Barbershopping at Kennywood Park
You might think that all the noise, excitement, and activity that occurs at any major amusement park would not lend itself to a barbershop performance.
Wrong! If you were at Pittsburgh's Kennywood Park on July 1, 2006, in pavilion #23, you would have heard over two hours of barbershop entertainment. As a matter of fact, barbershoppers have been entertaining there on what ever weekend is closest to July 4 for several years. This year was no exception and, in fact, was one of the largest gathenngs of barbershoppers we have had for many years.
Three choruses took to the stage in pavilion #23. These were our own Three Rivers Chorus, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter; the Butler Notables, Butler Chapter and The Sounds of Pittsburgh, a Pittsburgh Sweet Adeline chorus.
Quartets performing included ROMEO (retired old men entertaining others) from the Pittsburgh North Hills Chapter, the Unforgetables from the Pittsburgh South Hills Chapter, The Melodaires from Greater Pittsburgh Chapter, a Sweet Adeline quartet [which for some reason I have not been able to track down their name] and the JAD, Hot Air Buffoons.
We Perform
The Three Rivers Chorus has now completed the first half of 2006, and what a busy six months it was. Chorus manager, Jay Garber, did a great job lining up an interesting array of performances. Our last chorus performance, outside of Kennywood, was on June 24 when we sang at the Schenley reunion at Churchill Valley Country Club. Now in the summer months, things have calmed down some and only a few performances are in the works. So we are taking this time to start thinking about future performances, and next year's show.
We are taking advantage of this slack period and starting to work on new songs to expand our repertoire for inclusion in future performances. Toward this end we have Guy Russo once again coaching us and are making learning tapes/CD's to help us learn.
Thinking about various methods to learn and improve our singing got me to thinking about times past when some of us used individual tape recorders in one way or another. Many members were reluctant to use a tape recorder, particularly if they were asked to submit their recording to someone else for analysis and critique. However, some did realize that a tape recorder could be a valuable tool toward self improvement.
With that in mind, I recently read an article in the PROBE site, written by Carol Johnson, Director, Manahawkin Chapter titled, "The very best vocal coach." Here is Carol's article verbatim:
"I will nemember the first time I heard myself on a tape recorder. It didn't sound anything like me! My friend sounded exacily like herself, but that strange voice singing with her just wasn't mine. I was shocked to realize that it was indeed me. I suddenly know that the "wonderful voice" I have lived with all of my life isn't the same voice that everyone else hears. For months I taped myself singing in the chorus. I listened in amazement to this awful voice... it sang wrong notes, wrong words, bad vowels, made funny sounds, scooped and even went flat! I became very aware of pitch and went right to work to produce a better voice.
Little by little, I improved myself as a singer under the cold truth of this heartless coach, my tape recorder. Yes, your tape recorder is the best coach you'll ever find! It gives you the opportunity to hear the voice that everyone else hears.
Remember that the only person who hears the voice in your head is you! Any time you are serious about good singing, the truth is there for you to hear. Just press the button."
The message here... don't be afraid to use your tape recorder. You can keep it to yourself. No one else need listen. They already know what you sound like!
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