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Welcome to AC&C season!
By Linda Brehaut, International President
Welcome to AC&C season! In only a few weeks, Area 6 will hit the stage and Area 2 will follow along the next weekend. We wish all the best to you as you have those last few rehearsals and figure out how big a suitcase you will need to get you through an AC&C weekend! Have fun and let the music bring you all together.
I had the absolute pleasure of attending the Area 6 education day on March 25, at which I had the privilege of welcoming one of our newest chapters with their official charter party. Area 6 welcomed and celebrated Sunshine Harmony Chorus in a very special way. And two more charter parties are in the making. My bucket is full and overflowing! The spirit of Harmony was so alive – friendships old and new, opportunities to learn, whether it was through a formal coaching session or simply over lunch, and amazing performances.
Area 6 Director Angie Beatty and ACJC Trayce Elenteny also shared a decision with me that highlights, in a big way, the support, encouragement, and respect that is the lifeline of Harmony – I can’t share the details yet, but I might in my next article!
I know this is not unique to Area 6, but it was special for me because I was there. It only made me wish I could have visited every Area. I'm not sure I have a bucket big enough to hold all the love this organization has to offer.
IBOD approves new Director mentoring program
It seems every two weeks I have more exciting news to share from the IBOD. This time I want to give you a heads-up that we have approved a new program. Anne Bureau and Kathy Stone, along with Director of Programs (Music and Education) Sara Stone, have put together a mentoring program for our Musical Directors. The full details will be available shortly, so please keep an eye out for this if you think you could benefit either from being a mentor or being a mentee. This is an excellent opportunity. We send a big thank you to Kathy and Anne for their vision and follow through on this!
The IBOD will hold its Mid-Year meeting May 13. If you have an agenda item you would like to submit, please do so prior to April 15. (HAR-009).
Remember to take a moment each day to recognize those moments that remind you that Life is Good!
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What Did You Say?
By Shannon Shelton-Muller, IC&C Marketing Manager
Did you qualify at AC&C for IC&C? Did you see your OSS so you could evaluate how you did in the PER? Hasn’t the IBOD done a great job in evaluating member needs this year? Ummm, what? There are a lot of acronyms in the barbershop world, so as we ramp up towards IC&C it’s helpful to know what they are and what they mean as you read through important information.
COMMON ACRONYMS
AC&C - Area Convention & Contests
ACJC - Area Contest & Judging Chair
ADM – Administrative Judge
AEV - Advance Expense Voucher
AEP - All-Events Pass
AICJC - Assistant International Contest & Judging Chair
AHQ - Association of Harmony Queens
BHS - Barbershop Harmony Society
CS - Category Specialist
CTS - Category Training School
C&J - Contest and Judging
EC - Executive Committee
GKT - General Knowledge Test
GOC - Geographically Outlying Chapter
GPM - Guest Panel Member
IBOD - International Board of Directors
IC&C - International Convention & Contests
ICJC - International Contest & Judging Chair
ICJ Committee - International Contest & Judging Committee
MBHA - Mixed Barbershop Harmony Association
MUS - Music Category
OJF - Official Judging Form
OPM - Official Panel Member
OSS - Official Scoring Summary
PC - Panel Chair
PPM - Practice Panel Member
PER - Performance Category
SA - Scoring Analysis
SNG - Singing Category
SWTQ - Sing with the Queens
TC - Training Coordinator
VP C&C - Vice President of Convention & Contests
TUNE UP TIPS: DID YOU KNOW? Acaville has extended their partnership with Harmony, Inc.
You can get the ENTIRE 2023 CONTEST SEASON! There are 4 different plans available. Check out the link below to choose your own adventure.
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| Acaville to Stream All Harmony Contests |
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Spring is in the air, and you know what that means here in Harmony, Inc… CONTEST SEASON! Our Areas are in planning mode, gearing up for some amazing AC&C weekends.
What is one thing that they are all working on to make contest more accessible in 2023? Teaming up with Acaville to bring contest into the living rooms, work cubicles, and onto the streaming devices of those who cannot be there in person!
As with IC&C, viewers are able to pay one time to experience all contests during the weekend.
But wait… There’s more!
This time around there are options to hear all of those sweet barbershop harmonies across all Area and International contests! Truly, nothing compares to being there in person, but we don’t want you to miss a thing. Check out the different package options, share the information with friends and family that cannot attend. We are excited to offer this amazing service to our Harmony family, and cannot wait for the contests to begin!
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| Membership Team Seeks Volunteer |
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COME JOIN THE TEAM!
This is a great opportunity for YOU to be involved with all the excitement happening at Harmony.
The Membership Team is looking for a Quartet Development Coordinator. This awesome human will serve as the contact point for the Area Quartet Coordinators and report directly to the Director of Membership.
All new things are intimidating at first, but the Membership Team is here to help you to grow into your new position. So why not take that step?! For more information contact Taralee Lashway, Director of Membership or Apply here!
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| Nominations Due for IBOD Seats |
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Nominations for International Board
Area Director and Board Directors Elections are Open
By Kathryn Dory, Elections Committee Chair
Nomination Forms for 2023 International Board elections are due May 1. This is for the Area 2, 4 and 6 Directors and Board Director elections which will take place soon.
Harmony, Inc. needs people interested in developing policies and practices that might be useful to our international organization. We need problem solvers, dreamers, and planners to continue moving us forward.
You must be a member of Harmony, in good standing, for a minimum of two (2) years at the time of nomination to be eligible to run for election.
Forms: The nomination has two online forms, and both must be submitted by the deadline. HAR-034 Part 1 is the Nomination Form to be completed by the member nominating a candidate and HAR-034 Part 2 is the Application for the nominee to submit. Both forms can be found on the Harmony, Inc. website under Forms/Documents in the members-only section.
Deadline: Nomination forms (HAR-034 Parts 1 & 2) must be returned to the Elections Committee Chair and Corporate Office no later than May 1, 2023.
Newly elected Board Members are expected to participate in the 3rd Quarter and Annual Board Meetings. This has proven to be an invaluable way to get acquainted with the work and what will be required of them coming into their elected position.
More detailed information can be found in the March 20 HI Note.
Harmony, Inc. needs qualified individuals to place their names for nomination. Allow your name to stand, get to know Harmony, and let Harmony get to know you! Become part of the future of our beloved organization.
In harmony,
Kathryn Dory, Chair
Gillian Nichol, Canadian Teller
Linda Parviainen, U.S. Teller
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| Help Wanted! - Survey Analyst |
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We have a Survey Resource Team . . .
and it needs a Survey Resource Analyst
By Linda McMaster, Strategic Advisor
In the fall of 2021, the Harmony, Inc. Survey Resource Team was created. Under the leadership of the Strategic Advisor, the Survey Resource Team will:
- establish a survey protocol to assist with survey development, analysis, goal setting and the measurement of results;
- limit the number of surveys ensuring relevance and connection to the organization’s strategic outcomes (avoid survey fatigue)
- assist with utilization of data over time
- help establish/communicate our commitment to confidentiality and transparency
The Survey Resource Team usually meets once a month. It is responsible for the Member survey that was distributed in the spring. The responses led to a change in the focus of the work of the IBOD in 2023.
The Survey Resource Team is lacking one significant member. Is it you? We are in search of a Survey Analyst to volunteer to sit on this committee.
The Survey Analyst:
- will be a member of the Survey Resource Team
- will work with the Survey Resource Team to design and conduct surveys that gather information about the opinions, preferences, and behaviors of our members including but not limited to
- developing survey questions
- collecting data from surveys
- identifying issues or problems with past survey methodology that may have affected results
- will lead the analysis of the results of these surveys
- will determine how the results can best be used to inform future decisions
- will identify trends and patterns in opinions or behaviors
- will recommend if or when other forms of surveying members should be considered, such as focus groups or in-depth interviews.
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| Growing Harmony Donor Profile - Tom Gentry |
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DONOR SPOTLIGHT - TOM GENTRY
By Kim Meechan, Director of Philanthropy
Tom Gentry! I know that name well, as I am sure you all do. I had the pleasure of chatting with Tom recently and learned so much more about this gentleman who has coached and judged so many members of Harmony, Inc.
Tom was introduced to Harmony, Inc. by Russ and Nancy Foris in 1978. By 1979, Tom was attending a director’s seminar, where he received news that he had been certified as an Arrangement judge. Soon afterward, he was judging Harmony, Inc.’s Area and International contests. The warmth he felt then from the organization has continued to grow over the years, as has his love for Harmony, Inc.
Memories... light the corners of his mind
When asked what his fondest memory as an affiliate member of Harmony, Inc. was, Tom recalled attending AC&C in Buffalo, NY, and being the only male on the judging panel. As a gift, the judges were given pastel-colored stuffed sheep. Tom was presented with a black sheep. He named the sheep Fidel and still has him at home!
Tom also treasures the memory of being awarded Lifetime Affiliate Membership in Harmony in 2012 (along with Russ Foris, Bill MacIntosh, and Larry Clemens.)
Tom discovered barbershop music when he was in high school. He was 16 years old when he heard the harmonies in The Music Man, and he was instantly hooked - for life. When asked what motivates him to stay with Harmony, Inc., Tom’s answer was, “Why would I eat? Why would I breathe?" That's why.
Tom leaves a legacy gift
Harmony, Inc. has been a part of Tom’s life, filled with relationships that are positive and warm. That mutual love and respect is one reason why Tom has decided to leave a legacy gift to Harmony, Inc. in his will. He wants to give that love and respect back to Harmony, Inc. to be used as needed, whether it be for general expenses, mentoring programs, or scholarships.
Tom will be retiring from judging in July 2023. He says he will “be around” though, at IC&C, BHS events, and mentoring. Barbershop is his lifelong love, and there is still so much more to enjoy!
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Your donations to the For Love of Harmony program enable you to identify individuals or groups to receive special recognition, while at the same time providing a monetary gift to Harmony, Inc.
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| Condolences From The Membership |
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Those we cherish will always live on in memory.
Need to post a condolence notice? Please have the information sent to the Corporate Office to be recorded. Thank you.
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1 APRIL - Deadline for membership renewals for all Chapter, Associate, and Affiliate members
15 APRIL - Deadline to submit IMPACT HARMONY videos
30 APRIL - Deadline to apply for Directors First scholarship to Harmony U
1 MAY - Nominations forms for IBOD and Area Directors due to Elections Committee
Intent to Compete/IC&C Contest Entry Forms
Area 6 – May 1
Area 2 - May 8
Area 3 - May 22
Area 5 - June 12
Area 1 - June 19
Area 4 - June 26
13 MAY - IBOD Mid-Year meeting, 9 am-5 pm ET, via Zoom
15 JULY - IC&C hotel room block opens
16 AUGUST - IBOD Q3 meeting, 6-10 pm ET, via Zoom.
1 SEPTEMBER - End of late entries for IC&C. End of early bird AEP pricing for IC&C.
1 OCTOBER - Big Screen Ads cutoff
3 NOVEMBER - End of Online IC&C registration. Tickets may still be purchased at the door.
5-8 NOVEMBER - IBOD Annual Meeting, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Contest entry forms are available online using the links below.
Official Area Chorus Contest Entry Form
Official Area Quartet Contest Entry Form
The next issue of the HI Note comes to your inbox April 20. What would YOU like to read about in that issue? Share your thoughts with editor@harmonyinc.org by April 13.
See you in a couple weeks!
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Copyright © 2023 Harmony, Inc., All rights reserved.
As a member of Harmony, Inc. you are entitled to all communication from Harmony, Inc.
Our mailing address is:
Harmony, Inc.
Corporate Office
9466 Pleasant Level Rd
Mechanicsville, VA 23116
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