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Winter, 2009 |
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Putting the Pieces Together: The
State of Education in Region 13
Are you
interested in increasing your knowledge of the barbershop craft of music? The region Education Direction Team has been designing
an education plan that will fit the needs of all members from Western
Washington, Eastern Washington, Idaho, and Alaska!
 Currently, the region is
in the process of designing a Raise Your Level Campaign. Some
areas we hope to include are: Characteristics of Strong Contest Music,
How to do a PVI, Section Leader Development, Section Rehearsal Goals, Choosing
Coaches, Analytical Listening, and much more. Region 13’s knowledgeable
judges and faculty will facilitate this outreach program for choruses and quartets. Information and tools will be
provided to encourage increased education, quality performances, and engaged
musicians. Stay tuned for more details as this campaign progresses. We hope to launch the program during 2009!
 This year the
education classes during Regional Competition/Convention weekend will be
offered from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 3, 2009. During the three-hour
period, your International faculty will be Carole Kirkpatrick, Melanie Wroe,
and Sandi Wright. Curriculum is currently being developed that will address
individual members’ needs and what it takes to be the best musician in your
chorus and quartet. Please be sure to make arrangements to arrive in Spokane
early so you may participate in this exciting education opportunity.
 2009 will also bring our
scheduled Summer Enrichment Training (SET) the weekend of August 7 –
9, 2009 at the SeaTac Marriott Hotel, SeaTac airport. We will be offering a
director/faculty track as part of the weekend. Our International Faculty are
Betty Clipman and Judy Poszgay. Also, this year’s SET will include a
novice/double quartet contest, registered quartet and chorus performances, and
many more fun surprises. Be sure to save these dates on your calendar now and
look for members who want to perform in a novice or double quartet
 Future education
opportunities include:
2009
-
February – June –
Looking at date options during these months for Regional Faculty Meeting - TBD
-
April 2-5 – Regional
Competition/Convention – Spokane, WA
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July 22-25 –
International Director/Judge Workshop – Detroit, MI
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August 7-9 – SET –
Betty Clipman & Judy Poszgay – SeaTac Marriott Hotel
-
October 20-25 –
International Competition/Convention – Nashville, TN
2010
-
April 22-25 – Regional
Competition/Convention – Anchorage, AK
-
June 25-26 –
Director/Faculty/Music Leaders Workshop – Dede Nibler – TBD
-
July 21-25 – IES
Global – Palm Springs, CA
-
October 19-23 –
International Competition/Convention – Seattle, WA
-
May – December – Area
Schools – TBD
Thanks to all members of
the region for participation, comments, and implementation of what you’ve
learned!
Education Direction
Team: Patty Martin, Chair, Dottie Dedrick, Sally Wallace, Joan Levitin, Cris
Turner, Joyce Hughes, Meech Debol
submitted by Patty Martin, Education Coordinator
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Are You a
Whiz at Selling Ads?
By now you should be aware
we are going to Anchorage for regional convention in 2010, and in the fall of
2010 (October 19-23 to be exact), International convention is being held in
Seattle. Won’t it be wonderful to welcome our sisters in song to our neck of
the woods as they visit the Emerald City??!!
The Regional Management Team
has decided that it would be a great idea to invite some of the merchants to
advertise in our Region 13 program in 2009 and 2010, and we need your help. I
am sure some of you are good at contacting businesses in your area to advertise
in show programs for your chorus; we would love to have you
contact merchants to advertise in our regional program.
If you are interested, please
contact me right away by email: MMilette@aol.com and
I will give you the details of this campaign. We’ll need to get right on this
because I have a DEADLINE of MARCH 13 in order to get the program done
in time for competition. It’s a good
opportunity to garner some revenue for Region 13, and a great way to let the
businesses know Sweet Adelines from all over the world are coming to
Seattle.
submitted by Mary Ann Milette, Region 13 Program Coordinator
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Frequent Questions about
the DoubleTree Hotel
This is the second in a
series pertaining to the DoubleTree Hotel in Spokane. Soon, you’ll be asked to
make your room reservations for our Spring Regional (keep an eye out for a
special Competition Bulletin). Before you do, please read the following
questions to get a complete picture of what’s involved in your housing decision.
Q: Why do I have to
stay at the hotel?
A: In negotiations with
the hotel, we guarantee we’ll use a certain number of sleeping rooms for a
certain number of nights. This is referred to as a ROOM BLOCK. All of our
meeting space is given to us on a complimentary basis provided we meet 85% of
our room block guarantee. If we don’t, the region must pay for the meeting space
used.
Q: What is “meeting
space” and how does it affect me?
A: All of our group
functions--breakfasts, rehearsals, hospitality rooms, after-glow, Kick-Off,
classes, pattern, etc.--use meeting spaces in the hotel. We can’t provide for
our events without this space.
Q: Can we get
an upgrade if we are willing to pay for it?
A: Yes! The hotel has
several rooms that are considered “Premier” - they are larger and include
vouchers for complimentary continental breakfasts. All upgrades are the corner
rooms at the end of each hallway on each floor. NOTE: These rooms are no longer
just the 15 floor, and the concierge lounge on the that floor is no longer
there!
Q: Am I guaranteed a
certain room if I ask for it?
A: No. You
may request a particular room/floor, but hotels cannot guarantee you’ll get that
exact room until check-in.
I hope I’ve answered
your questions as you decide about your hotel stay for convention, but if you
have any others, please email me at
meechd@comcast.net.
submitted by Meech
Debol; CSC, Convention Housing/Catering Chair
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Alaska Quartet Workshop a Huge Success
Summer’s vibrancy had faded to the chill of fall, but
things heated up for Region 13 members in Alaska the last weekend of
October. Anchorage was honored to host a weekend quartet workshop with guest
faculty, Jan Gervais. Jan is the Master Director of the Pacific Empire
Chorus (11th place International Chorus in Hawaii), a Certified Expression
Judge, and coach to the Alaska Sound Celebration Chorus.
The weekend was jam-packed with education and coaching for
established quartets and wanna-be quartet members. Friday night’s class covered
unifying the judging categories, choosing music, and techniques for quartet self
coaching. Jan coached six quartets over the weekend, and there were over 35
Region 13 members in attendance for the class and to watch and learn from
quartet coaching.
Huge thanks for the success of this weekend go to Cindy
Hamilton, Sue Hahn, the Sea-Adelines Education Endowment Fund, and of
course, our coach extraordinaire, Jan Gervais.
submitted by
Chera Boom, Team Coordinator
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Chorus Chatter
Alaska Sound
Celebration Chorus
On
January 3rd, it was fitting that
Alaska Sound Celebration was the opening act in Alaska's biggest
celebration in fifty years. On that date in 1959, this former territory became
our forty-ninth state.
 We couldn't have asked
for a more stunning backdrop at our venue in the city's brand-new convention
center. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows behind our risers, the setting sun
cast a pink glow on low-lying clouds, snow-covered mountains, and frost-laden
trees. As our performance progressed, the winter landscape deepened to
indigo...nicely complementing our sparkly blue costumes!
Our musical program
honored the strength, courage and grit of the Native peoples and later pioneers
who became our leaders, heroes, and fighters, against sometimes overwhelming
odds.
The
event gave us cause for goose bumps, but not because of the sub-zero weather: we
learned that member (and emcee) Linda Kile's mom had sung at the first
Statehood celebration in 1959, and that the great-grandfather of member Misti
Forrest was the acting territorial governor who participated in the signing
of the statehood proclamation by President Eisenhower.
Oh yeah, we did flaunt
our gold medals just a little...after all, this was a golden anniversary!
Submitted by Terry
Alexander
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Blue
Mountain Chorus
The
Blue Mountain Chorus has been
busily involved letting the Walla Walla community know we’re alive and well!
We sang at the “Fourth
of July in Pioneer Park” celebration, opening with The Star Spangled
Banner and Ode to America. Chorus members were then available to answer
questions at our information booth, where our primary focus was to sign up women
who were interested in attending our Vocal Lessons in September…and 14 of them
joined us on the risers this fall!
Chorus members served as
ushers for three other summer events: an outdoor theater presentation
of Anything Goes, a modernized Shakespearean production of Midsummer’s Night
Dream, and the Little Theater Summer Musical.
We presented a road
show--“BITS & PIECES… of Broadway and Barbershop”--in three different
communities on Nov. 15 and 22. Featured guests were music students from each of
the schools, and one-half of the ticket proceeds were donated to their music
programs.
Our annual Christmas
performance for the residents of Wheatland Village, where we hold our
rehearsals, was held the first Sunday in December. This performance, as well as
others during the year, is our way of thanking them for graciously allowing us
to rehearse in their Board Room every week!
Our director, Andi
Flores, attended both IES in July and SET in September. Her effervescence and
dedication to learning more about her craft has stimulated our chorus. In
addition, we’re excited about Regional Faculty members Melanie Wroe, Sally
Wallace, Sue Beck and Cris Turner coming to work with us this spring and getting
us ready for competition in April. With high spirits and member commitment, we
are happily moving forward!
submitted by Darlene Filla
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RiversEdge Chorus
Winter. Doesn’t that
conjure up thoughts of snowmen, sleigh rides and hot chocolate? Well, only in
storybooks this year. While almost everyone in Region 13 has some tale of the
"December of 2008", Spokane has broken all sorts of records with its monstrous
snowfall so far this year; we even made the national news on several
occasions. For our city, winter meant collapsed roofs, impassable roads and snow
shovels.
After a successful
Christmas show on December 7th and our Christmas party on the 16th,
RiversEdge Chorus went on hiatus for
the holidays, and it’s a very good thing because the storm hit on the 17th. We
have kept in touch by email, and our members have all stayed safe, but have
various stories to tell of the last half of December.
We hope your holiday
season kept you safe and that you didn’t flood or have any damage. Won’t
it be wonderful to see spring and get together in April for convention?
submitted by Mary Ann
Milette
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Spirit of Spokane Chorus
The bells were ringing
and the excitement was building as hundreds of people crowded the lobby of
Spokane’s River Park Square to welcome in the holiday season. A performance of
barbershop Christmas tunes and other classics opened the evening’s festivities
as the Spirit Of Spokane Chorus
sang in beautiful harmony, amplified on all three floors of the mall and sending
holiday music throughout the venue.
Bright-eyed children and
their parents sang along as the chorus, directed by Mike Elliott, led the
enthusiastic crowd in traditional carols. The excited children, young and old,
rang jingle bells as the anticipation built for Santa’s arrival. After a small
glitch (the jolly old fellow was stuck in a traffic jam!) he finally arrived and
the crowd erupted in holiday cheers. The highlight of the evening was the
lighting of the 100-foot tall tree full of white lights. Spokane Mayor Mary
Verner and other local dignitaries were on hand to help Santa flip the switch on
Spokane’s holiday lights.
What a privilege for the
Spirit of Spokane Chorus to bring the joy of Christmas to Spokane with our
music. Happy New Year from our chorus to yours. May you have the privilege of
giving the gift of music to your community, family, and friends this year.
submitted by Dee Pearson
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Voices Northwest Chorus
Wow! What an autumn for
Voices Northwest. We held a Ready Set
Grow (RSG) program in October and about 40 ladies walked through the door,
rather taking us by surprise...a happy surprise!About 15 have already passed their audition, with more to
come. That’s
an increase
of 50% so far.
We had a wonderful show in December where the
our "Ready Set Grow-ers" joined us on the risers in the second half. Wow,
what a sound! It was thrilling. During
the show, we were
also serenaded by The Windjammers, the Snohomish men's barbershop
chorus who
have been rejuvenated with their wonderful new director Michael Miller and
are practicing at the same church on
a different evening At the
end of
the show,
Santa--better
known as Jim Kamp--came to visit, much to the
delight of the children. A great time was had by all, and we even managed a
great article in the local community newspaper.
Since
receiving our charter in January, 2008, we have sung during Kla Ha Ya Days in Snohomish, helped open a new mall at Snohomish Station this
summer, sang for
the holidays and
also spent a pleasant evening serenading mariners on the Virginia V ship on a coooold evening
in December. Then recently, on
Saturday, January 10, Patty Warren came to lead us through a visioning session for
year 2009.
Truly, we are very much looking forward to the New Year to see what it has
in store for us as
we continue to plan and grow.
submitted by Linda Meyer, Marketing Coordinator
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In Memory
Here are Sweet Adelines who have gone to that great Afterglow in
the sky. Some are internationally known; some will be familiar as regional
names, and other will just be known to a chapter. All, however, will be missed.
Barb Iwai,
past member of Seattle Shores Chorus, died December 22, 2008.
Betty Koon,
charter member of Seattle Shores Chorus, died December 1, 2008.
Jackie Hall,
SAI judge, past International Board Member, and director or
Mesquite Magic Chorus, died January 2, 2009.
Janet Ashford,
director of the award-winning Pride of Baltimore Chorus and
the baritone in Signature Sound, the 2000 Queens of Harmony, died January 9,
2009.
If you
would like to notify InTune of the passing of one of your members,
please send a note to the
editor. |
Introducing...me! Sweet
Adelines is a lifelong obsession for me … after 38 years as a card-carrying
member, I’m still happy to be active. Even though it seems as if I’ve done most
everything at the chorus level at one time or another, there’s always something
new to learn. My latest adventure was juggling life for three years as a dual
member of Rolling Hills and Spirit of Spokane choruses. 
Let's
Go Surfing in January! 
Every
couple of years, the method we use to calculate our regional assessment needs to
be re-explained. As we get ready to face a new fiscal year, effective on May 1,
2009, it seems appropriate to reacquaint our membership with the process.
