An editorial by your editor, Tom Koch
A subject that is on all of our minds lately is the future of the chapter, and barbershopping in general, particularly in the Pittsburgh / western Pa area.
I sat here counting in my head what "use to be" and came up with thirteen chapters in the western Pa area surrounding Pittsburgh and Allegheny county, all of which were very active at one time. The majority of these chapters had active chorses and generally participated in contests. Each chapter boasted at least a few active, registered quartets.
In the past year or so, two of these chapters have ceased to exist. A few others are just barely hanging on. In recent years we have all experienced declining membership.
A case in point: Look at the two photos immediately below. The upper photo is the Greater Pittsburgh Three Rivers Chorus at contest sometime in the early 1990's. The lower photo is the Three Rivers Chorus at a recent performance. Don't mind that the photos are small and you can't make out the individual faces; it's the "body count" I wish you to note.
We must ask ourselves, "will we be able to even photograph the Three Rivers Chorus in the future?"
What is happening you ask? It is really very simple. We are getting old. Members pass away or just fade away. We have not be able to attract sufficient numbers of younger men to replace us and maintain our "head count." Those of us remaining may get frustrated when we remember "what use to be."
We all know that barbershopping will experience many changes in the future. Recent article in The Harmonizer have made that clear. The report on page 6 on the "futures" meeting hints that changes in our own chapter may loom on the horizon.
The point here is that, like it or not, changes are in our future. Often as we age we tend to resist change. Sticking with "the way we always did things" may make us comfortable but I am sure that option is no longer going to be available to us.
I have no better idea than anyone else as to exactly where we are headed or what our future holds. I can only urge each of you to try to maintain a positive attitude and an open mind. To resist any change will result in stagnation and eventual termination of the hobby we all love. Accept the fact that changes are a certainty in our future and determine to make the best of them. I recommend you re-read President Bob Parker's article "change is good?" in the last issue of The Pitchburgh Press.
One of the most important changes we should strive for is a reversal of our declining membership trend. Each of us should do everything possible to attract new members. Let's get behind the Society UCANSING2 recruiting program. For more information on this program visit wwwbarbershop.org/ucansing2
A help wanted ad by chorus manager Jay Garber:
HELP WANTED
All members take heed
Do you know of audiences in need of songs with understandable lyrics and a chance to smile? They don't have to be middle aged, but it helps. Our chorus will work for less than minimum wage and promise an outstanding effort in "family entertainment."
Potential employers are your church clubs; MRP groups; your aunt's care facility; your country club; social and business group gatherings.
All proceeds go to, what you should look at as, the best of causes. Every dollar we earn helps us to continue as a successful organization.
Every time you attend an affair with entertainment, ask yourself, "Why isn't that our chorus up there?" Talk to the person in charge. They just may be scrambling to find altemate forms of entertainment that fits their budgets.
Get phone numbers and contacts and pass them on to our chorus manager. You will be doing both them and us a favor by doing so.