Contents
Barbershop Appreciation Day Recognition
Calendar
Chorus Chatter
Directors Wanted
Do You Know This Woman?
From the RMT
Judges Comments
Olympia's 40th Anniversary


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Olympia Chorus Celebrates 40 Years With The Same Director!!!

For almost 40 years the people of Olympia have been treated to the sweet sounds of women’s barbershop harmony.  On March 29, 1965, Barbara Gehrman and Irene Anderson founded the Olympia Chorus.  Irene is noteworthy in her own right, but also because it is her husband Jack whom she asked to direct the Olympia Chorus.  Today, one charter member remains singing with the chorus, almost 1/3 of the members have been singing with Olympia for over 20 years and about 35% of the members have been with the chorus for five years or less.

Over the years, Olympia has continued to have an active membership between 40 and 60. The chorus won the 1979 regional championship in Regina, Saskatchewan and, in the autumn of that same year, competed in international competition in St. Louis, Missouri.  Since 1984 the chorus has placed within the top ten in regional competition. Since 1997, the chorus has earned two fifth place, three fourth place, and three third place medals, with no placement out of the top five.

Although it is a solidly middle-sized chorus, Olympia has the reputation of being a very close group of women who make sure that they have a wonderful time while attending to the serious side of learning and improving on their craft.  Although its name suggests a particular city, it draws from Pierce, Grays Harbor, Mason, and Lewis counties and from all over Thurston County. 

In addition to competition, Olympia Chorus performs at venues in the greater Olympia area and joins the Puget Sounders men’s barbershop chorus to stage an annual play-based production at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia. 

Through its history, this chorus has had a definite constant . . .  Jack Anderson.  Edward S. “Jack” Anderson has directed the Olympia Chapter since its inception.  Jack has been involved in music for most of his life.  He studied and played violin from the young age of 6 years.  He would have been a concert violinist if he had not been called to the armed forces.  In addition to his instrumental background, in 1968 Jack sang baritone with the very entertaining quartet the Artesians for about ten years.  They won the Evergreen District title in 1972 and competed in three international contests. 

Jack’s incredible ear is legendary.  He has an ability to tune chords, detect aberrations in vowel sounds, and identify a particular voice in the chorus that needs a bit of correction.  Jack’s talent contributes to the fact that Olympia remains a solid, entertaining, and exciting chapter whose members value their participation and the love of the director of 40 years.  Olympia is proud to be the “Love Chorus” and there will always be a heartfelt rapport with Jack Anderson who continues to co-direct at 81 years of age.

submitted by Nancy Allen and Patty Martin 

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Thanks And A Gentle Reminder From Your Convention Steering Committee

Thanks to all of you for your attendance and participation in our recent Region 13 competition weekend. I hope you all had a wonderful time. During our wrap up meeting, the steering committee was disappointed to learn that Region 13 members in the audience were overheard making negative comments about a group that was performing at the time. Sweet Adelines is known to be an inclusive, friendly and loving organization, so I would remind all of us that if we must say something negative about an individual or group, please do so in the privacy of your room, not in the elevators, restaurants, or in the audience, where the comments might be overheard.

Remember, do unto others.....! 'Nuf said!

Marshia Nicholson, 2005 Regional Competition Chair

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Do You Know This Woman?

Editor's note: this article on Marilyn has been "enhanced" from the printed InTune version after we received comments from Marilyn that were too good to leave out! These remarks are in italics and are interspersed throughout the article.

Every year during contest weekend at the RAMM breakfast we generally acknowledge those people in the region who have served us in many ways.  Somehow Marilyn Rogers was missed on my list of special people so here in print I would like to correct that... 

Twenty-one years ago, Marilyn began working behind the scenes for Region 13. "The date is memorable," says Marilyn, "because I had just got a puppy when Pat Byers was training me on the old mimeograph machine in my basement....1983.  I believe it was the next year when I took the job of Central Duplicating,".

In the "early days", Marilyn used a mimeograph machine. "Mimeographing was messy," she said. "So, when the Regional Board purchased the Pitney Bowes copier, in December of 1988, I was obviously pleased." 

So while you may not know her, but she knows ALL your names.  She knows whether you’ve moved, changed your name, are in a quartet, changed quartets, whether you’ve recently joined the region and which chorus(es) you belong to.  She’s been sending you your regional mail, In Tune and updates about music schools and other regional activities for a very long time and that’s why she k-n-o-w-s. 

To say Marilyn is very important in keeping us all informed is an understatement to the "nth” degree.  Without her unfailing consistency, dedication to us and faithfulness to this job, called very unassumingly Central Duplicating, we would not be the region we have become.  Over the years, she has rallied many of her chorus mates at Jet Cities to assist her in ‘mailing and stuffing’ parties and that still goes on today. "During the 90s, Dottie Box and Marge Wallis helped, even though they had retired from Sweet Adelines, and Lucille Kraenzler was a faithful helper as well," says Marilyn. "What an awesome bunch they all are!"

She and her team of busy hands are invaluable to the Regional Management Team and our connection to you as a region. Every time there is an event you need to know about forms or information are duplicated and sent within days and sometimes hours of receipt. She really makes us all look pretty good. I salute Marilyn Rogers and thank her greatly for keeping things running so smoothly and continuing to make a huge job look so simple. She is a swan.

submitted by Anne Sutherland, Immediate Past Communications and Technology Coordinator

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Educational Opportunity

Dale Syverson and Peggy Gram, the baritone and bass of Rumors (SAI 1999 International Champions), have created a wonderful new tool for Sweet Adelines which is available at www.daleandpeggy.com.

Their new site is overflowing with educational programs for vocal musicians, including articles on vocal production; vocal tips; resources for singers, performers and directors; book reviews, and a calendar of where Dale and Peggy will be teaching/coaching.

One notable event found on the website is information about "Part Shop", an exciting opportunity to go from "good to great" under the guidance of the members of Rumors, Kim Hulbert, and Darlene Rogers (vocal coach of Rumors and the Rich Tones). The workshop is scheduled for November 11-13, 2005 in Richardson, Texas, and also features a Saturday night show with Rumors and Rich Tones Chorus! For more information, go to www.daleandpeggy.com/part_shop.cfm.

submitted by Teresa McCafferty

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Sweet Adelines International Honored by Washington State House of Representatives

Local members of Region 13 choruses responded to an invitation from Washington State Representative Sam Hunt (Democrat, 22nd district) to be present in the House gallery and be recognized by the House on Friday, April 22.  Representative Hunt had authored a resolution in recognition of Sweet Adelines International’s 60th anniversary and had shepherded the measure through the legislative process on behalf of Region 13.  Dottie Dedrick attended representing Region 13 team management.

Efforts of this type are being pursued in all states and nations in which SAI has chartered choruses.  A measure proclaiming July 13, 2005, to be “Barbershop Awareness Day” is pending in the office of Washington Governor Christine Gregoire, anticipated to be completed and available within a short time.  Members of the Olympia Chorus are also working on a plan to host a mass sing on the steps of the State Capitol Building on July 13.

submitted by Nancy Allen

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a cappella joy Chorus

At regional competition in April, a cappella joy was awarded Most Improved Chorus, a title we believed in our hearts we deserved -- on so many levels -- even before scores were announced. Singing in a cappella joy is all about being the best we can be – personally and musically. Yes, the scores say we were most improved, but it really goes much farther than that.

Many of our members have undergone amazing transformations as a result of joining the chorus. It has been incredible to watch. As most of you in a small chorus know, with only a few people on stage, there’s no place to hide. Each voice and each face really count. Women with stage fright have overcome their fears in order to perform. Others who were a little shy about putting themselves out there have made huge strides in self-confidence – something that has carried over to other parts of their lives.  One member who has suffered from extreme stage fright went through many extra hours of coaching and practice so she could raise her confidence level. During the competition, she reported that after the first song, she felt her knees start to buckle. Instead of succumbing, she simply told herself, “It’s only three more minutes. I can make it.” And of course, she did!

This year we had one quartet made up of three members of our chorus and one from Jet Cities. Elated was a true novice quartet. None of them had ever competed in a quartet on the Sweet Adeline stage before. We’d like to salute them – Tamitha Carpenter, Wendy Bradbury, Jeanne Anne Craig, and Penny Lingenfelter (Jet Cities) – for their courage and competitive spirit.

In a training program that ran parallel to getting ready for competition, eight women from the chorus are planning to walk a half marathon (that’s about 13.2 miles) in Vancouver, B.C., on May 1. Several others have been following the training but won’t be able to walk that weekend. That means almost 1/3 of the active chorus members are involved in this event! We began in January by walking just a few miles and added about a mile a week to reach the full distance the week after competition. There have been so many benefits including increased confidence and better breath support which translated into improving our personal performances with the chorus. And of course, we’ve had lots of fun together as we prepared!

Finally, we’d like to thank our fabulous and amazing director, Nikki Blackmer. We couldn’t have done it without her encouragement, sense of humor, support and many extra hours of work.

submitted by Susan Mason-Milks
 

Coeur d'Alene Chorus

Whether we were licking pie off of our fingers or tying our tongues in knots, putting on two shows in 2004 kept the Coeur d’Alene Chorus busy. Last April found us serving pie a la mode with a variety show of barbershop music, juggling, and guitar legend, Slim Dossy. Thanks to a great free publicity picture and article in the Coeur d’Alene Press we sold out in two days and had to turn people away at the door. A smaller venue made for a more intimate show with great audience rapport.

We got excited about holding a Sing for Scholarship competition between the area high schools and decided to wrap it up in a complete show package. Three schools passed the audition process and qualified for $250.00 to compete, with the winner receiving another $250.00. As added incentive the schools were encouraged to sell tickets to the show with a portion of each sale going to the selling school. One school responded with over 100 tickets sold! The students’ talent in singing a cappella music was sensational. To complete the show the second half was a skit about a tongue twisting competition. Try a couple of these: “ Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?,”  “ Red Buick, blue Buick” or how about this one,   “You now know you need unique New York”.

Our energetic group of ladies didn’t think organizing a scholarship competition was hard enough (on top of learning a barbershop song in Japanese) so we topped it off with winning the tongue twisting competition on our show.

submitted by May Dooley

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Pacific Sound Chorus Member Wins Scholarship

Note: Anita joined Pacific Sound Chorus in 2004. She is from Houston, Texas where she was assistant director of Houston Horizon Chorus and director of the Starlite Sound Chorus in Humble, Texas. From 1986 to 1998, she was assistant director of the Scottsdale Chorus. She has been an Approved Arranger in the IMAP for over 10 years and joined SAI in 1981. Region 13 is delighted we can now claim her as our own.

Recently, I received a letter from the International Music Arrangers Program of SAI informing me that I have been awarded one of the two scholarships available this year! These scholarships are awarded to those who have demonstrated their ability to arrange barbershop music and expressed a desire to advance to the Certified level as a SAI arranger. The scholarship allows the winners $1,500 per year for two years to be used for travel and expenses for mentoring sessions.

My mentor is none other than Nancy Bergman! Nancy and I will get together either in Tucson or Seattle to work one-on-one on competition worthy arrangements.

There are some milestones during the two-years that must be met. Hopefully, at the end, I will have achieved the goal and will become a Certified Arranger. I wanted my friends in Region 13 to be among the first people to know.

submitted by Anita Barzilla

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Judges Comments from Regional Contest 2005

Pat LeVezu – Sound

• This was a fun region to judge.

• Choruses are wonderful – why aren’t the quartets at the same level? Even top quartets not performing at the level expected.

• Basic vocal skills were evident but performers are stiff and technical which affects the sound. Performers must have freedom to move.

Diana Franceschi – Music

• Need for supported chords and in tune singing.

• Again, wondered why the quality of the choruses doesn’t carry over into the quartets.

• Lack of "in-tuneness" and lack of emotional involvement.

• Posture stiff – need more freedom and energy. Education team needs to figure out why.

Jan Gervais – Expression

• Quartets need to improve skills and choruses need to trust their skills.

• Quarteting and singing with vocal skills will build trust within the choruses to allow performers to have the trust needed to be expressive.

• Performers need to be able to throw themselves into the character within the song and not worry about the technical skills.

• Education team needs to help directors develop the necessary skills.

Peggy Gram – Showmanship

• Need more facial and physical energy (performers look pleasant not into the character).

• There was not a well defined sense of character.

• Need a greater sense of physicality.

• Continue working on vocal skills and develop stamina.

• There is a degree of vocal proficiency but need to get past the basics to approach a song with total joy.

• The performers must get outside themselves.

• Need to extend the vocal skills without pushing.

• Need for consistency.

• Vocal energy lacking even in top groups – performance was safe.

• Stamina, stamina, stamina.

• Need for consistent vocal energy.

• Choice of music to perform was good with good solid chords – picked songs that didn’t demand more than what the performers could handle.

General Discussion on Quartet Needs – Entire Panel

• Education team needs to create quartet workshops to develop skills commensurate with the choruses.

• Need a nurturing person to be in charge.

• Cover how to form a quartet, teach a tag, hold wannabe parties.

• Offer classes in how to sing your part smart.

• Teach levels of vocal skills.

• Offer a class on listening to the level tapes that judges review prior to contests.

General Discussion on Convention as a Whole – Entire Panel

• Facility is marvelous – recommend continual use of this venue.

• Put a judge on the OPL committee who is acquainted with needs.  Complimented the current OPL person.

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