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You spoke, we listened
Member surveys provide topics for IBOD discussion and action
By Gaye LaCasce, International President
In a previous message, I mentioned some of the ways you, our members, have inspired the work of the IBOD. Our member surveys elicited great responses and have led us to such efforts as our recent focus on quartet development activities and resources.
Over the past months, a volunteer group has really delved into the data from those surveys, to try to identify even more "hot topics". The IBOD and many others have now reviewed and sorted the data and clarified many of the topics you raised. How great is it that the comments from and the opinions of our members have informed much of the work of the IBOD over the past two years! If we spotted a trend in those surveys and could address a need or problem, we wanted to do that.
Later in this HI Note, you'll find a link that will take you to the full report. I know that some of you might consider it sleep-inducing, but many of you will find the data interesting - I promise! I hope you'll see yourself and your feelings reflected there. Please check it out. An incredible amount of work has gone into collecting, quantifying, and operationalizing your ideas. Keep those ideas coming!
In other important topics - it's hard to believe that we're making reservations for IC&C in Louisville! How time flies. How many rehearsals does your quartet or chorus have until November?! Thanks to all the intrepid volunteers who pour their hearts and souls into this, our signature event, every year. Stay tuned for new opportunities and experiences!
And last but certainly not least, on July 18 our newest chartered chorus, Spirit of Michigan Chorus (SOMC) in Lansing, held a charter ceremony and celebration with friends, family, and other local barbershoppers. The weather was extremely uncooperative - not in Lansing, but in Charlotte, NC, where connecting flights to Michigan were backed up. I was en route to Lansing, but instead spent the day at the Charlotte airport before heading back home to Charlottesville. While I was incredibly disappointed to miss the event, SOMC Director Jeanne Crowell, Area 4 Director Susan Spencer, and a host of enthusiastic members allowed me to participate virtually. My heart was with you all.
New chapters are popping up everywhere - let us know if there's a place that might want or need a Harmony, Inc. chorus!
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| Harmony Shines at BHS Convention |
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Harmony members shine at BHS convention in Cleveland
By Ann McAlexander, Roving Reporter
Cleveland rocked to ringing barbershop chords as the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) held its international convention in the downtown area over the Independence Day week. Harmony, Inc. members were present everywhere you looked, and many of them made many significant contributions.
Since BHS opened up their contests to all voices starting in 2022, we've seen more and more participation by our members in a variety of roles. From performing in the World Harmony Showcase to competing in the Chorus Festival, Quartet Contest, and Chorus Contest to working as convention volunteers, ringing tags in the hotel lobbies, and being eager spectators, our members were seemingly everywhere!
Harmony members participate in contests
When the call went out for all Harmony members in attendance to gather at the contest venue for a photo, 54 members turned up, and at least a handful more weren't able to be there. There were most likely between 60 and 75 Harmony members in attendance.
In the Chorus Festival, which is an open contest requiring no prequalification, Harmony members sang with the Alexandria, Virginia-based Metro Voices, and also with Undercover Mix from the Ontario District. Both choruses received Superior ratings (the highest possible), and Metro Voices, directed by Samantha Tramack (Taken for Granite, 2016 Harmony Queens) and assisted by Maggie McAlexander (Spot On, 2013) and Tessa Walker (Hot Pursuit, 2019), took top honors.
In the Quartet Contest, Sweet & Sour, with Harmony members Samantha Tramack (she was truly everywhere!) and Christina Tramack (Taken for Granite, 2016), made the cut into the Top 20 semifinals and finished 16th in the world. Harmony members also sang with quarter-finalist quartets First Class and Empire.
In the Chorus Contest, Harmony members sang with Alexandria Harmonizers (who featured the trio of Samantha, Maggie, and Tessa), Great River Voices, Harbourtown Sound, Parkside Melody (co-directed by Melody Hine, Hot Pursuit, 2019), Prism, Southwest Vocal Alliance, Vocal Revolution, Voices Unites, Visions of Harmony, and the Dream Choruses.
The Harmonizers took fifth place medalist honors, making Samantha, Maggie, and Tessa the first Harmony, Inc. members to earn a BHS medal.
Harmony lends a hand
Harmony members were also very visible in some notable roles: Sandi Wright taught a class and emceed one of the quartet quarterfinals sessions, Linda Muise served as Panel Chair for the festivals, and Tom Gentry was inducted into the BHS Hall of Fame.
And 2023 Harmony Queens Fierce represented us extremely well as mic coolers at the end of the quartet finals, and as our representative in the World Harmony Showcase.
With BHS now opened up to all, and many singers seeking additional opportunities to participate beyond their local Harmony groups, it's truly More Barbershop, More Fun, More of the Time!
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On Your Mark, Get Set, BOOK!
By Shannon Shelton-Muller, IC&C Marketing Assistant
The hotel room block and registration website for this year’s IC&C are now OPEN, and all members should have received an email with details and links on July 15.
Below are highlights and links from this email.
All IC&C events will take place at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky.
HOTEL ROOM RESERVATIONS
Please go HERE to book your hotel room. The convention runs from November 6-9 (Wednesday afternoon-Sunday morning). The convention rate will be offered from October 31 – November 12 if you would like to extend your stay to explore all of the fun things to do in Louisville.
• Reservations must be accompanied by a valid major credit card. The amount of deposit required equals the value of the first night’s accommodation, including tax. Please note this is a non-refundable deposit.
• Please be sure to have your credit card number, billing address, and names of your roommates with you when you make your reservation
• The reservation deadline is October 1, 2024.
OTHER INFORMATION
Hotel FAQ
Hotel Amenities
Transportation Around Louisville
Downtown Louisville Area Guide
ICC REGISTRATION
We ask that all choruses register their members at the same time vs having members register individually. This ensures you will be seated together at dinner.
You can register for ICC here. Here are detailed instructions on the use of this form.
Please note; you will use one form to purchase AEPs, dinners, printed programs, and any single tickets for the contests or the Parade of Champions.
Dates to remember:
• Midnight, August 31 – Early bird pricing ends
• Midnight, September 30 – Last day to order Saturday dinner
• Midnight, October 31 – Online ticket sales end. Passes and tickets may be purchased onsite at IC&C
IC&C costs (prices below are the Early bird pricing):
• Adult Performing Member AEP = $165
• Adult Non-Performing Member AEP = $125
• Adult Non-Member AEP = $135
• Youth Performing Member AEP = $125 (this cost is being covered by the Steve Hagerdon Bright Future Fund.)
• Youth Non-performing Member AEP = $95 (this cost is being covered by the Steve Hagerdon Bright Future Fund.)
• Youth Non-Member AEP = $95
• Single Event Tickets = $35
• Single Event Youth Ticket = $20 (13-25 Years of Age)
• Single Event Child Ticket = $0 (0-12 Years of Age)
Saturday Dinner:
Participation in the Saturday dinner helps us to lower the price of our AEPs – and it’s a lot of fun! The cost for this year’s dinner is $55.00. More information about the dinner can be found in IC&C FAQs.
BOOK YOUR SCOOTER
Need mobility assistance during IC&C? Booking is available for scooters. The cost for Wednesday, Nov. 6 - Saturday, Nov. 9 (scooter due for drop off by 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov.10) is $175.
Arriving earlier than Wednesday? No problem. Scooters are available as early as Sunday, Nov. 3. The cost for an earlier rental for the week is $206.
To book:
• Call 502-799-5419.
• Let them know you are with Harmony, Inc. for their convention at the Galt House.
• Give required time of pick up and drop off.
• Payment due at time of booking.
All scooters will come with baskets. Still have questions? Contact IC&C Business Services Assistant Debbie Wilson.
OPEN REHEARSAL ROOM SIGN UP AVAILABLE
Attention all IC&C Competing Chorus Presidents and Directors.
In the July 5 edition of the HI Note, we announced we would be using Sign Up Genius to manage the booking of our Open Rehearsal Rooms this year.
The sign up is now available! Here is the access to the Sign Up Sheet for booking your Open Rehearsal Room. There are four rooms this year for Open Rehearsals, available in 50-minute rehearsal slots from 1:00 --10:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 7.
The information on the Sign Up Sheet lists the name of the room and its size in square feet. Please choose the room appropriate to your chorus size so that the larger choruses have the opportunity to book the larger rooms. Your help with this is appreciated.
The rooms are available for booking from now until Thursday, November 7. However, since we have fewer rooms this year, please book only one time slot to give every chorus the chance to choose the room and time they need. Closer to November 7, if there are still time slots available, these can be booked for a second rehearsal slot for your chorus.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact iccservicesmgr@harmonyinc.org
SAVE THE DATE:
AUGUST 25, 2024, AT 4 P.M. EDT is the time, and a Zoom meeting is the place! Join your IC&C Convention Team for our Know Before You Go Call! They will give you the ins and outs on all things IC&C. (Meeting link to come closer to the actual date.)
Remember, you can also visit the FAQ page for details on IC&C! The FAQ sheet is kept updated throughout the contest season with everything you need to know.
Volunteering at IC&C
By Anne Leinen, IC&C Volunteer Manager
While you’re thinking about contest songs, costumes, coaching, and all those exciting things that come with the convention, don’t forget to include time for volunteering in Louisville. When the signup comes out in August, find a job that interests you and fits with your schedule. It’s a lot of fun. Here is what a recent volunteer said about volunteering:
“I like to try out assignments that are new to me. Backstage jobs are kind of thrilling – you feel the excitement of the performers, you can hear all the music and it’s satisfying to shepherd people through smoothly. Introducing the education classes and meeting the talented musicians who teach them... working behind the scenes and getting to know the other volunteers ... it’s all a lot of fun.”
Whether you work the pattern, help with Registration, or choose one of the many other volunteer jobs, I promise you’ll enjoy the experience. If you have questions, you can find answers at Volunteer FAQs, or feel free to contact me anytime.
Check back in August for the official signup link with easy instructions!
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| Minor Chords Director sought |
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Nominate yourself or someone else...
By Tessa Walker, Youth Coordinator
Hello Harmony!
My name is Tessa Walker and I am so excited to be your new Youth Coordinator! Part of my job is to pick who will direct Minor Chords during each IC&C.
This year I want to do things a little differently. I want to put together a catalog of people who would be interested in and passionate about directing the Minor Chords. This catalog would be one of the tools used to help choose the next Minor Chords director. Harmony, Inc. is a big organization that is continually and amazingly growing. It is impossible for me to know everyone in the organization and I thought this would be a good way to get to know more candidates rather than relying only on my own networking and relationships.
You can nominate yourself or you can nominate someone else. The goal is to keep the tradition of having a new person each year and we want to continue to diversify the directorship. The Director works with the Youth Coordinator to pick out the Minor Chords song and must have the skill set to run successful music rehearsals and direct the chorus of youth members. You must be 26 or older as - if you are 25 and under - you should be singing with the Minor Chords chorus and enjoying that experience with the ensemble!
If you are interested in nominating someone (or yourself), please fill out this Google form. You can direct any questions to youth@harmonyinc.org
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New Quartet resource is here!
We heard you
By Taralee Lashway, Director of Membership
The Membership Survey Tool has been an incredible way for Harmony to hear YOU! In the 2022 survey, one of the most popular areas of interest was quartetting: how to create, grow, and thrive as a barbershop foursome.
In order to really understand what the Membership was requesting, we created a focus group pilot to take your requests to another level; really digging deep into what was working, not working, what we had, and what was missing. The focus group was a huge success. It brought together voices from all over Harmony, Inc., to have honest communication about what members were thinking about when they answered the survey and what could help to make quartetting more satisfying.
From the results of the Quartet Focus Group, a brainstorming team was created consisting of the Quartet Development Coordinators, the Director of Membership, the Focus Group Coordinator, Director of Education and Programs, and a knowledgeable Affiliate Member. Hard work and research paid off and we are happy to introduce one of the first products, Guide to Conversations About Quartetting.
The quartet conversation guide is a printable tool that anyone can use when thinking about starting, refocusing, or refreshing a quartet. There are questions and scenarios that you may have already thought of but didn’t know how to approach or have never crossed your mind at all. The resource can help you through the conversations that lead to a unified goal and help build and strengthen your experience with quartetting.
To give it a try, click GUIDE TO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT QUARTETTING to check it out, and let us know what you think. We hope that this helps you to reach your goals. Be on the lookout for some more wonderful products in the future!
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LEARN, LISTEN, AND GROW
Find all the resources you need in the guide
By Taralee Lashway, Director of Membership
To wrap up the FIND YOUR VOICE guide series we provide a summary of resources designed to help your Chapter grow and flourish. The FIND YOUR VOICE guide has suggestions and step-by-step instructions for how to do it all.
Other specialized resources are also available to aid in advertising your recruitment and retention campaign including harmony logos, social media and Facebook covers, web flyers, and graphics.
There are also some of the most wonderfully helpful people at the Area and International levels who can assist you. The FIND YOUR VOICE guide. IT’S ALL IN THERE!
FIND YOUR VOICE is a fantastic resource that is available to every member from our website. It has recently been revamped and energized so that it is user-friendly, energizing, and helpful. FIND YOUR VOICE can help you not only to grow your Chapter but also make your Chapter more robust! To see what all the excitement is about, log on to Members Only and click FIND YOUR VOICE
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Glorianne Lowe - Website Manager
By Anne Bureau, Director Marketing & Communications
The Marketing and Communications Team has been busy over the past few months, bringing in a third new member. Please join me in welcoming, from Area 6, Sunshine Harmony Chorus, our newest addition to the team, Website Manager Glorianne Lowe. I invite you all to read this recent interview with Glorianne.
Anne – Tell us about your work experience
Glorianne - My work experience has been in the computer industry for over 30 years. The positions I held included administration, technical support and training, sales and marketing. Companies included Legal Data Systems, Digital Equipment Corporation, Wang Laboratories, Arthur Andersen Consulting and I retired from March McLennan Professional Services.
Anne - What drew you to join Harmony, Inc. and what do you love the most about the organization?
Glorianne - The chance to once again sing in a barbershop chorus. I had spent over five years in Sweet Adelines in Tampa, Florida. My working demands forced me to leave the chorus. When I retired we moved to our present home which was almost a two hour drive to Tampa and difficult for me to travel. A new Harmony, Inc. chorus opened in my area, and I joined immediately as a charter member. What I like about Harmony, Inc. is the focus on sisterhood and diversity.
Anne – Tell us what motivates you to volunteer and serve the organization
Glorianne - The reason I volunteered to serve the organization is that I wanted to give back a part of myself to help the organization.
Anne – Tell us what you see in the future for Harmony, Inc.
Glorianne - My vision of the future for Harmony, Inc. is to grow across the world to bring music and harmony to the hearts of people everywhere.
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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.
?
Thank you to our recurring monthly donors: Lindsay Chartier, Kelly Peterson, Ann McAlexander, Jeanne O'Connor and Donna McKay
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| Condolences From The Membership |
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- to Donna McIsaac (The Over Tones, Inc., Area 5) on the death of her sister
Need to post a condolence notice? Please have the information sent to the Corporate Office Assistant to be recorded. Thank you.
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24 JULY, 7:30 p.m. ET - HIVE Class - Engaging Youth Part 3, Instructor: Tessa Rae Walker
28 JULY - Deadline for next issue of the HI Note. Consider using HAR-132 to engage the Marketing and Communications team with your announcement or story.
14 AUGUST, 7:30 p.m. ET - HIVE Class - Hearty, Happy, Healthy, Instructor: Kim Wonders
15 AUGUST - US Chapters are required to file an electronic 990-N with the IRS
28 AUGUST, 7:30 p.m. ET - HIVE Class - Engaging Youth Part 4, Instructor: Tessa Rae Walker
15 SEPTEMBER - Canadian Chapters are required to file a T2 with CRA
25 SEPTEMBER, 7:30 p.m. ET - HIVE Class - Engaging Youth Part 5, Instructor: Tessa Rae Walker
1 OCTOBER - ICC Hotel Room Reservation Deadline
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| International Conventions & Contests |
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2024 NOVEMBER 6-9, GALT HOUSE, LOUISVILLE, KY
2025 NOVEMBER 5-8, HERSHEY LODGE, HERSHEY, PA
2026 NOVEMBER 11-14, GALT HOUSE, LOUISVILLE, KY
2027 NOVEMBER 10-13, NIAGARA FALLS CONVENTION CENTER, NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO
2028 NOVEMBER 1-4, HERSHEY LODGE, HERSHEY, PA
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The next issue of the HI Note comes to your inbox August 5. What would you like to see covered in our pages? Drop a line to editor@harmonyinc.org and we'll tell the world. Next deadline is July 28.
See you again, soon!
Copyright © 2024 Harmony, Inc., All rights reserved.
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