The major part of board meeting discussions so far this year pertained to preparations for the show, which is water under the bridge by now, and the major part of these discussions are no longer pertinent and probably not of interest Here are a few highlights of other discussions at these meetings:
Wednesday January 18, 2006
Attendees: Don Anderson, Bob Cavanaugh, Joe DeFilippo, Fred Donofrio, Skip Gillis, John Kirwan, Tom Koch, George Mayer, Bob Parker, John Powers.
Membership - Fred Donofrio:
A general discussion took place pertaining to recruiting and having director(s) and better singers audition new people. After the show we must get new people and contact current members not in regular attendance.
Program - Joe DeFilippo:
Discussed the need for continued craft such as breathing exercises. Members must concentrate on using learning discs to "get off the paper" on new songs.
Wednesday February 15, 2006
Attendees: Don Anderson, Bob Cavanaugh, Gary Corpora, Joe DeFilippo, Skip Gillis, George Mayer, JIm McCarthy, Bob Parker, John Powers.
Music & Performance - Skip Gillis:
Skip recommended that Tony Sangermano, Gordon Knapp, Tom Steimer, Don Redshaw, Ken Ernst, Jay Garber, Dick Hammer and Bill McVeagh serve on his music committee. It was noted that Ron Brooks has decided not to renew his director contract with the chapter after April 1, 2006. Bob Cavanaugh needs to pick a committee to search for a new director.
Wednesday March 15,2006
Attendees: Don Anderson, Bob Cavanaugh, Gary
Corpom, Joe DeFilippo, Ken Ernst, Skip Gillis, Tom
Koch, George Mayer, Jim McCarthy, Bob Parker,
John Powers.
Music & Performance - Skip Gillis:
The following section leaders have been designated: Tony Sangermano (tenors), Gordon Knapp (leads), Tom Koch (baritones) and John Power (basses).
Marketing & PR - Tom Koch:
Jim McCarthy sent out 35 news releases for the show. It was too late to get an ad in the Cider Press.
Social - Saturday December 9, 2006 is the tentative date for the Ladies Night.
New business - Tom Koch will place an ad in the Cider Press advertising for a new director.
Five Easy Steps To Good Vocal Techniques
By Bill Biffle, courtesy of the Albuquerque Chapter New Mexichords Serenader used by permission
[This is part four of a five part series written by Bill Biffie, BHS director, music category judge and Society board member.]
In the first three episodes of this exciting chronicle, we heard about the wonderful adventures of "CAPTAIN VOCAL"!!! You'll remember dear readers, Episode I and the importance of always being polite to your elders and STANDING UP STRAIGHT! Remember how CAPTAIN VOCAL said "Rangers, having the right posture is VITAL to your physical and VOCAL health and it will help you breath better, too!"
Then in Episode II, the CAPTAIN told us all about BREATHlNG IN! WOW! What fun! With our little chests expanded and an All-American posture, we took in our breath low and slow and E-X-P-A-N-D-E-D all around our belts as we did so!
Next, in the thrilling Episode III, we found out all about how we can fight the enemies of our American Way of Life AND combat tooth decay by INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE VOCAL TRACT as we breathe in! Remember, we open the throat, drop the jaw, let the tongue relax forward in the mouth (where else?), gently raise the soft palate, and extend the lips off the teeth in a nice oval shape ALL AT THE SAME TIME!
Now in this episode, gentle readers, we are ready to SING! What, after only three short months of preparation, we can now EXHALE and MAKE SOUND WHILE WE DO IT? Read on!
There are several ways you can think of this action, so experiment until you find one that's right for you. They all have a couple of elements in common, though. Throughout the exhalation process:
Keep that erect posture with the chest raised.
Maintain the RELAXED openness of the vocal tract and the shape of the mouth.
Now, you may feel firmness - NOT tension - in the stomach and back muscles while they slowly lift under the breath, OR you may think of maintaining the expansion of the lower rib cage and back muscles
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