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WINTER, 2007
Contents
Calendar
From the RMT
The Pitch Pipe
Do you have a music goal?
Star Chorus
Save the dates!
Website Trivia Quiz
Please feel free to make extra copies for
your chorus members! The
Text Only version will probably print
best.
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Save the dates!
Be sure you have these dates
for regional educational events marked on YOUR calendar! For more
details about these events, visit the Region 13
Calendar page.
March 2-3, 2007
Directors/Faculty Workshop, featuring
Sandie Nason; SeaTac Marriott Hotel; SeaTac, WA
June 2, 2007
Western Washington Area School featuring Sue Beck, Lea Beverley
and Sally Wallace; Federal Way, WA
April 26-29
North Pacific Region 13 Convention and Contest;
Spokane, WA
August 3-5, 2007
SET, featuring Diane Porsch; Pasco, WA
August, 2007
Alaska Area School, featuring Joe Connelly; Anchorage, AK. Date to
be finalized soon!
November 10, 2007
Quartet Workshop with The Buzz, sponsored by Ovation; Seattle area
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From the RMT
Chapter Coordinator
 I
know it’s January, but before long it will be spring and we will all be
meeting up again in Spokane. The PowerPoint display ("A Year In The Life
Of
Region 13") was such a big hit at last year’s Diva Breakfast, that we are
going to do it again. Hopefully you have been organizing your chorus and
quartet photos of the last year’s activities to submit. I am looking for
volunteers to prepare the presentation so if you are interested, please
let me know. More information will follow. In the meantime, organize your
photos to share with the Region!
And
remember, it is our goal on the RMT to make your lives easier. If you have
any questions or concerns, please let me know.
Jan
Matthews
907.522.1988 /
jlm@alaska.net
Communications & Technology Coordinator
 It’s
an ever-growing challenge to keep Region 13 members informed on news,
resources, and contacts in our region. The absolute best resource is the
Region 13 website, www.sairegion13.org. Our web-mistress, Sue Middleton,
keeps her email and phone lines open for late breaking news, chorus
information, calendar updates, contest results, convention information,
and general Region 13 news.
When
was the last time you checked out the Region 13 website? Come for a visit
and stay a while, there’s a lot of information right at your
fingertips. And test your knowledge of the site by clicking
here and
playing the Region 13 Website Trivia game!
Chera Boom
907.688.3434 /
cherab@mtaonline.net
Directors Coordinator
 Great
news for all you budget-conscious ladies. You can now purchase each DCP
module separately from International Sales for $10 each. In the past, you
had to buy the DCP modules in one complete manual at a cost of $100. This
is great for people who may not be interested in becoming a certified
director, but would like to learn more about the art of barbershop harmony
and/or for people on a budget. Contact
International Sales for your
individual copies today.
Karen Leet
907.745.8371 /
ckleet@gci.net
Education Coordinator
Are
you a director? An assistant director? A member of the regional faculty?
Then you need to be sure to attend the upcoming Director & Faculty
Workshop featuring Sandy Nason, on March 2-3. Registration deadline is
February 15, so don't delay. For more information, visit our
Workshop page on
the regional website.
Patty Martin
360.789.1732 /
pgmartin1@comcast.net
Team Coordinator
 What's
the newest Dance Craze? The RMT Shuffle!
Beginning May 1, the
Region 13 Management Team performs a challenging dance we call the RMT
Shuffle. Some RMT coordinators change positions, some positions change
names; other positions / coordinators remain in place... but energy and
harmony continue unabated.
Here is the new line-up:
Membership: Gayle dee
Robinson
Marketing: Jan Matthews
Finance: Janice McKenna
Communications: Susan Soderberg
Directors: Karen Leet
Events: Sue Hahn
Education: Patty Martin
Team: Chera Boom
Your challenge is to
identify who did what this past year!
We invite you to attend
an RMT meeting at any time if you have ANY interest whatsoever in what we
actually do, want to run for office, or have input you wish to give. Just let Sue H. or Patty know in advance. Future RMT meeting dates are:
- May 19-20; Anchorage,
AK
-
Sep 22; Seattle, WA (4-hour video-teleconference)
-
Jan 12-13, 2008; Seattle, WA
Susan Soderberg
425.204.5252 /
susanbass@speakeasy.net
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Regional Calendar
2007
February
3 - Harmony Northwest Chorus Show;
Emmanuel
Baptist Church; 1515 E College Way; Mt Vernon, WA 98273. Show times are
2:00 and 7:30 pm.
5 -
Coeur d'Alene Chorus Singers Wanted Membership Drive - Post Falls, ID
15-18 - Alaska Sound Celebration 17th Annual Melodrama - Anchorage, AK
23-25 - Alaska Sound Celebration 17th Annual Melodrama - Anchorage, AK
March
2-3 - Alaska Sound Celebration 17th Annual Melodrama - Anchorage, AK
25 -
Spirit of Spokane “New York, New & Dances with the Stars” - Spokane, WA
30-April 1 - Alaska Sound Celebration Chorus Coaching with Jan Gervais -
Anchorage, AK
April
26-29 - Region 13 Annual Convention - Spokane, WA
May
3-6 - Region 26 Annual Convention - Regina, SK
17-20 - Region 24 Annual Convention - Boise, ID
June
2 - Western Washington Area School featuring Sue Beck, Lea Beverley
and Sally Wallace; Federal Way, WA
23 - Grand Olympics Chorus Show “Lets Get Away From It All!” - Port
Angeles, WA
August
3-5 - SET w/Diane Porsch - Pasco, WA
?? - Alaska Area School, featuring Joe Connelly; Anchorage, AK.
Date to be finalized soon!
October
9-13 - International Convention - Calgary, AB
November
9-10 - Quartet Workshop featuring “The Buzz” sponsored by “Ovation” -
Seattle, WA
10 -
Jet Cities Chorus Show - Seattle area
2008
April
10-13 - Region 26 Annual Convention - Vancouver area
24-27 - Region 13 Annual Convention - Spokane, WA
May
15-18 - Region 24 Annual Convention
November
4-8 - International Convention - Honolulu, HI
2009
April
2-5 - Region 13 Annual Convention -
Spokane, WA
23-26 - Region 26 Annual Convention - Calgary, AB
May
14-17 - Region 24 Annual Convention
November
3-7 - International Convention - Nashville, TN
2010
April
22-24 - Region 13 Annual Convention - Anchorage, AK
29-May 2 - Region 24 Annual Convention
May
13-16 - Region 26 Annual Convention - Saskatoon, SK
October
19-23 - International Convention - Seattle, WA
2011
October
18-22 - International Convention - Houston, TX
2012
October
30-Nov 2 - International Convention - Denver, CO
2013
November
5-9 - International Convention - Honolulu, HI
Send Calendar info to:
Tracie
Cogdill, Calendar Coordinator
PO Box 80007
Fairbanks, AK 99708
Home: 907-457-5244
Fax: 907-456-5244
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Answers to the Region 13 Website Trivia Quiz:
1. True. We have a
wonderful Regional Library, with Jean
Hanson acting as head librarian!
2. False. If you pull
up our Chorus Map, you'll see that our
region encompasses all of Alaska and part of Idaho
(the other part belongs to Region 24!).
3. True. Ovation, our
chorus of quartet champions, is bringing this wonderful educational
opportunity to quartets. You can find this information on the
Calendar page or the
Ovation site.
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InTune is published quarterly for the
membership of North Pacific Region 13, Sweet Adelines International. For
questions or comments about this electronic edition, please contact
Sue
Middleton at 253.874.2733.
_______________
The next issue will be distributed in the
Spring; deadline is May 12, 2007. Send articles to
Nancy Gott,
InTune editor.
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Copyright 2007; all rights reserved.
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Regional Star Chorus to be
re-established at Convention
Plans are afoot to
re-establish the Regional Star Chorus which so many of us enjoyed a number
of years ago. We actually got our number of participants to over 100 at
our “prime”! This is an invitation to become a part of this group
again. Here’s how it works:
All choruses in
Region #13 (including prospective choruses
and CAL members) are
eligible and encouraged to participate. You may learn more than one part
if that’s the kind of over-achiever you are.
A learning tape and
sheet music for the two songs will be provided (one per chorus); a
volunteer will need to duplicate them. The first two songs we’ll be
learning are “One Voice”, arranged by Pat LeVezu, and “Thank You
For The Music”, arranged by Barbara McNeill. If you already know
either of these songs by another arranger, begin praying for similarities!
A contact from each chorus (preferably one with email access) would be
much appreciated.
Checking off the
music will be on an honor system. This is really an individual choice
and--quickly said before all directors kill me--an extra activity outside
of the chorus rehearsal. Of course, if you decide to run through the tunes
when there’s a lull (ha!) in the rehearsal evening...go for it. (Yeah,
right!)
When your Star
Chorus contact informs me you have passed your songs, a little piece of
identification will be sent to you to wear with pride.
You might ask, “So
when do we get to sing as a group?" We will organize at least one
rehearsal every time there is a regional function--such as SET or regional
contest weekend--and when we do more right than wrong, we’ll perform! Our
first rehearsal will be Thursday night of contest weekend at the
DoubleTree Hotel. If I get the reaction I’m hoping for, we will actually
be quite good. Practice giving autographs!
At least in the
starter phase, you’ll be working with your regional Events Coordinator
(that would be me) as director...and you all know I never have any
fun! Right!
You’ll be hearing
more about all this soon, but please be sure to share this info with your
choruses. Encourage them to
drop me a line if they have any questions or want to volunteer for
anything.
Sue Hahn, Events Coordinator
Do you have a music education goal?
Education is
important to ensure individual musical success, chorus success, and
regional success.
We are very
fortunate that Sweet Adelines International is an organization that
provides continuous education opportunities to our members. Region 13
provides a Summer Enrichment Training
(SET)
weekend that offers members a variety of classes taught by our own
Regional and International Faculty. This year, Diane Porsch is scheduled
to be our SET International Faculty, August 3-5 in Pasco, Washington.
We offer an annual
Director/Faculty Workshop that is
scheduled this year for March 2-3 with Sandie Nason, International Faculty
and director of the Canadian Showtime Chorus, at the SeaTac Marriott
Hotel.
In addition, the
Region offers Area Schools that are hosted by the region's choruses in
the Eastern Washington and Idaho Area, the Western Washington Area, and
the Alaska Area. The next Western Washington Area
School has been re-scheduled for Saturday, June 2 in Federal Way, WA, with our talented regional faculty,
while an Alaska Area School will be held in
August with Joe
Connelly.
The Region
alternates one year with Area Schools and one year with a
TAG visit. A TAG visit is an individual chorus
visit to help our choruses reach their potential.
Perhaps you need to
think about setting an individual education goal that will enhance your
musical accuracy and performance. Think about treating yourself to a
private vocal lesson, choreography class, or sight reading class. You may
want to put one of these on your gift list for any upcoming celebrations.
Or, attend one of
your chorus' administration meetings and suggest utilizing regional faculty
and coaches, schedule a TAG visit, host an area school, or promote
attendance at an upcoming regional education event. We are so fortunate in
our Region to have knowledgeable and experienced faculty, coaches, and
judges. Our regional faculty members are listed
here on
the Region 13 website. All are willing to provide the best educational
experience to meet your needs.
Take care of your
musical self. Education is power!
Patty Martin, Education Coordinator
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The Pitch Pipe is a valuable resource
Do you want to know
how the champions prepared for their winning performance? What the judges
are looking for? Want to improve your vocal skills? How to sing with
emotion? How do I use my learning tape? What makes a good entertainment
package?
The answers to all
of these questions and more have been answered in recent issues of The Pitch Pipe magazine from SAI. The subscription to this
outstanding magazine is part of your International dues and comes to
your door four times a year. The magazine spotlights the many faces of
Sweet Adelines, plus it informs, educates and recognizes members who have
made our organization a success.
In addition,
many of The Pitch Pipe articles are
archived
on the Sweet Adelines International website. This is another wonderful
resource for members and choruses.
So don’t just use
your issue of The Pitch Pipe as a coaster on your coffee
table! Pick it up, read it, and enjoy the knowledge waiting for you
inside.
Karen Leet,
Directors Coordinator
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Moved? Changed your email address?
Did you know that updated address information
should be sent to Teresa McLuen, our Regional Database Manager? Teresa will
then
distribute it to the appropriate people in the region who need the
information. Individual members can send the information, or chapter
leaders. You can even send a copy of your roster if that is easier!
This
information is ONLY used for official Region 13 business, such as the
InTune, and mailings for competition or workshops. Your name will not be
sold to anyone!
And don't forget to send your change on to
International, too! An email to
Connie
Heyer will do the trick! This will ensure uninterrupted delivery of
The Pitch Pipe, as well as any dues renewal or other important
information from International. SAI does not sell membership information
to outsiders either.
Thanks for
helping keep our mailing and membership lists up to date!
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How well do you know
the Region 13 website?
Here
is a little Region 13 website trivia game. See Chera’s article in this
issue for more information. Answers
here!
1.
True or False: Region 13 has a lending library of video tapes and
education materials that choruses, quartets, and members can use.
2.
Region 13 includes the whole state of Idaho, but only part of Alaska.
3.
In November, 2007, Region 13 will host quartet workshop with “The Buzz”.
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Chorus Chatter
Spirit of Spokane
Chorus
The
Spirit of Spokane Chorus
has found its groove and we’ve started the year off with a bang! As
Downtown Spokane celebrated New Year’s Eve with fireworks, our very own
Region 13 Second Place Quartet medalists, Pepper, accompanied them. As if
that isn’t enough, The City of Spokane hoted the 2007 US Figure
Skating Championships, Jan 21-28 and the chorus was proud to perform at “Fanfest”, a festival for ice-skating fans
from all over the country!
Next on our agenda
for 2007 (drum roll please): “SOS Presents: New York, New York, and Dances
With The Stars”! The theme of this barbershop chord-busting production is
a chorus tour of New York City which will culminate with a performance at
Carnegie Hall. The tour guide/bus driver/porter, Mike Elliott (also known
as our Chorus Director), herds 40 or more women through the streets of New
York. Dare I say a monumental task for any man? A stop in the theater
district finds the chorus singing tunes from famous, long-running shows –
“Music Man”, “Lion King”, “Going my Way” (really a movie, we cheated) and
“Chess” - just to mention a few. The hook for the show is a take-off on
the television show, “Dancing With The Stars”. Our dance contest will feature
Robin Nance, a local KXLY Channel 4 news anchor, and Kevin James of KDRK
radio, as they dance a hot tango and a flashy salsa dance! The show takes
place on March 25, at the newly named Bing Crosby Theater, originally
built in 1915. For show information, visit our
website or call
509-928-3706 or 208-777-7213.
Our most exciting
event of the year is our very own “Calgary Stampede”. The Spirit of
Spokane chorus is honored to compete as your current Region 13 Champions
in Calgary, Alberta, Canada! As a way of celebrating, we are inviting any
current members of Sweet Adelines International to be part of the fun and
excitement of performing on the International stage by becoming dual
members of the Spirit of Spokane Chorus.
How can I do that? When are the rehearsals? What are the requirements? Where can I get more
information? For answers to these and other questions, either contact
Meech Debol or go to the
SOS website and click
on “Home” to obtain a packet of information and forms. To help in our
planning, we’ve set March 31 as a deadline for declaring your intent to
become a Dual Member. Once you have become a member, we’ll provide you
with all the tools and techniques you’ll need to make this memorable
journey with us!
Come join SOS as a
Dual Member and fulfill your dream of competing on the International
stage. When they announce, “Contestant number 32, from Region #13,under
the direction of Mike Elliott...the SPIRIT OF SPOKANE CHORUS!”, it will be
YOU standing on the stage performing before 10,000 of your closest
friends!
Submitted by Dee
Pearson and Meech Debol
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Alaska Sound
Celebration Chorus
The sounds of
celebration--and a newborn “baby”--filled the rehearsal hall of
Anchorage’s newly-merged chorus, Alaska Sound Celebration, on January
16th. Most of its 79 charter members heard the news that the chorus was
now official via a “maternity ward” skit.
After a six-month
gestation period involving a summer “engagement,” a nail-biting vote, a
13-member birthing committee, and 13 “contractions” to complete the
process, former Anchorage Sourdough Chorus Director Peggy McBride and
former Top of the World Chorus Director Karen Leet happily welcomed their
new baby “BOB” (Babes of Barbershop) with open arms. “It was difficult at
times,” the directors concurred in a joint statement about the process of
merging. “New personalities, shared responsibilities, and sharing the
creative vision. Our respect for each other as directors grew and we knew
we could only be stronger together!
“Not only does the
merger put an end to a friendly rivalry that had existed in Anchorage and
the region as a whole for the past three or four decades, but it signals
the beginning of a solidified front for bringing barbershop entertainment
to the Anchorage area and--someday, perhaps--the international stage.
Anchorage has had two choruses since the ‘60s and we always competed for
the same audience members, same grant dollars, same pool of musical ladies
for potential members,” McBride and Leet agreed. “Oh, yeah, we were also
tired of always finishing second and third at regional contest.” The
directors’ main goal, however, is for every singer to have grown in
confidence and vocal skills when she leaves rehearsal each week.
Comparing the merger
to a blended family, both directors knew they would have to set aside
their own egos and learn to work collaboratively for the sake of their
“kids.” Chorus members, too, are learning to share past traditions, trying
to always keep in mind that some still have a special ache in their hearts
for their former choruses. But to Chorus Management Team Coordinator Diana
Jordan, it’s about time. “Finally! After all, we were 40 years in the
making!”
Alaska Sound
Celebration has already shown its stuff with a performance at the Alaska
State Fair in August and a December holiday show featuring a “Sing for
Scholarships” Contest for high school students. The chorus is now revving
up for a 13-show Fur Rondy Melodrama, other fundraising events, and, of
course, retreat and contest.
Nothing can stop
them now. “Our future’s so bright, we gotta wear shades, baby!” the
co-directors said, giggling as they continued with the maternity theme.
“According to the growth charts, we’re right on track.”
Submitted by Kate
Kelly, Alaska Sound Celebration Communications Coordinator
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Coeur d'Alene
Chorus
The women of the
Coeur d’Alene
Chorus were busy in November and December. We pulled off two of our
biggest fundraisers of the year and had a great time doing it along the
way.
On November 12, we
put on our fall show, called “We’ve Got Mail” at North Idaho College. The
plot was thick with intrigue, money, inheritance, money, friends, money,
music, money, mail, and did I mention money? Chaos and confusion reigned
at the funeral and reading of the will of Rose Petunia Wellington (may she
rest in peace). Many quartets (Moxie, Pepper and Friendly Advice) attended
the funeral and sent Rose off with a chord-ringing tribute. It wasn’t
until right at the end of the show that an undercover agent of the IRS
swooped in and collected ALL of the inheritance. As the chorus stood in
shock, the hug-happy friend of Rose’s, Nellie, approached the microphone
saying, “We might not be leaving with anything more than we brought here
today, but we will always have each other and our lasting friendships and
the Rose Wellington Memorial Gardens that we can visit anytime we want.
Why, I’m so happy I could just hug myself!” That brought everyone back to
their senses and the love flowed as the chorus sang “Can You Feel the Love
Tonight?”
The Monday after the
show we were back at rehearsal working on Christmas music. Actually,
Christmas practices started back in July, but we were just finalizing the
small groups that would be performing around town. We put on a total of 14
caroling gigs. We were all required to create a Victorian costume and some
of the ladies went all out this year. They were beautiful! It takes lots
of dedicated singers to pull off this many performances in such a short
amount of time. We sang for the Coeur d’Alene Resort, an assisted living
facility, a bank’s office party, Kootenai General Hospital, and as part of
the Sacred Music Chorale’s Christmas concert. As if that weren’t enough,
we threw in a chorus Christmas party that had a couple of girls strutting
their stuff in their new chorus outfits made exclusively out of Christmas
wrapping paper! Who knows? Maybe we started a new Sweet Adelines’ trend
with disposable costumes!
All of us in the
Coeur d’Alene Chorus hope you can start the New Year off with the same
enthusiasm as Nellie and be so happy you can just hug yourself!
Submitted by May
Dooley
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