The Orange Peel The Orange Peel

The Orange Peel
Newz to the Jax Big Q Chapter
All the Newz Unfit To Print
Here Ye There Ye
Volume 32 Issue 4½
1 April 2012
We meet around 7:30 some Thursdays at Shepherd of the Woods, 7860 Southside Blvd, Jacksonville, FL
Guests usually welcome
Some Experience Necessary
ARTS GRANT DISCOVERED
BIG Q TO RECEIVE $8,000
by the Orange Peel Stâff
T
hanks to some diligent research by the
music team, we have a unique opportunity to somehow improve the visual
component of our performance for our
return to the competitive arena.
Little Known Grant
A poorly-publicized federal grant worth up to
eight thousand dollars per chapter has been
made available by the National Endowment for
the Arts (NEA) to all male a cappella singing organizations. Stipulations are that recipients
would be obliged to carry out certain performance costume themes for all performances over
a three year period, commencing on the date of
the issuance of the funds.
Initial Skepticism
The board, in an emergency meeting, approved
the application. Disbelief was universal at the
outset of the brief discussion by board members.
But a signed cover letter from an anonymous
congressional intern assured the music team
that we can expect receipt of the grant just in
time for the fall District contest.
“This gives us a golden opportunity to unload
those hideous tuxes” remarked one board member. “We’ve had them for too long. Why can’t we
live with sequined speedos for just three more
years?”
BHS OKS FEMALE MEMBERS WOMEN COULD ADD TO
SOCIETY: REDUCED DUES,
MORE TENORS SEEN
by the Orange Peel Stäff
It’s a landmark decision at Society Headquarters
that even the highest Society officials refuse to discuss. However, within the next few weeks membership teams throughout the society will be receiving
preliminary notification regarding an innovative but
wholly voluntary chapter membership policy.
Smaller Chapters to Benefit
On an as-needed basis, chapters with fewer than
200 men may admit women. The move serves two
primary functions but offers many additional benefits in a society-wide effort to stem the recent exodus of tenors to the Sweet Adelines and Harmony,
Inc. This move allows more pickup quartets at
meetings, because all smaller chapters will be able
to field more tenors. Larger chapters who wish to
have women join their ranks are encouraged to split
into two or more chapters.
Mum’s the Word
Society staffers and International Board members
have all been mum about the policy for months and
continued to maintain their silence at press time.
Jest for the Fun of it
Stolen from the Holland LandSlide, newsletter of the Batavia, NY
chapter, April 1, 1998 issue.
ReStolen from the Concho Capers, newsletter of the San Angelo, TX chapter.
Volume 32 Issue 4
April 2012
We meet at 7:30 most Thursdays at Shepherd of the Woods, 7860 Southside Blvd, Jacksonville, FL
Guests always welcome
Call 355-SING
No Experience Necessary
WHAT'S INSIDE
Title
Page
Barbershop Quartet Day
1
Editorial
2
Big O Night At The Alhambra
3
Big O Makes Wikipedia
3
Big Orange Announces Spring Show
4
Coffee House Stimulation
4
Past Due Members
4
Up Your Ticket Sales
5
10 Reasons To Fly To Portland
5-7
Vocal Education Series Part 3
7-8
What Should You Think About When
8-10
Free Singing Tips
10
The I Sing Button Works
11
Pole Cats
11
Quartet Corner
12
Tips For Utilizing The Breath
12
Meet The Member
13
Barbershopper Of The Month
13
Board Minute Summary
14-15
Attn: Society Board Member Candidates 15
Hey! You Could Become A Dapper Dan 15
Upcoming Schedules
16
Birthdays / Guests / New Members
16
Directing Team / Other Leaders
17
Chapter Officers / Music Team
18
BARBERSHOP QUARTET DAY
by John Alexander
B
arbershop Quartet Day honors four guys
with great voices. This day celebrates the
founding of the Society for the Preservation
and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet
Singing in America (known today as the Barbershop Harmony Society) with the gathering of 26
people in Tulsa, Oklahoma on April 11, 1938. Barbershop Quartets date back to the early 1900's in
America.
Barbershop Quartet music became a very popular
part of the pop-culture during the 1940's. For all of
you who don't know, a Barbershop Quartet is a
group of 4 vocalists each of which has their own
role. The lead sings the melody, the tenor harmonizes above the melody, the bass sings the lowest
harmonizing notes and the baritone complete the
chord, usually below the lead. The Quartet is a very
interesting and heart-felt form of singing that has
been entertaining people since the origin of the
style.
Barbershop quartets continue to be popular musical
groups. Musical selections are usually happy and
light hearted, and allow full utilization of the voice
ranges and skills of these great singers. Competitions at local, district, and international levels encourage these groups to flourish.
Some days are built for rivalry and competition.
How else can you explain April 11 being both Barbershop Quartet Day and International Louie Louie
Day? In some parts of the retrosphere, April 11 is
also National 8-Track Tape Day.
Celebrate today by listening to a Barbershop Quartet, either live or recorded, or better yet, singing in
one!
Jacksonville FL
2012 Board of Directors
Committees
President:
Howdy Russell
Show Chairman:
Dave Medvidofsky
Executive VP:
Bill Vockell
Chorus Manager:
Joe Murrell
VP Music & Performance:
Rob Banks
Chorus Contact:
Bill Vockell
VP Chapter Development:
Phil Warmanen
Webmaster:
Frank Nosalek
VP Marketing & PR:
Rick Chapman
Youth In Harmony:
Dave Parker
George Breedon
Secretary:
Don Messler
Music Personnel
Treasurer:
Tim Walton
Music Director:
Tony DeRosa
Big Orange Chorus
Page 2
Immediate Past President: Assistant Director:
Chuck Roegiers
Tim Walton
Members at Large:
John Alexander
Dave Medvidofsky
Frank Nosalek
Mike Sobolewski
Associate Director:
Mike McGee
Big O Bucks
Coordinator:
Mike Sobolewski
Section Leaders:
Jimmy Kite
Tenor
Rob Banks
Lead
Chuck Roegiers Bari
John Alexander Bass
Dave Medvidofsky Bass
Treasurer:
Rick Morin
Director Emeritus:
Chuck Griffith
The Orange Spiel is published monthly and is the
official publication of the Jacksonville Big O Chapter
of the Sunshine District of the Barbershop Harmony
Society. The Jacksonville Big O Chapter is the home
of the Big Orange Chorus. The chapter and chorus
meet most Thursday evenings and an occasional
Monday evening at 7:30 pm at the Shepherd of the
Woods, 7860 Southside Blvd. For more information
visit our website, http://www.bigorangechorus.com.
Articles, information and address corrections may be
sent to the editor:
John Alexander, Editor
2429 Southern Links Dr
Orange Park FL 32003
johnalexander@att.net
904-278-3987
For more detailed,
timely information
see my weekly
publication:
Orange Zest
April 2012
EDITORIAL
by John Alexander
Well guys, it’s that time again. Time to get serious.
We’ve got an annual spring show and an international contest for which to prepare. Not to mention
the short fused show down in Daytona.
Are we all singing, at least a little, each and every
day? A voice that only gets used once a week will
not sound its best and will tire easily. Use it or lose
it.
Are we all practicing the songs we expect to be
singing? Are we all recording ourselves and then
actually listening to the recordings? Self-critique
will let us hear how we sound to others (not the
bone conduction version we are used to) and discover where we sound good and where we need a
little more work.
Coming to rehearsal prepared makes our Thursday
evening experience much more fun and enjoyable.
Plus it allows us to progress more quickly. Nobody
wants to be the guy who causes remediation on
stuff that we all should already know.
Be the guy that everybody else wishes were standing in the square next to theirs.
Happy Easter
CHAPTER MEMBER COUNT
Regular Members (RG)
Life Members (LF)
Youth Members (Y2)
Senior Members (SN)
Senior 50-Year (S5)
Senior Legacy (SL)
58
2
6
4
3
11
Total Membership
84
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 3
BIG ORANGE CHORUS NIGHT
AT THE ALHAMBRA DINNER
THEATRE A BIG SUCCESS!
April 2012
Look for more Big
Orange
Chorus
nights to be held in
the months ahead!
by Dave Medvidofsky
O
n Tuesday, March 27, The Alhambra Dinner Theatre hosted the 3rd “Big Orange
Chorus Night.” A total of 48 Big Orange
members and guests were treated to an
evening of food, fellowship and first-rate entertainment as we enjoyed
Hello Dolly! starring Ms.
Sally Struthers. After a
rousing welcome and
plug by management for
the chorus and our June
2 show, chapter quartet
Odd Man Out performed
an opening set that was
well-received the audience. This was just a
warm-up though to a
wonderful
show
presented in an intimate setting. The
performance by the
entire cast was fantastic with the audience being touched
by the graciousness
and genuineness of
Ms. Struthers.
The
Alhambra
Theatre
(www.
alhambrajax.com)
maintains a full performance calendar
with shows that
change
approximately every 6-8
weeks. They are
strong supporters of
The Big Orange
Chorus purchasing
full page ads in our
last several show
programs.
BIG O MAKES WIKIPEDIA
by Brett Flowers
Check it out!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Orange_Chorus
The free-wheeling days of “anybody can submit
anything” are pretty much over. The changes
you may submit either must have third-party references or will be subject to verification by
wikipedia staff. Still content can be added, deleted, and changed.
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 4
BIG ORANGE ANNOUNCES
SPRING SHOW TO BE HELD
SATURDAY JUNE 2, 2012
by Dave Medvidofsky
H
old the date! On
Saturday, June 2nd
the Big Orange
Chorus will hold
our annual show at the Wilson Center for the
Arts at the
South Campus of Florida State
College, 11901 Beach Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL. We will be
holding 2 shows in this great facility: a 3:00 matinee and a 7:30
evening performance.
Joining the Big Orange Chorus will be 2010 International Barbershop Harmony Society
Champions Stormfront. Audiences will
enjoy Stormfront for their mix of comedy, entertainment and, as they say,
surprisingly great singing at times. This
show is not to be missed so start lining
up your past, present and potential
ticket purchasers now!
April 2012
COFFEE HOUSE STIMULATION
by Charlie Young
W
hat do Bill Vockell, John Banks, John
Alexander, Frank Nosalak, Phil and Algela Warmanen, Don and Judy Crist,
Charlie Young, Cheryl Ezell, and Dan’s
mom - Mrs. Proctor, all have in common?
They were all lucky enough to attend, watch and
listen to Odd Man Out perform for the locals at a
neighborhood Starbucks on Mar 6. It was a nice
showing of support
from our chorus for
our quartet and what
a fun and enjoyable
way to spend a
Tuesday
evening.
With a variety of up
tunes and a sprinkling of ballads, this
Big Orange quartet
treated the small but
appreciative crowd,
to 25 minutes of good music, solid harmony and
fun. It was definitely a big hit! Thanks to Odd Man
Out for spreading our sounds, representing the Big
Orange Chorus so well, and for encouraging and
preserving the barbershop sound in Jacksonville.
Great job!!
PAST DUE MEMBERS
T
he following members are listed separately
on the BHS website as past due. They
vary from 3 days overdue to 175 days overdue. They will automatically be removed
from the roll at 180 days overdue.
Tickets will be available in April on the web at www.
bigorangechorus.com, by calling Bill Vockell at 904287-1896, or through any Big Orange chorus member. Be sure to get your tickets for this great show!
R J Aenchbacher
Adam Anderson
Jerry Anton
Kyle Blewett
Ronald Blewett
Robert Breedon
Travis Crew
Edward Dennis
Brett Flowers
Gregory Flowers
Barry Flynn
Stephen Pohlhammer
Travis Spaulding
Ralph Thieman
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 5
UP YOUR TICKET SALES
April 2012
and end each conversation with, “So how many tickets would you like?” Thank you for your support.
by Steve Stojowski
from Tuesday Toons
H
ow many times over the last few days
have you carried on a casual conversation
lasting 30 seconds or more? When you
were done talking, how many of those
people knew that you are an avid barbershopper,
that your stupendous annual show is coming up in a
couple of weeks, and that you have their tickets? If
the answer is 100%, you’re doing a great job for
your chapter, and we sincerely thank you. If the answer is something less than 100% (it can’t be that
you’re shy — you’re a barbershopper!), please consider finding more ways to steer conversations toward barbershopping and toward getting people to
come to the Show.
If you are uncomfortable selling things, unsure of
how to broach the subject, or don’t know what to
say, help is available. A couple of weeks ago you
received an e-mail with a sample letter promoting
the show, suitable for sending to everyone you
know. If you didn’t receive it, we’ll get you another
copy. If you can put that letter into your own words
(or use the letter’s original words), success will be
yours. Practice on your family. They can help you
develop your sales pitch.
In addition to having something ready to say to everyone you meet, you also need to carry a few things
with you everywhere you go. Always carry your supply of unsold tickets with you at all times. If your inventory is running low, go get more. It wouldn’t hurt
to have a few copies of the ticket order form and
color flyers as well. Don’t leave home without them!
In my 13 years so far as a barbershopper, we have
yet to fill every available seat for any of our shows
so that we had to turn away customers because we
were sold out. On the other hand, our music is improving by leaps and bounds; we’re doing things
smarter and better every year, and it’s possible we
could sell out.
Please emphasize the fact that the discounts are
only available for tickets purchased in advance,
such as through you. You always do say that, don’t
you? Then tell them you just happen to have some
tickets with you right then and there. Close the deal!
Always talk it up; always have everything with you,
10 REASONS TO FLY TO PORTLAND, RIGHT NOW
by George Hobica
from foxnews.com
T
he second season of "Portlandia" – a critically-acclaimed show on IFC that lovingly
lampoons life in one of the country's most
unique cities, if you've never heard of it –
recently ended. But you want to know what's even
more fun than watching Fred Armisen make jokes
about Portland, Oregon on your television? Tuning
into the actual city itself. Should you need a little
push, here are ten compelling reasons to book a
flight, like, now.
1. It's exactly what you think. Funny hats, food
trucks, obsessive baristas, urban gardening, bike
lovers – Portland is practically a laboratory of all
that's hip and cool in North America right now. Soak
up the vibe with a visit to the city's legendary Saturday Market, which just launched its 36th season.
The event – which actually runs both Saturdays and
Sundays, in the city's historic Chinatown area – features tons of local artisans, as well as plenty to eat
(portlandsaturdaymarket.com).
2. Take it from the top. Any city can do parks, but
how many have gigantic arboretums, brimming with
gorgeous flora from around the world, plonked directly on top of the downtown area? Just a short
hike up from the bustle of the city center, the cool,
green forests and manicured gardens of the Hoyt
Arboretum remain one of Portland's finest assets
(hoytarboretum.org).
3. Get schooled. Portland is known for inspiring its
share of creativity, and schools like the Oregon College of Art – with a handsome campus among the
trees on the edge of town – do their part to help
channel all that inspiration. See tomorrow's big
names today at the school's ever-changing Centrum
Gallery, which rotates monthly with work from current students, as well as alumni and faculty. The
Retail Craft Gallery on campus sells the work of
more than 100 artists, all affiliated with the college
(ocac.edu). A short drive down Burnside, back in
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 6
10 REASONS TO FLY TO PORTLAND
(continued)
(Continued from page 5)
the heart of town, the Pacific Northwest College of
Art is a partner in the cutting-edge Museum of Contemporary Craft, which features a free First Thursday (of every month) event, where the museum
stays open into the evening hours
(mocc.pnca.edu).
4. Beer, schmeer. We all know
there's a ton of really good beer
around here. Has been for ages.
But even cooler is the rise of the
city's Distillery Row, a collection
of – you guessed it – distilleries located within walking distance of
one another, just east of the Willamette River. Together, they are working to ensure that nobody ever
needs to drink out-of-town whiskey – or gin, or
vodka, or rum – again. Each stop on the Row
keeps weekend drop-in tasting hours – learn more
at distilleryrowpdx.com.
5. Okay, fine, beer. Seriously. Coming to Portland
and not drinking the local beer is kind of like going
to New York and refusing to eat pizza. From
Deschutes Brewery's heady black beers to Laurelwood's Organic Green Mammoth IPA, you really
can't go wrong; make sure to also sample the more
obscure stuff, such as Upright's complex sour
beers or Cascade Brewing's barrel-aged Bourbonic
Plague, with an ABV of – mind how you go – 12
percent. To brush up on the scene, check out portlandbeer.org.
6. Simply gorges. Remember how Seattle used to
be the cool town and Portland was that little thing
you sort of just breezed through? Well, Portland's
the one everyone's paying attention to now, and
you can still breeze through it. There's sprawl here,
but not much – from the middle of town to the beginning of the protected Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area can take as little as twenty minutes. Once in, get off the freeway and slow down –
there are dozens of waterfalls, more than 100 great
hikes of all difficulty levels, and of course, that incredible scenery. Map out your route at gorgefriends.org.
7. Drink coffee. Portland's coffee is some of the
country's best. How good? It's best-known roaster,
Stumptown, went on not only to become an im-
April 2012
mense hit in New York City, but it's also getting its
hooks into Seattle, too. They're still the big guy
around here, but they're also just a start. Other
roasters to know include Coapa, with its chic café in
the Industrial District, Courier Coffee on SW Oak
Street and Exacto Coffee, which is served at the
cool GrindHouse Coffee in up-and-coming corner of
North Portland. (Which you can refer to as NoPo, if
you like.) If you're in a downtown
hotel, your best bet is Sterling
Coffee's simple but perfect
Coffeehouse Northwest up on
Burnside – it's been around a few
years now, but it's still one of the
most perfect venues in town.
Learn more about what's brewing
locally at caffeinatedpdx.com.
8. You gotta eat. Can we talk? About the food?
From one of the best bacon-egg-and- cheese-on-aroll breakfasts you'll ever eat in your life (at Bunk
Sandwiches) to epic meat dinners at Laurelhurst
Market, a butcher shop and restaurant, to a proper
night out at Le Pigeon, spicy wings and cool salads
from hipster Thai Pok Pok, crazy bad-for-you
breakfasts at Pine State Biscuits, those food carts
mentioned previously that serve up every kind of
food you can imagine, all over town, to incredibly
fresh vegetables and locally (and sensibly) farmed
meats, to great Northwest fish and oysters and you
name it – Portland is a town for people who really,
really like to eat. Don't come expecting a ton of traditionally fine dining – but do come hungry. Really,
really hungry. Maybe also bring stretch pants.
9. But save room for dessert. One of the most
famous foodstuffs in town for a few years running
now has been a now-oft-copied bacon maple contraption at Voodoo Donuts, but that's just the start
of the fun. Here you have everything from
"Cupcake Wars" champ Kyra Bussanich making
magic at Lake Oswego's Crave Bake Shop to
James Beard Award winner Kim Boyce, making
waves at her new Sandy Boulevard bakery,
called – rather simply – Bakeshop. But there's nothing simple about the pastry; Boyce has years of experience in top kitchens in Los Angeles. From rhubarb hand pies to fig buckwheat scones, you have
to try it all.
10. Work it off. Eventually, even the most intrepid
eaters and drinkers will be crying "uncle" – now you
know why this town's as into outdoor activity as it is
into stuffing awesome things down its gullet. It's
(Continued on page 7)
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 7
10 REASONS TO FLY TO PORTLAND
(continued)
(Continued from page 6)
called survival. And not weighing 400 pounds. If
you're having trouble getting motivated to get up
and get going, join a group bike tour – anywhere
from an easy spin around downtown or a day out in
the Gorge or up in wine country – through Pedal
Bike Tours (pedalbiketours.com). If you prefer an
upper-body workout, the Portland River Company
offers cool guided tours – and instruction, too –out
on the Willamette River (portlandrivercompany.
com).
April 2012
causes relaxation in tonal production which, in turn,
produces a natural sound.
Consistency leads to efficient singing. This means
that every time a given pitch is sung at a given volume, it should be sung the same way every time.
When we speak, we don’t think of a meaning and
then find a word sound for it. Rather, we have a
merged image in our minds of a meaning and a
word sound. There should be no distinction between the meaning and the sound. Therefore, the
goal of the singer should be to achieve a consolidation of lyrics and music when learning a song. One
should approach the process of learning a song like
learning a new language.
Emotions and sounds.
VOCAL EDUCATION SERIES
PART 3 - VOCAL TECHNIC:
FACT OF FICTION
by René Torres
from mastersofharmony.org
B
efore you ask the question, yes, technic is
a word. It is just as valid as technique. In
music education circles, mostly eccentric
European, technic is used as a catchall
word for the study of voice placement and tone production.
Sergius Kagen, a veritable institution at the Julliard
School of Music, once stated that the aim of vocal
technic is “to enable the singer to produce, at will
and with reasonable ease, sounds of specified
pitch, duration, quality, volume, color, etc.” (Yes, he
called it technic, too). Given this definition, we can
see that the study of technic is of primary importance to all singers, no matter what genre is being
sung. The reason is that, whether opera or barbershop, the techniques for developing an efficient
voice are fundamentally the same. An efficient
voice can either pierce through a 75-piece orchestra or blend with l00 voices in whisper-quiet tones.
In the case of a spoken language, the effort is
much less, of course. First, you have been speaking for a long time, and you do it every day. It has
become second nature. Also, you use emotional
nuances (inflections) as added effects, and they are
not always the same each time. For example, you
could say the word “love” forty times, and each time
the inflection imparted by the emotions would vary
depending on the circumstances. In essence, you
have a file in your brain of words/sounds and a
separate one for emotions/inflections. These are
combined as the need dictates.
You don’t have that privilege when singing a song.
Sure you can mix and match these files, but you
should be aware of maintaining pitch, forming vowels, and controlling volumes. Beyond this, you have
little control over the timing of these items because
it is usually better to sing the same thing at the
same time as everyone else around you. Right!
An important milestone.
Success in your vocal development will come when
you consistently imagine sounds at will.
Tonal efficiency.
Truly polished singers imagine these characteristics
and, moreover, they have the ability to add the full
complexity of the sound: color, timber, quality, intensity and resonance.
The quest for a beautiful voice has been the subject
of many a treatise and lively discussion. Any time
you deal with a subjective term such as beauty,
opinions can vary widely. Efficiency, however, is
another matter. Efficiency in vocal production
When the average barbershopper is confronted
with this mind-numbing array of things to do at
once, his usual reaction is to learn the words and
music, and leave the rest to chance. As you have
probably guessed, that is not enough.
(Continued on page 8)
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 8
VOCAL EDUCATION SERIES - 3
(continued)
the time to learn the language of music and practice consistently, it will make for a more efficient
voice.
(Continued from page 7)
A work of art.
A song is a piece of art composed with the intention
that it be performed. As a whole work, a song, if
properly composed, is an embodiment of a complete idea. Therefore, it is the duty of the interpreter
to adhere as closely as possible to the composer’s
concept. The singer’s flexibility with the piece is
therefore restricted. Large egos notwithstanding,
singers are tools of the composer and are what
bring about fruition of the piece. Granted, the performer can take liberties, but the composer pretty
much “calls the shots.”
The key to efficient singing.
Learn the “language” of the song and imprint it in
your mind so you can sing it the same way every
time. In the case of a chorus member, chances are
the director will go through these steps and give
you the overall “feel” for the song through directions
and instructions. In any case, try the following steps
yourself, and it will probably be easier for you to
interpret the song as you are directed.
1. First, sit down and read the lyrics. Get a feel for
what the composer is trying to convey. Try to visualize the setting the lyrics refer to and understand
what the composer is trying to say in context of that
setting. This will give you a basic idea of the meaning of the song. For example, if the song was composed for a movie, see the movie and note how it
ties into the overall story. The same is true for a
musical, etc.
2. Play or hear the music without looking at the lyrics. Let your mind form its own opinion of the feelings it evokes. This is sometimes called “seeing a
tone poem.” Place these evoked feelings in the
context of the song’s era and reconcile your emotions with the rest of the information. Then, read the
lyrics as you hear the music, and see how each
complements the other. Now you can begin to sing
the piece and see how you can add your talents to
those of the composer. As you sing, try for an overall “imprinting” of all the characteristics you feel.
Songs take on a character of their own as you
delve deeper into their inner workings. If you take
April 2012
Form a mental image.
Notice there has been no mention of the mechanical aspects of singing. This is because, as mentioned in a previous article, the emphasis should be
on proper breathing. To emphasize mechanical approaches to singing tends to produce singers that
are more conscious of their muscular activities than
the mental sound image. If you spend more time
thinking about where your tongue should be, this
detracts from the mental picture you should be having. The good thing about having a proper, precise
and consistent mental image is that the body will
put the tongue where it needs to be without you
consciously telling it where to go. The same thing is
true for the rest of your body parts. Concentrate on
the mind and the body will follow. People have become scratch golfers by playing golf in their heads
as much as on the course. Singing is no different.
Be confident.
You have to be confident in yourself—and relaxed
and comfortable with your technique—to imagine
yourself “naked” on stage. That’s a lot to ask for,
but if you think about it, aren’t you “laying yourself
bare” every time you sing? If you aren’t, you’re not
giving your all, and it will show.
WHAT SHOULD YOU THINK
ABOUT WHEN YOU PERFORM?
by Dr. Noa Kageyama
from bulletproofmusician.com
H
ave you ever been guilty of tuning someone out? Like a teacher who keeps harping on the same thing. Or a parent who
keeps repeating the same old advice. Or
a significant other who keeps telling you to squeeze
the toothpaste from the bottom.
Tuning people out comes pretty naturally to us, and
it doesn’t even require that much effort. Our brain is
often looking to conserve resources, so anytime it
(Continued on page 9)
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 9
WHAT SHOULD YOU THINK ABOUT
WHEN YOU PERFORM?
(continued)
(Continued from page 8)
senses that what’s about to happen is just more of
the same old stuff, it take a mini-vacation.
So when you’ve played the same flute excerpt over
and over for 20+ years, it’s hard to fault our brain
for going on holiday. But that doesn’t mean it’s a
good thing.
The problem
One of the keys to successfully overcoming nerves
and performance anxiety is having the ability to focus exclusively on the things that matter when the
moment of truth arrives.
But because we have this tendency to space out
when we’re playing the same old thing, we (a) have
no idea what we’re supposed to pay attention to
under pressure and (b) haven’t developed the ability to keep our minds there – even if we knew exactly what we ought to focus on.
We don’t listen to what we hear
Legendary violin teacher Dorothy Delay once had
this to say, which speaks to our tendency to only be
partially aware of what we are doing (I quote from
Book 3 of The Way They Play by Samuel Applebaum):
“The player should be able to tell you what
he heard – and he frequently can’t. It is
necessary to hear the sound. It is fascinating to learn what the students actually hear
during a playing experience. For example,
sometimes a student playing a sonata with
piano will be fully conscious of the sound of
the violin, both tone and pitch, but from the
piano he may hear only rhythm, and be
quite unaware of the pitch.”
Presence
Most great musicians have figured out that it’s generally most helpful to stay focused on what is happening in the present moment. Not what’s going to
happen in 2 lines, or what happened a few bars
back, but what is happening right now. Sort of
makes logical sense, as after all, that’s the only
April 2012
thing we have any control over.
But being present does not mean we should be focusing on the mechanics and technique of playing
our instruments, nitpicking little flaws in our playing,
and micromanaging every detail. That’s for the
practice room.
On-stage, it means increasing our awareness of
what is happening in the moment, by immersing
ourselves in the subtle nuances of our sound, the
shaping of the line, voicing, blending of our sound
with those around us, and so on. The more successfully we do this, the more likely our chances of
entering into that peak performance state of flow
and having a great performance.
Mindfulness in sport
To that end, sport psychologists are becoming increasingly interested in a concept called mindfulness and how the practice of mindfulness may enhance sport performance.
One of the early pioneers of adapting the practice
of mindfulness to psychology is Jon Kabat-Zinn,
who describes mindfulness as “the awareness that
emerges through paying attention on purpose, in
the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the
unfolding of experience moment by moment”.
If that sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because mindfulness is conceptually similar to the state of mind Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls “flow” – that state in
which we are completely absorbed by the task at
hand, and experiencing a unity of mind and body.
To be honest, there isn’t a huge amount of research on mindfulness and athletic performance,
but what’s there is intriguing. A couple studies, for
instance, have found that athletes who have a
greater level of mindfulness are also more likely to
experience aspects of flow.
Another study found that golfers who implemented
the practice of mindfulness into their training
showed a greater increase in their national rankings
than those who did not adopt this practice.
And in a study of NCAA basketball players, it was
found that greater levels of mindfulness was predictive of increased in-game free throw percentage.
Take action
(Continued on page 10)
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 10
April 2012
WHAT SHOULD YOU THINK ABOUT
WHEN YOU PERFORM?
(continued)
(Continued from page 9)
There is a great video of Jon Kabat-Zinn leading a
mindfulness session at Google. It’s pretty long
(1:12:05 to be exact), but worth watching if you
have an interest in learning more about mindfulness and/or meditation.
You can also give this listening/awareness exercise
a try. It’s a helpful way to wake up your ears in the
morning so you might begin the day by playing with
your ears wide open and engaged in the present
moment, rather than to merely going through the
motions with your focus and awareness elsewhere.
1. Identify your favorite note on the instrument.
The note that, if you could only play one note
for the rest of your life, you’d want it to be that
note.
2. Play the note, nice and slow, taking your time.
Take a breath, change bow, etc. as needed to
keep sustaining the note.
3. Listen. Really listen – as if you’ve never heard
sound before, and it’s incredibly fascinating to
you. Listen to the way the note starts, how it
develops, fills the room, resonates, and how
the note ends.
4. Take your time and quietly observe your sound.
It’s not about judging whether what you hear is
good or bad, just allow your attention and
thoughts to be take over by the resonance of
the sound and what is coming out of your instrument at this very moment.
For me, it’s almost like flipping a switch. I can almost feel the deepening of my focus as I become
immersed in the sound and have no room left to
process extraneous thoughts. You’ll probably have
moments of this too as you begin practicing. It may
be fleeting at first, but with a bit of practice you’ll be
able to sustain this kind of focus for longer periods,
and under increasingly stressful conditions.
The one-sentence summary
“Be here now. Be someplace else later. Is that so
complicated?” ~David Bader (author of One Hundred Great Books in Haiku and Haikus for Jews,
among others)
FREE SINGING TIPS
by Yvonne DeBandi
from a2z-singing-tips.com
E = ENERGY NOT EFFORT. This is one of the
most confusing concepts in singing. Energy in the
tone is what we want and Effort is something we
want to desperately to avoid. Energy is created
naturally when our vocal instrument is in balance
and our body is involved in the singing process. It
feels good. It feels easy. Sometimes it occurs naturally and other times we may have to make adjustments. Effort usually occurs when singers use their
throat muscles/membranes and vocal cords improperly to create volume. We should actually feel
and see very little happening in our throat area.
You have achieved success
when you don’t know if what
you are doing is work or play...
FREE SINGING TIPS
by Nicole LeGault
from a2z-singing-tips.com
E is for Emotion. If the emotional content of the
song you’re singing is powerful enough to move
you, then allow that emotion to affect the sound of
your voice. If it’s not, then you must reach inside
your heart and connect with a similar experience of
your own.
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 11
THIS I SING BUTTON WORKS
BUT ONLY IF YOU WEAR IT!
by Kim Acton
from Starting Gate
M
y wife and I recently took advantage of
record low interest rates and refinanced
our home mortgage. That in itself is a
whole other story, but let me get to the
point of this article. As we sat down at the lawyers
office with pens in hand ready to sign hundreds of
documents, out of the blue the lawyer asked "YOU
SING? ". I had forgotten that I pinned an "I SING"
button on my coat before we left our home and of
all the questions
I might have expected to be
asked this day,
"YOU
SING?"
was not one of
them! Now I
know this man is
busy in fact he
probably has appointments lined
up every hour on
the hour all day
long, so I reply,
yes, I sing with the Thoroughbred Chorus expecting
full well that would be the end of conversation and
we would proceed to sign papers. But I was wrong,
it had just begun. He said he knew of the chorus
and that he loved barbershop singing. The door
was open, so i asked if he liked to sing, he replied "
only in the shower", boy if I had a penny for every
time I’ve heard that one!, after a short discussion it
was obvious that though he liked the sound he was
not interested in singing, so I went on to tell him
about singing valentines and asked him if he had
plans in place for that day. To make a long story
short I sold two singing valentines that day or
should I say the button did the selling. This little
button is very low tech it does not have an USB
port or LED lighting, all you have to do is pin it on
for others to see and it works like magic! Now let
me talk to my fellow Thoroughbreds heart to heart. I
have noticed that many of you are wearing your
buttons to practice on Monday nights and that is
great as long as that is not the only place you wear
them, for if it is, it's a little like "preaching to the
choir" for we at practice know what it stands for, but
the people you meet at the grocery, at the gas sta-
April 2012
tion or the doctor’s office, they do not! Yes this little
tin button works well but only if you wear it out! If
you need more buttons, if you want to put it on
more than one garment, just let me know. In a time
when our organization just like everyone else is trying to watch our budget at a $1.79 each it is the
most bang for the buck and IT WORKS! I have a
fever and the only prescription is more barbershop!
POLE CATS
by Joe Liles
from the HarmoNet
B
ecause we had so many requests to have
a Barberpole Cat 2 program, several years
ago we came out with the Harmony Classics program as a supplement to the BPC
program. Although we promoted it heavily in the
Harmonizer and through the "Live Wire" publication
to members, chapters and quartets, there are those
who never heard the news. There are six songs in
the set:
Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah
Lazy River
Little Pal
This Little Light Of Mine/Do Lord Medley
I'm Sitting On Top Of The World
Hello, Mary Lou
In "Seventh" Heaven
Joe Liles
Music Publications Editor
Barbershop Harmony Society
Editor's Note: Learning tracks for the twelve Pole
Cats and the six Harmony Classics are in the Active Singer section of the Big Orange website.
Reprinted from
The Orange Spiel
Jan 2007 issue
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 12
QUARTET CORNER
by John Alexander
April 2012
check for when I’m working with my private voice
students. Applying these vocal tips will help you
better utilize the breath and come closer to singing
your best.
Odd Man Out continues to perform (see articles on
pages 3 and 4), but mainly is preparing for spring
contest.
Tip 1
Singers Should Avoid High Chest Breathing
What is YOUR quartet doing? Don’t have one?
Find three other guys and start one! Can’t find a
match? Drop me a line and I’ll run a list of guys
looking to quartet up here in the bulletin. It’s one of
those really fun things that you don’t fully understand until you’ve done it…
Also known as Clavicular Breathing, this is when
the chest rises during inhalation. This is a very bad
habit to have for singers and results in shortness of
breath, vocal tension, and often a breathy tone. As
an alternative, take relaxed breaths deep down in
your stomach and lower back before singing. This
should give you more control vocally.
PS: I’m looking to quartet up, either in a “big boy”
quartet or a senior quartet.
Tip 2
Singers Shouldn’t Breathe too Deeply
Many voice teachers tell their students to take deep
breaths, but often times what they leave out is taking overly deep breaths before singing results in
unwanted pressure underneath the vocal folds ultimately creating tension. To feel this, just take the
deepest breath you possibly can then hold it. Feel
that strain in your neck and throat area? That’s bad.
It’s bad because it puts extra pressure on the voice
making it heavy and more difficult to sing. So
breathe consciously and don’t take overly deep
breaths before singing.
Tip 3
Singers Should Avoid Grabbing While Inhaling
TIPS FOR UTILIZING THE
BREATH
by Ken Taylor
from singingtipsblog.com
W
e’ve all heard how important the breath
is for singing, but unfortunately many
voice teachers don’t thoroughly explain
it. Most instructors fall back on the same
response – “breath from your diaphragm.” Problem
is most singers simply don’t know how to do it.
More specifically, unless you’re in the medical field
and are highly in touch with your body, this comment isn’t going to help you at all!
While describing how a singer should breathe using
their diaphragm without visual confirmation isn’t
something I feel comfortable doing, I CAN give you
3 Breathing Tips for Singing. These tips are things I
This is bad habit that many, many singers possess.
Close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing
for a moment. Feel how easy and effortless it is in
the throat and neck area. Now, pick the bridge of a
song you like to sing and sing it (typically the bridge
is where the high notes are). Feel the same? Now
do the same thing, just this time pay attention to
your neck and throat area while breathing in. Odds
are there are some muscles in your neck grabbing
during the breath before you sing. This like any
other tension you may feel is bad. So stay conscious of the breath while singing and make sure
that your breath stays easy during the inhalation.
This not only will help vocal stamina, but it will also
lighten up your voice which in turn will open up your
full range.
Using the breath properly is simple in concept, but
it’s not always easy. However, if you can learn to
apply the tips mentioned above you’ll be further
ahead of the game than most singers.
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 13
MEET THE MEMBER
April 2012
BARBERSHOPPER OF THE MONTH
“Bo” Dennis
Mike Sobolewski
I was born in Deep River Connecticut in 1948
and have been barbershopping since 1998. I am
married and have 3 children. I attended Bryant
College in Providence Rhode Island.
Congratulations and a tip of the Big O hat to our latest Barbershopper of the Month, Mike Sobolewski.
I have lived in Deep River and St Augustine.
Other places I’ve visited include 44 of the 50
United States.
My musical background includes doing theater in
the 60’s. Professionally, I am a Real Estate Broker. I have also been a wine retailer and a bank
auditor.
When I’m not singing, I like to play golf. Besides
singing the things I’m really good at include
cooking.
The thing I’m most proud of is my two little dogs.
Encore listing.
Mike does so many things for the chorus that it is
sometimes hard to remember them all. This month
we honor Mike for his efforts in running the Singing
Valentines program and a record month in his hugely
successful Big O Bucks program.
Big O Bucks is the program by which we fund a lot of
things in our chapter while allowing workers to earn
credit, usable for barbershop expenses. We work
concessions at the stadium and at the sports arena
for a percentage of sales, and we always need more
volunteers.
Mike was unanimously chosen by the Board of Directors as the Big Orange Chorus Barbershopper of the
Month.
Congratulations Mike!
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 14
BOARD MINUTE SUMMARY
by Don Messler
These are the minutes of the Big Orange Chorus
Board of Directors Meeting held on Thursday,
March 22, 2012 at the Loop.
President Howdy Russell called the meeting to
order at 6:13 pm.
Don Messler took roll
Present were: Rob Banks, Howdy Russell, Mike
Sobolewski, Phil Warmanen, Frank Nosalek,
Don Messler, Tim Walton, Rick Chapman, and
John Alexander.
Absent: Bill Vockell and Dave Medvidofsky.
Guest: Dan Proctor
OLD BUSINESS
Mike Sobolewski reported that final bills for the
Singing Valentines program have been sent to
treasurer, Tim Walton.
Mike Sobolewski needs members to submit their
room order forms before April 1, 2012. The chapter
will lose unreserved rooms reservations at that
date.
President Howdy Russell would like to see more
Big O members at the satellite rehearsals in Orlando. It’s a win - win situation the members get
two extra rehearsals a month, and Tony gets a better prospective of the sound of the combined choruses. A video was made of the Orlando rehearsal
and Howdy would like to post the video on our
member website. The next rehearsal will be April
29, 2012 with a possibility of April 22, 2012 also being a rehearsal date,
Howdy Russell reports spring show moving forward. Rick Chapman will head up ticket sales and
Ken Tureski will allot tickets to the members.
Headlining the show is Storm Front, 2010 International champions, Odd Man Out will also appear on
the show. The show committee has obtained a new
recording company Sight and Sound to video the
spring show.
Phil Warmanen will head up the Harold Hill Program for the chapter. Phil reports that our chapter
April 2012
is unique as we focus on performing and singing
and may not be able to use much of the Harold
Hill program, but Phil with the help of a chorus
member will formulate a plan.
NEW BUSINESS
Barbershopper for the month of February was
selected and will be presented at the next rehearsal.
President Howdy Russell reports that Tony
DeRosa would like the chorus to sing, with Main
Street at the Sweet Adeline Convention in Daytona Beach on Thursday, April 19, 2012. The
board discussed, voted and passed unanimously.
(After rehearsal a discussion between Tony
DeRosa and Howdy Russell it was decided not to
sing at Sweet Adeline convention,) (Editor’s note:
since then, that decision has been reversed.)
Howdy Russell reports that Tony DeRosa wants
the Big Orange Chorus to become well known in
the community. This means more local performances, better communications with our schools to
promote our Youth in Harmony program, and to
pass our love of barbershop to our community.
This endeavor will probably mean sitting out the
fall competition. Tony feels this is the direction
the chapter needs to follow.
Howdy Russell and Frank Nosalek led a discussion about a marketing tool call A Constant
Contact List. This list provides links for people to
gather information on upcoming shows, singing
valentines etc. After much discussion board felt
an excellent idea to pursue.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
Big O Bucks - Mike Sobolewski can use help at
all events.
Music Report - Board members thanked Rob
Banks for his Friday Flash and his upcoming
Monday Flash.
Treasurers and Finance Report - Tim Walton
passed out financial report stating the chapter is
in good financial state.
Chapter Development Report – Phil Warmanen
presented six new applications, two new members Jeff Packer and Larry Taylor, and four
(Continued on page 15)
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 15
BOARD MINUTE SUMMARY
(continued)
(Continued from page 14)
new dual members, Alexander Boltenko, Pat
Bauer, Joe McCarthy, and Dave Roberts, the
board accepted all applications.
Secretary’s Report – No Report.
Bulletin Report – John Alexander needs articles
from members for The Orange Spiel.
Webmaster Report - Frank Nosalek would like to
have a section for active singers only to have access to current music, the board made motion,
voted and passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned by Howdy Russell at
7:16 pm.
April 2012
ATTN: SOCIETY BOARD
MEMBER CANDIDATES
from LiveWire
Dear Fellow Barbershopper,
Candidates for the Society Board Member (SBM)
position are asked to complete the application form
that is found at http://www.barbershop.org/
component/content/article/715.html.
No attachments are necessary or expected; the application form should stand on its own merit. Please
be brief, pithy, lucid, and concise. All applications
must be posted no later than April 20, 2012.
The completed application must be sent to the following three addresses:
• The president of your district
• The chairman of your district's nominating committee
• Joseph Berger
Thank you for your interest in wanting to become a
Society Board Member.
In Song,
Joe Berger
Chairman, Society Nominating Committee
HEY! YOU COULD BECOME A
DAPPER DAN!
from LiveWire
Disney Parks
Talent Casting
is holding auditions for male
vocalists of all
ethnicities for
this iconic barbershop gig on Friday, April 20, 2012.
Auditions will be held starting at 10:00 a.m. at Disney's Animal Kingdom® near Orlando, Florida.
Successful candidates will receive full or part-time
contracts.
Read full details at http://library.constantcontact.
com /download/get/f ile/1102676682677- 465/
Dapper+Dan+Flyer.pdf, or email Music Director
Tony DeRosa.
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 16
REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
Thu
Thu
Thu
Thu
Sun
Thu
Sun
05 Apr
12 Apr
12 Apr
19 Apr
22 Apr
26 Apr
29 Apr
Shepherd of the Woods
Board Meeting
Shepherd of the Woods
Plaza Resort & Sap, Daytona
Orlando satellite
Shepherd of the Woods
Orlando satellite
Thu
Thu
Thu
Sun
Thu
Thu
Thu
03 May
10 May
10 May
13 May
17 May
24 May
31 May
Shepherd of the Woods
Board Meeting
Shepherd of the Woods
Orlando satellite
Shepherd of the Woods
Shepherd of the Woods
Shepherd of the Woods
Thu
Sun
Thu
Thu
Thu
Sun
Thu
07 Jun
10 Jun
14 Jun
14 Jun
21 Jun
24 Jun
28 Jun
Shepherd of the Woods
Orlando satellite
Board Meeting
Shepherd of the Woods
Shepherd of the Woods
Orlando satellite
Shepherd of the Woods
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Thu
Sat
Fri
Sat
Fri
19 Apr
02 Jun
15 Jun
16 Jun
06 Jul
Sweet Adelines Convention
Spring Show
Retreat TBD
Retreat TBD
International Contest
{ Big O Buck$ }
BIG O BUCKS SCHEDULE
Fri
Sat
Mon
Sat
Fri
Thu
Sat
Sat
Sat
Sat
Sat
13 Apr
14 Apr
16 Apr
28 Apr
04 May
10 May
19 May
26 May
02 Jun
16 Jun
23 Jun
Sharks v Utah
Guns ‘n Hoses
Van Halen
Sharks v Spokane
Sharks v New Orleans
Lady Antebellum
Sharks v Iowa
World Cup Soccer USA/Scot
Sharks v Tampa Bay
Jax Sharks vs Philadelphia
Jax Sharks vs Cleveland
April 2012
BIRTHDAYS
Thomas Dames
Charlie Young
Kyle Blewett
Craig Johnston
Rick Chapman
Howdy Russell
01 Apr
18 Apr
21 Apr
23 Apr
25 Apr
28 Apr
RECENT GUESTS
Sue Henry
Alisa Moody
Yulia Moody
Larry Taylor
Betty Messler
Dawn Moody
Jeff Packer
Charlie Walch
WELCOME
NEWEST MEMBERS
Pat Bauer
Alex Boltenko
Joe McCarthy
Jeff Packer
Dave Roberts
Larry Taylor
Joe Cosgrove
Andy Moody
Gregg Flowers
Mark Flowers
Brett Flowers
Tim Workman
Chris Bateson
James Kastler
Brad May
March
March
March
March
March
March
February
February
January
January
November
November
September
June
May
DISTRICT SCHEDULE
Wed
Apr 11 Barbershop Quartet Day
Th-Su Apr 12-15 Spring Conv Punta Gorda
Th-Su Oct 4-7 Fall Convention Punta Gorda
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 17
April 2012
DIRECTING TEAM
Tony DeRosa
Front Line
Director
Chuck Roegiers
Assistant
Director
Mike McGee
Associate
Director
Chuck Griffith
Director
Emeritus
OTHER CHAPTER LEADERS
Bill Vockell
Performance
Coordinator
Joe Murrell
Chorus
Manager
Dave Medvidofsky
Show
Chairman
Dave Parker
Youth In Harmony
Grants Team
George Breedon
Membership Team
Youth In Harmony
Mike Sobolewski
Big O Bucks
Coordinator
Rick Morin
Big O Bucks
Treasurer
John Alexander
Bulletin
Editor
EDITOR’S NOTE
Article and column submissions are solicited.
Help make this a better bulletin. Send me stuff!
The deadline for May is 27 April.
Items without a byline are from the Editor.
The Orange Spiel
John Alexander, Editor
2429 Southern Links Dr
Orange Park FL 32003
Back issues are available online at:
www.bigorangechorus.com/newsarchive.htm
More specific and timely performance information
is in my weekly sheet, Orange Zest.
Please dispose
of this paper
properly!
Share it with your wife
or significant other.
Jacksonville FL
Big Orange Chorus
Page 18
April 2012
2012 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Howdy Russell
Chapter
President
Rob Banks
VP Music &
Performance
John
Alexander
At Large
Rick Chapman
VP Marketing
& Public Relations
Dave
Medvidofsky
At Large
Phil Warmanen
VP Chapter
Development
Frank
Nosalek
At Large
Tim Walton
Past Pres
Treasurer
Mike
Sobolewski
At Large
Don Messler
Chapter
Secretary
Bill Vockell
Exec VP
At Large
MUSIC TEAM
Rob Banks
VP Music &
Performance
John Alexander
Bass
Sec Ldr
Jimmy Kite
Tenor
Sec Ldr
Rob Banks
Lead
Sec Ldr
Chuck Roegiers
Bari
Sec Ldr
Dave Medvidofsky
Bass
Asst Sec Ldr
Mike Sobolewski
Presentation
Coordinator
Daniel Proctor
Learning Materials
Coordinator
Imagine 80 men on the risers
Be a singer-bringer
John Alexander, Editor
2429 Southern Links Dr
Orange Park FL 32003
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