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The Prez Says... continued from page 1
11. Start or join a chapter quartet.
12. Offer to help an officer or committee chairman.
13. Take a non-meeting night to help others having
difficulty learning their part.
14. Offer to help any standing committee in which you
are interested.
15. Volunteer to do anything (something).
16. Sing every day! Use proper techniques of
breathing and vocalizing regularly to the point that
good singing is natural for you.
17. Sell show tickets to as many friends, family
memberand others as possible.
18. Practice your facial expressions in a mirror.
19. Commit to posting membership and show flyers
whenever possible.
20. Offer to drive potential members to chapter
meetings.
21. Show the person up front that you are paying
attention by your face and body language.
22. Rehearse your songs at home at least once a
week.
23. Review the music to older songs in our repertoire
to make sure you are still singing the right notes.
24. Sell one or more ads to businesses you patronize.
25. Perform every time you sing, even if the only
audience is the wall.
26. Encourage local youth to start a "harmony club."
Assist local high school music directors with education
in barbershop harmony and help start high school
barbershop quartets or choruses (boys and/or girls).
27. Stay positive!
28. Learn to read music.
29. Support all barbershop chapters and
choruses in your area by attending as many shows and
events in your area as you can. We are all in this
together.
30. Be mindful of members individual personal lives.
Everyone can only give what they personally are able.
Accept what you can from each member and
encourage them to be happy; relax and enjoy the
hobby.
31. Support youth outreach however you can. Take a
quartet to a local high school and give a presentation
on barbershop harmony.
32. Never give anything less than your best effort when
you sing.
A bit of music trivia From your editor:
"Jingle Bells" has been in our Christmas repertoire for a long time. I just recently discovered (in some of my research) that "Jingle Bells" was originally written in 1857 for a children's Thanksgiving program in Boston. It was so well received that the children were asked to perform the song again at Christmas time.
Chorus Membership Policy:
Editor Note: This chorus membership policy has existed for quite some time but may have been forgotten by some. At a recent board meeting it was decided that I should include it in an issue of the bulletin for general information to our members.
As a member of the Society for The Preservation and
Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in
America, you should be familiar with one of the basic
policies of this, the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter of the
Society.
Although the name of the Society indicates that this is a society for quartet singing, members should always be aware that a chapter is organized as a chorus from which quartets emerge. Also, as the name indicates, this is a singing organization specializing in a particular type of harmony and musical interpretation.
It is entirely possible that an individual may desire to belong to the Society and not be a member of the chorus of the chapter to which he belongs. Our chapter chorus, The Three Rivers Chorus, will represent the Society in public appearances and will compete against other chapter choruses in competition. It is essential to the success and advancement of our chapter and the Society that The Three Rivers Chorus make an acceptable presentation in all of its' appearances.
For the reasons detailed above, the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter has adopted this policy, that acceptance as a member of the Society does not mean that each member automatically will be considered as a member of the chapter chorus. To be accepted as a member of The Three Rivers Chorus, each person so accepted must be able to sing his part, follow the director, memorize the chorus music, memorize and accomplish stage presence motions, attend rehearsals on time and accept responsibility of singing with the chorus at its public appearances. Participation as a chorus member with the privilege of singing in public appearances and in Society competitions will, at all times, be subject to the approval of the chorus director and the music committee. It must be understood that all members appearing on stage for any performance by the chorus, do so at the sole discretion of the Chorus Director.
In conclusion, let us say that the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter, as the above policy indicates, are ever in search of good men, who want to have fun singing a song well in barbershop style. We sincerely hope you are one of them.
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