consonants. Basically true. But the other truth is that many of the 21 consonants act just like vowels and do similar work. In music, we call them Singable Consonants. Learning about their characteristics and functions can play a large part in making your singing sound better. First, let's see what separates singable consonants from the others. Singable Consonants (also called voiced consonants) have voice and pitch. They use the voice when produced. Examples are f, l, m, n, r, s, th, v, w, y, z. The rest have no voice or pitch: c, h, k, p, q, t. Voiced consonants continue the sound and flow of air as vowels do. Most unvoiced consonants stop the sound and flow of air. 34
Finally, some consonants do double duty: NOTE: f, s, th, b, th, and x have both voiced and unvoiced modes. EXAMPLES: of/fun, say/is, this/thin, tax/exact. b, d, g, j, and x are semi-voiced just before opening Speak these above examples aloud to see, hear, and feel the difference between voiced and unvoiced modes. It is also important to know that 1) Vowels begin on the beat, 2) Vowels are sung through the full value of their notes. 3) Initial voiced consonants begin just before the beat, and take their time from preceding vowels, notes, or rests. 4) Final voiced consonants take their time from preceding vowels or notes.
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One of the most effective tools to put singable consonants to work in a song is subdivision. Subdivide the note into smaller components and assign the singable consonant to one of the subdivisions. For example, in the phrase, "Everyone dreams of a story book romance", let's consider the singable consonants in dreams, of, and romance: Here is the original notation:
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Here is the notation using subdivision to place the singable consonants:
1. Measure 2: Subdivide the dotted quarter for dreams into one 4th note and one 8th note. Sing drea on the 4th, mz on the 8th, uh on the first 16th, and vuh on the second 16th. 2. Measure 3: Subdivide beats 2 and 3 on Book and Rom into one 4th, one 8th, and four 16ths, as shown. Sing Book on the 4th, R on the second 16th, and m on the fourth 16th. 3. Measure 4: Subdivide the half note on ance into one 4th and two 8ths as shown. Sing a on the 4th, sing n on the first 8th, and ce on the second 8th. Practice at a slow tempo, placing and singing each singable consonant accurately. Increase the tempo gradually, with attention to all the singable consonants, until artistry transcends technique, and the phrase is sung musically, effortlessly, and beautifully. Continued practice using this method and technique heightens your awareness of, and sensitivity to, singable consonants, and ensures their rightful place and presence in your music and singing. The clear assignment of each singable consonant to its own space within a note tends to glue all the syllables in a phrase together. The result? Your singing voice achieves a beautiful and seamless legato sound, a key component of beautiful singing.
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Every singable or voiced consonant in the lyrics of “My Romance” is highlighted below in red. This highlighting dramatically points out that they appear 128 times in just twelve lines of lyrics. Put every single one of them to good use, and you (and your audiences) will surely be pleased with the result. MY ROMANCE by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart New Verse by Lorraine Hubler Everyone dreams of a story book romance, With ringing bells the moment they fall. This kind of love leaves too much to chance. my romance is different from them all.
No month of May, no twinkling stars, no hide away, no soft guitars. My Romance doesn't need a castle rising in Spain, nor dance to a constantly surprising refrain. Wide awake, I can make my most fantastic dreams come true. My Romance doesn't need a thing but you, only you. _________________________________________________________________________________
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
My Romance doesn't have to have a moon in the sky. My Romance doesn't need a blue lagoon standing by.
2022
OVERTONES
Any celebration or event is better ♪ with music from ♪ The Westchester Chordsmen Chorus Quartet, Small Chorus or Full Chorus
4-part A Capella in the Barbershop Style 36
chordsmen.org
69TH ANNIVERSARY 2022
CHORDSMEN.ORG | 914-298-SING [7464]
Are you man enough to sing with us? The Westchester Chordsmen Chorus invites men who like to sing to audition for us! We meet every Monday evening from 7-10 PM. You may bring a prepared audition song, but it is not required. Music will be provided. Prior vocal experience or music reading ability may be helpful but not essential for chorus membership. An experienced mentor will be assigned to each new member. Visit <chordsmen.org/audition> to complete an application to arrange for an audition time. A Cappella Broadway | Barbershop | Doo-Wop | Gospel | Pop | Rock
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