The paramount focus in North Pacific Region #13 is education.  Our region continues to provide education opportunities for all members. Below is a list of our current and proposed Regional Education events.

Regional Convention/Competition

Region 13 offers classes free to members during convention weekend. In 2008, the focus of instruction was the expression category. We also encourage choruses and quartets to compete so they have an assessment tool to develop a guideline for future focused education and coaching.

Together and Growing (TAG) Visits

Every other year, Region 13 offers individual chorus visits. The purpose of TAG is to motivate members and teams to embrace the journey to personal and musical growth in order to develop into vibrant and entertaining performers in the barbershop style.  The Region Education Coordinator and the TAG program Coordinator assign appropriate faculty based on the requested needs of the individual chorus. The region funds transportation and material costs and the chorus is expected to cover faculty housing and meals.

Area Schools

Area schools are scheduled in years opposite TAG visits. Region 13 offers an area school in three geographic locations within the region: Western Washington, Eastern Washington, and Alaska. An individual chorus hosts the school and may suggest class curriculum. The Region Education Direction Team organizes and develops the curriculum and assigns appropriate regional faculty to facilitate the classes. The host chorus plans all logistics associated with the event (i.e., publicity, venue locations, registration, and meals). A registration fee for individual members is charged to attend the school. In 2009, the Education Direction Team will develop a plan to provide an incentive for the hosting chorus.

Directors/Musical Leaders Workshop

This workshop is held once a year and includes front-line directors, associate and assistant directors, DCP members, section and assistant section leaders, and choreographers. An International faculty member is hired to work with the Region Education Direction Team in developing class curriculum and facilitating the workshop. Previously this workshop was only offered to directors but has been expanded to include all musical leaders within the past two years and evaluations show positive feedback in this area. A registration fee for individual members is charged to attend the workshop.  

Summer Enrichment Training (SET) 

SET is an annual three-day Regional Education Symposium. The region hires International faculty to provide class curriculum and our Regional faculty also provides instruction. This workshop is very well attended by members and offers a multitude of education including coaching by the International faculty for the Internationally bound chorus and quartet(s). In September 2008, this workshop was jointly held with Region 26, and Rumors quartet was our International faculty. Approximately 425 members attended.

Raise Your Level Campaign

The Region 13 Education Direction team is developing a two-year “Raise Your Level Campaign” for individual choruses and quartets. This campaign idea is based on feedback provided to the Education Coordinator by International judges during past competitions. It is Region 13’s vision to reach every chorus and quartet to provide appropriate instruction and analysis to raise their performance levels. We propose to invite the region's judges, coupled with regional faculty, to target instruction for reaching the next level. The first step in developing this campaign will be to schedule a brainstorming session with all regional judges and faculty. The Education Direction team will keep you posted as this campaign develops. 

Chorus Chatter

Alaska Sound Celebration Chorus

"Spunk...style and attention to detail." That's how a local arts critic described Alaska Sound Celebration's recent concert, "Celebrate the Music". Our program consisted of songs from the movies; everything from Singing in the Rain to Rent to the Academy Award-winning Chicago.

Photo courtesy of John Harris

The real-life critic had two counterparts on stage--a certain Mr. Joe BidenMyTime and his nemesis, Ms. Sarah Van Halen--vying for Movie Critic of the Year. They provided a spirited "thumbs-up/thumbs-down" analysis of the movies in which our songs were featured.

This was also our fourth annual Sing for Scholarship competition in which five incredibly talented high school students delivered their own music from the movies.

For the chorus, the real star of the show was our brand new set of choreo-friendly, squeak-free SICO risers, funded by a nearly $25,000 grant from the Rasmuson Foundation, a generous supporter of the arts in Alaska.

The show was free, with donations cheerfully accepted. Quipped one little girl about seven years old, "You guys are really great, but I only have a dollar." Judging by the enthusiastic applause and good press we received, we believe she got her dollar's worth.

Submitted by Terry Alexander

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Blue Mountain Chorus

The Soroptomists of Walla Walla Valley held their 1st Annual Women of Distinction awards banquet on October 4. Of the 11 incredible "ordinary women working in extraordinary ways" nominated, Blue Mountain Chorus co-founder, former director, and current member Darlene Filla was named one of three Women of Distinction.

Nominated by former member and tenor to Darlene's bass in Doubletake Quartet, Judy Hicks, Darlene was recognized for her creativity, inspiration and dedication to the women who have been members of the Blue Mountain Chorus Sweet Adelines.

As Judy stated in her nomination, "When Darlene directed the chorus, she felt like her role was not only to train us to sing properly, but to help us grow individually with confidence. Her words of wisdom helped me personally and I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today if it were not for Darlene Filla. She helped me to gain confidence in myself, trust in my beliefs, trust in God and respect for all individuals for their own unique contributions. She believes that there is nothing we (as women) can't do if we put our mind to it and work hard."

The women on hand to support Darlene that evening agreed whole-heartedly, including Judy, Darlene's daughter Tracey Goebel, and Jan Corn. These three plus Darlene have been singing together as Doubletake on and off for over 30 years. The quartet reunited to provide entertainment for the evening.

submitted by Jennifer Northam

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Coeur d'Alene Chorus

The Coeur d’Alene Chorus, in North Idaho is delighted to introduce their new director: Dr. Jay Krumbholz.

Jay holds a Ph.D. in music theory from the Eastman School of Music and has taught in the music department at Spokane Falls Community College since 2004. He has held teaching positions at Knox College, the Eastman School of Music, the Oberlin Conservatory, and DePauw University.

Jay lives in Spokane and is an active member of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS), singing in the Pages of Harmony, Spokane’s male barbershop chorus and in the quartet Dynamix.   He is also a Music Category Judge in the BHS and travels across the United States to adjudicate barbershop contests. He has formerly directed barbershop choruses in Missoula, MT, Cleveland, OH, and Davenport, IA.

In the short time since he accepted the directorship, Jay and many of the chorus members have attended the regional Summer Enrichment Training (SET) in Vancouver, BC. They had their first community sing-out as part of Coeur d’Alene’s "Art from the Heart", a collaboration of the city’s Arts Alliance. Next on their musical agenda is the chorus’ long tradition of old-fashioned caroling throughout the community garbed in lavish Victorian costumes. December 1 will be their first annual Christmas concert “Caroling of the Belles”.

submitted by Melodie Hayes

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Harmony Northwest Chorus

Arrgh! That’s the sound that confronted the audience, along with swords, knives, and pistols, in the opening scene of "The Deck Is Jumpin’, A Pirate Adventure Mystery".

Based in Mount Vernon, WA, Harmony Northwest Chorus (HNWC) headed north this year to put on their show in Bellingham on October 4. The script was written by talented chorus member, Marion Southcott, and  chorus members were very pleased that Melody Hall Theatre was packed full of enthusiastic supporters.

Chorus members created their own wonderful variety of pirate outfits that filled the stage. It was even more impressive when the ladies' “crew” of the Good Ship Harmony was joined on stage by the Mount Baker Toppers chorus (BHS). HNWC enjoyed singing many fun songs including these musical parodies: Pirates Are We, sung to the tune of Three Blind Mice; and, the title song The Deck Is Jumpin’, a parody of The Joint is Jumpin’.

HNWC has performed in many venues this year including, several senior facilities and a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. The chorus will finish up the year with a Christmas Concert on December 7 at the Mount Vernon Community Center, where they meet for rehearsals. On December 21, the chorus will take the stage for the third consecutive year to perform in Stanwood at The Lights of Christmas event at Warm Beach.

submitted by Karen Carter

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Voices Northwest Chorus

What a ball!! Voices Northwest Chorus scheduled a Ready, Set, Grow program to begin October 13, but it’s always hard to predict how many women are going to show up. I thought maybe six or eight; our director, Sue Beck, said to prepare for 20 (frankly, I thought she was crazy…but don’t tell her I said so!).

A little before 7:00, they started walking in…and walking in…and walking in. Kim Aikins, our membership chair, was at her table greeting guests and handing out name tags and folders. I pitched in to help because, as one of our guests said, Kim looked like a (really happy) deer in the headlights!

Once our guests were checked in and seated, we regaled them with beautiful barbershop music. Next Sue took the school of Sweet Adeline "gonnabees" off for their first RSG class. On their return, they sang the Mickey Mouse tag with us and joined us in singing Christmas Chopsticks, which they hadn’t even practiced!

While we broke for treats, I wandered around talking to our guests to find out what they were thinking. I heard "This is great,” “I love the energy!” “This is where I belong,” “This is what I have been looking for,” and “I am meant to be here.” Everyone I talked to had a great time and intended to come back the next week. It was wonderful. Who’d a thunk?! Oh, we currently have 30 women in our chorus, and set a goal to expand to 60 by the end of the year. Thirty-two guests showed up, so we’re on our way!

submitted by Linda Meyer