November 4 - 8, 2008

After a fun, crazy, barbershop harmony filled weekend in Grand Rapids, I'm assuming we're all back at home, back to scrubbing toilets and making our own dinners and working in or outside the home.  Our moments of fame and fortune - well, our 6 minutes on stage, is over - much too quickly - and chorus life has resumed.  Many congratulations to Choral-Aires and Chi-Town Sound for their winning performances!!

I had the privilege, as the incoming EdC, of meeting with the judges following contest to receive their comments and suggestions as to ways we can improve our craft.  I'll include these suggestions as bullet points for both quartets and choruses.  Lynda Keever, Debi Batchelor and I were at the table and we all feel that these suggestions are excellent insights to areas we can ask Jim and Renee to review and teach as part of our Region 3 AIM weekend.  Please consider the value in having two of the top coaches in all of Sweet Adelines, the 4-time International Champion Director, a Showmanship Judge and International BOD member as our Fall Faculty!  Other regions are jealous - trust me!  So plan on attending!  I promise you will walk away from the weekend knowing more than you know now! 

Judges Comments

Sound - Quartet

• High level of vocal skills demonstrated by most quartets, now it's a matter of vocal stamina and consistent application of those skills.
• Fine tuning still needs cleaning up
• Top 5 quartets need to deal with the above and then trust and perform with passion

 Sound - Chorus

• Continue working on individual vocal skills
• Pitch taking - YES, please do so and make it a part of your program!
• Tuning at all levels still needs attention
• Barbershop is not an easy art form to perform and all levels must continue to hone their individual skills (hmm, she said this twice, guess it's important!)

 Music - Quartet

• Several quartets chose arrangements beyond their skills - go for strong, square, solid songs
• Continue work on harmony accuracy
• Take a pitch!

 Music - Chorus

• Better song choices here
• Take a pitch!
• Continue work on harmony accuracy
• Remember energy comes from an emotional investment in the words you are singing

 Expression - Quartet

• Skills generally good
• Build stamina and resonance for better unity
• There are excellent role models in Region #3 - USE THEM!
• Take a pitch!

 Expression - Chorus

• Vocal foundation is apparent, strengthen technique
• Pretty difficult musical selections to be consistently successful
• Higher achieving choruses - lots of technique shown now become freer
• Regional leadership excellent - USE THEM!
• Take a pitch!

 Showmanship - Quartet

·         Most quartets needed a stronger vocal foundation

·         Most quartets needed a stronger sense of unity

·         Good sense of joy - now add passion and drama

Showmanship - Chorus

• Some aggressive visual plans are interfering with musical plans
• More foundational vocal skills work is needed
• More individual characterization could assist in the development of a passionate performance
• Many directors not involved enough in the performance side of directing

Well - there you have it folks - probably no surprises in any of these statements and we will address nearly all of these statements during our Fall AIM. 

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!"   Enjoy the moments!

Ann Jarchow

Region 3 Education Coordinator

Another great convention and competition is in the record books.  I hope you had as great of time as I did.  It is always so much fun to see and sing with all the members of Region 3.

The judging panel also enjoyed being in our region.  While brought in for their musical expertise, they were impressed with the solid vocal skills they saw and heard from each group.  The panel also commented on the warmth and kindness they received from all of our members.  The Region 3 atmosphere is one we all cherish and is wonderful tribute to each of us.

The convention would not happen if it were not for many members contributing their time and efforts.  They are an impressive group and I appreciate everything they have contributed.

Steering Committee - Pattee Bender, Robin Kern, Cindy Slowik and Jane Toftey

Committee - Joyce Campbell, Sandy Cheeseman, Alice Deller, Debbie Fletcher, Connie Harr, Bev Hoffmeister, Cindy Judy, Sue Menees, Linda Rozema, Bobbie Slack, Vicki Totel and Glenna Webster

Boutique - Pat Catencamp and Jane Wogoman

Emcee - Chris Noteware

Pages - Joanne Frediani, Simone Kentish, Bon Pressley and Carol Thompson

Convention Assistants - Melodeers Chorus

Directors - Jim Arns (Sound Check), Tori Hicks (Member Tribute), Lynda Keever (Quartet Champions Tribute) and Julie Zehnder (Four Bettys Tribute)

Mass Sing - Debi Batchelor and Chris Noteware

A final HUGE thank you to the Four Bettys.  They did so many things on behalf of our region - radio interview, sound check, mass sing, mic test and royal performance - at that was just on Friday!  You are wonderful representatives of the region and the organization.  We are so proud of you.  Continue to enjoy your reign!

Finally, if you would like to be a part of future events, we are always looking for help.  Whether it is an educational event or convention, day of help or a seat on a committee, we need you.  Email is the only requirement.  If you are interested, please e-mail me at skhsnoopy@comcast.net.

Thank you again!

Shelly Hughes

Events Coordinator

We are all competitors by nature.  Seasoned competitors know how to take any event and use the information to better prepare for the "next time".  It is a little unfortunate that we only get one opportunity a year to benchmark our progress.  Wouldn't it be great if we could play a series and best of seven wins?  In reality, though, only one quartet and chorus will score the highest points and be proclaimed  "Champion"!!  Regional Competition really shows "highest scoring performance for the day."  And hopefully that is the quartet or chorus that can most often put that level of performance consistently out there.  Competitors should be recognized - they worked hard to accomplish their goals.  That is one reason that SAI offers Division awards, to level the playing field for small and mid-size choruses.

We are a funny crowd.  Too often we let six-minutes on competition stage change our self-image instead of using it to springboard into a better performance in the future.  I would like to suggest that while some believe adversity builds character, it more often REVEALS it.  One of the elements of top performers in any organization is the ability to be resilient and to rebound from adverse situations.  Top performers have this quality and will persevere even when goals fall short.  They have an innate belief in their abilities and do not let one setback keep them from their goals.  We have a saying in sales, SW< SW<SW<N or Some Will, Some WON'T, So What -NEXT!!  Top Performers have a NEXT mentality.

Even Top Performers sometimes fall short of their goal.  Ask any high achiever.  We have those examples right here at home.  How many times did the Four Bettys come in second at Regional before moving to the International stage?  Even 4-time International Champion Chorus Melodeers placed second in Las Vegas.  And what did they both do?  Bettys went on to win at Regional and ultimately capture the Queen's crown and Melodeers went back to Regional Competition the next year and scored the highest regional score to date (741) within the organization.  Champions have a resilient, "SO WHAT - NEXT" mentality.

Now is a great time to start thinking about preparing for the upcoming year and I hope all of you who attended the Regional Rally came away with information that will aid your efforts.  Build it and they will come.  Your Regional Management Team is ready and willing to assist you.

Congratulations to every competing chorus and quartet.  And a huge shout-out to all our Top Performers.  Woo Hoo!!

I look forward to seeing you at AIM weekend September 12 -14 featuring faculty Jim Arns and Renee Porzel.  Can't wait to see you there!!!

Convention Attendees and Exhibitors

We would like to make you aware of a situation that has been brought to our attention.  There is a company, Convention Expo Travel based out of Henderson, Nevada, which has been contacting our attendees and exhibitors to assist with hotel reservations.  They are disguising themselves as the Sweet Adelines International Housing Bureau. They are claiming they can get better rates or that rooms are limited, or they are using other sales pitch methods.  They are NOT the official housing bureau and are NOT affiliated with Sweet Adelines International in any way.

If you receive a call from this company claiming to represent Sweet Adelines International, be aware that this is not sanctioned and DO NOT MAKE THE RESERVATION. Convention Expo Travel is NOT affiliated with Sweet Adelines International in any capacity.

The Sweet Adelines International official Housing Bureau is Experient.  Experient will book rooms at the hotels within the block with previously negotiated rates that Sweet Adelines International has contracted years in advance.  The Housing Bureau will never contact you via the phone and solicit your business.  They will contact you via phone only if you contact them and ask them to return your call.

If you have already made hotel reservations through Convention Expo Travel, Sweet Adelines International is unable to guarantee the validity of the reservation.  If you would like to cancel your reservations, please contact the hotel directly. Additionally, contact your credit card company and tell them NOT to pay the 20% penalty if it is put through by Convention Expo Travel.

Please contact me with any questions.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kathy Hayes Director of Meetings & Corporate Services Sweet Adelines International kathyh@sweetadelineintl.org

Save the Date---Big Weenie Tag Singing Contest, August 9, 2008

Benefits Young Women in Harmony (YWIH)

and Young Men in Harmony (YMIH)!