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Registration is now open
for this 2-part webinar with guest faculty, Jen Cooke. There are two links below, one for each session. You will need to register for each event.
Registration link for Part 1:
Registration link for Part 2:
As soon as you register, you will receive a confirmation email and link to the webinar.
Please know that the webinar content has been reformatted to include current ideas and strategies to address effects of COVID 19 on our best practices. Jennifer will address common challenges and provide some solutions for choruses utilizing virtual meetings during this time.
To see the webinar schedule of classes,
click here
.
This event is not only for Team Leaders, Membership and Directors.
It is open to ALL Region 16 members and we encourage you all to attend both sessions.
It is a great opportunity to learn how you can help your chorus work through this challenging time.
In order to ensure we have enough room for Region 16 members to attend, we ask that you please not post the webinar link(s) to public Social Media or share with non-Region 16 members. The webinar will be recorded and made available publicly afterwards.
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June 2020
Past Issues
Next deadline
June 29
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USERNAME:
the word '
member'
PASSWORD: '
R16sings'
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Hello, Region 16! I’m excited to take on this new role as the Region 16 Education Coordinator. I realize that we are all working through challenges and trying to maintain an assemblance of order, and if you’re like me, you may be having a difficult time balancing so many new things at once. My advice right now is to take it one day at a time and look for the positives. We will be able to sing together again, we just don’t know when… So, for now, maybe take on some personal goals and challenges and see what you can accomplish. We have some great things planned for the upcoming year!
2020 VISION GROWTH & RETENTION PLANNING EVENT
Registration details above!
When:
Part 1 – Saturday, June 20 from 9 am–12:30 pm
Part 2 – Saturday, June 27 from 9 am–12:30 pm
Guest Faculty:
Click here
for Jennifer Cooke’s bio.
OTHER EDUCATION WEBINARS
By default, we have all become a little more familiar with video calls and improving our computer technical skills. One of the ideas I have for the upcoming months will be to hold monthly virtual webinars facilitated by our own Regional faculty. Topics to include: Breathing and Basic Vocal Challenges (ie Vibrato and the Aging Voice); Music Theory Basics; Quartet Evaluation and Effective Rehearsal Planning; How to Evaluate Your Scoresheets and Create Goals for Improvement etc. I will be sending out more specifics and details soon so stay tuned!
EDUCATION RESOURCES
We will also be working on centralizing new applications, ideas and websites you can download, read and join in order to continue your education self-improvement. Your director and music team people should have some information available to share soon. If you’re looking for something specific, please shoot me an email and I will do my best to provide you with suggestions.
EDUCATION TEAM
As I am new to this role, I realize there is a lot of work that goes into being the Education Coordinator. This is NOT a one-person job! I am excited to say that Diane Warner as agreed continue her role as the Internationally Funded Visit Coordinator and Paula Allen will continue as the Quartet Coordinator. Julie Sykes has had to step down as the Young Women in Harmony Coordinator so we will be looking to fill that role within the next few months so we can continue planning for future youth singing events. Thank you, Julie for your time and contributions to this program. We hope to see you back on the team again in the future!
So much to share, but I will wrap it up here. I look forward to providing you all with resources and tools necessary for self-improvement so you when we are all together again, we can all enjoy the sound of ringing chords even more!
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Membership Minute
As the cancellation of our in person rehearsals continues I have been reflecting on the value of membership in Sweet Adelines. For those who haven’t been part of this organization it might appear that our value is tied to singing together in the same room but it has been a source of pride for me to watch our organization pivot to continue to be a source of joy and support operating virtually. In fact, we’ve even had a few women that have never stood on the risers join choruses during this period of isolation. Even when apart we provide community, education and an opportunity for artistic expression.
If you follow the Region 16 Facebook page you may have already seen the excellent webinar that Raye Mahlberg from Region 25 shared with the organization about recruiting for your chorus during COVID-19. Here’s a link to it for those who missed it.
https://youtu.be/QgWYsd-x6rc
On June 20
th
and 27
th
we are hosting a Zoom webinar for all members of Region 16 on Membership Growth and Retention. Whether you are interested in providing value for your current members, taking advantage of the opportunity to recruit while operating virtually or planning for retention and recruitment when we return to in person meetings, this will be a fun and educational event.
I look forward to participating in the June event with you.
Keep making music, spreading joy and supporting your sisters as only Sweet Adelines can.
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International President, Joan Boutilier provides an update to all Sweet Adelines members.
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Learn Something New! Sweet Adelines Online Education Portal New content is being added to the Sweet Adelines Online Education Portal each week. From vocal exercises to theory classes, there is something for every singer. For public education, visit https://sweetadelines.com/education. For members-only education, log into the Sweet Adelines International website before going to the Education section.
Our most recent education additions include the following:
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We ARE barbershop strong! The world is finding out more and more about how COVID behaves, how it is transmitted and how we can be safe. While scientists figure out the importance of sneeze/cough droplet size compared to the smaller aerosol-size that singers project, we have to be patient to hear how we will fit in the picture in the future. The directives get modified frequently so in another month, we may be in a different situation than now (as we were different a month ago when I last wrote a note for the 16
th
Notes) but the fact remains that we need to be flexible with those changes and maintain contact when we and others need it. Many of us are finding that our initial complete isolation (perhaps filled with anxiety and inertia) of March and April has recently led to new or dormant interests, distance-visiting outside, occasionally a masked grocery shop and lots of social media. We do need to find BALANCE in all things. We can get Zoomed out and resist any more screen time unless we are smart about our choices.
As I recommend to a singer who longs to be in a quartet, do what you need to BE READY for when the opportunity is presented or when you can make it happen, even when so much is out of our control. If you are getting bored with mindless screen time (games, chat, videos, or browsing) do something on purpose. Decide on a specific, meaningful, musical,
joy-producing
20-minutes. Here are 2 examples that will get you singing (well if you choose). On YouTube find
Kathleen Hansen
. She is International Faculty and Master director of San Diego Chorus. She has posted a half dozen short teaching videos recently that are terrific. Her explanation and samples of overtones is great too. Another Sweet Adeline director and quartetter to check out on YouTube is
Angie Kunasek
, who posts music and multi-tracks of dozens of tags. Keep your singing skills honed. Let’s stay
BBS STRONG!!
Paula Allen
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Here we are headed into June, and almost three months since official Provincial and State shutdowns were implemented. As more cities and towns begin the process of reopening, this brings mixed emotions to most people, and much trepidation to those in the musical arts.
Live musical events all over the globe have been hit hard by COVID-19, and sadly singing venues will be one of the last public gatherings to be allowed to startup again. This makes all good sense as spittle is a natural part of singing, and intensified with large groups. Safety, health and wellness must remain at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
It is not an easy time for choruses. Members miss singing together, seeing each other in person and all the hugs too! Hold the faith sisters in song as one day we will reunite, and that moment in time will become more precious to us than ever before.
In the meantime, thank goodness for the technological times we live in. There are numerous online platforms out there to help us get together. It’s not ideal, but we are living in “luxury times” to have the options available to us.
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“The new normal for choruses during the COVID-19 pandemic has become Zoom rehearsals and because of the relationships we have built over the years, it is noticeable that we are all delighted to “see” each other,” said Director, Joel Bootsma. “We welcome each other into our homes with feelings of encouragement to see smiling familiar faces looking back at us wishing us well, and doing our best to keep the music happening. Zoom has forced us to reconsider and reinvent the way we do rehearsals, as that important part of barbershop singing is missing; the harmony,” he said.
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“Having one person be the soloist, and others (while muted) trying to match their part to the soloist has challenged each singer to strengthen her own part. It’s a little like duetting, and also poses the challenge to be bold enough to sing solo.”
Joel added, “There are some silver linings in our new challenges! The best solutions to harmony so far have been to sing along to recordings or learning tracks. The reinventing has led us to listen to performances, and to critique what we see and hear; a good exercise which we never seem to have time for in regular rehearsal. And perhaps when we finally gather together to sing in harmony again, we will have some new tools to use!”
Assistant Director, Colleen Stickle has adapted to Zoom well to work with us on warmups and vocal instruction. “There are areas where not much change is needed. Each member can self-monitor posture, relaxation, breathing, working on range, intervals and tongue twisters,” said Colleen. “But, it is difficult to check pitch, match vowels for unit sound, etc. Although basic voice work can be carried out to some extent, there are certainly limitations, as with this team “sport” we rely on blending into the sound around us, so it is difficult to make it work virtually.”
“Vocal chords, like muscles, need to be kept active so they work properly; if you don’t use it, you lose it theory,” she said. “A marathon runner, instrumental musician, etc. does not take time off, so if we don’t sing regularly, we soon will lose the control of our voices. The voice is our instrument and we have to keep it tuned all the time.”
Membership retention can be difficult for choruses as priorities change. The lack of face to face can cause some ladies to find other outlets. Our Membership Chairperson, Cheryl Street, works hard to keep our numbers up, and to attract new members. Her goal is a golden number of 25 members!
Cheryl notes that It can feel a bit defeating at times with the complex issues of the pandemic and the long road ahead to the new normal we will all face, and the uncertainty of what that will look like. This makes recruiting ladies far more challenging. While we have lost new members, our numbers remain consistent. For our geographic area, we take pride in this. Cheryl is optimistic and feels that once we come out the other side, we will reach our goal of 25 members!
Share your successes, as well as your pain points. By doing so, you will help other choruses, and individual members, to not feel alone. Where there is hope, there is light! It will be a long road ahead, but hold onto your faith—we’ll make it, and we’ll shine brightly!
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We continue our weekly virtual get-togethers to learn, visit, share, and laugh. On a recent Zoom meeting, we had a surprise visit from
Joe Connelly
, no stranger to you all. Joe was very gracious in spending time at both our split evening sessions, giving us a dose of his powerful and magnetic enthusiasm. Thanks Joe!
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Wow, wow, wow - not so eloquently expressed but accurate in describing
North Metro's
first virtual
Installation
evening of celebration. A wonderful surprise visit from
Debbie Cleveland
who gifted us in song, and shared a touching message, thank you Debbie. Thank you also to
Susann Mckinley
our emcee for the evening and to
Shirley Marconi
our installing officer.
From the solemnity of the installation ceremony to the acknowledgment of all those deserving members who turn the wheels of our mean machine, North Metro, to the culmination of a highly-charged and emotional evening of pure joy and pride in all that we do and all that we are. If there were doubts as to how our important annual Installation Night could be successfully handled via Zoom, these doubts were quickly dashed thanks to the talented production team who put together a night to remember. A night that held up the integrity of the installation process through the long lens of the camera, a night that swept us away with entertainment, visits with our members, videos of memorable NM moments, and so many pictures where the joy leaped off the screen and back into our hearts. It was a night of jubilation and gratefulness, leaving us with the determination to overcome the obstacles currently in our way of making beautiful music together. It was a night that purposed the many opportunities before us, leaving us focusing on what we have and what we can do in this new arena.
Erin
spread her magic again with her incredible vision, her creativity, and innovation to ensure our journey, even now, is filled with purpose, satisfaction, and more joy. When we do come together again our music, joy, and appreciation for each other, promise an even richer experience...and that's
EXCITING!
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Congratulations to
Catarina Maisonville
our 2020 honoree of the
Maude Potts Harmony Award.
Our quartets,
Tessitura, Glisten, Strike a Chord, LUXE and On-Track
are flourishing too with their commitment to regular, virtual rehearsals They are making plans for long and short term goals driven by their passion to sing as they continue learning and rehearsing new music. Our quartets would like to share their approach to virtual rehearsals, and invite all regional quartets to communicate and share theirs through the Regional Facebook vehicle.
Perhaps seemingly a step backward to many who remember our inter-chapter parties of the 70s and 80s, North Metro will be hosting a step-forward virtual
inter-chapter jubilee this summer with all Region 16 choruses.
This is poised to keep us connected and strong, and promises lots of fun celebrating our sisterhood and all that we share. A formal invitation will be sent in the near future.
With the inevitable changes in our chorus lives before us, we move forward with a mindset of hope, with a view to seeing what we can do to keep strong and to keep singing, and a focus on what we can do to keep us united in these changing times. I believe everyone will try to make the very best of what is before us. We can do this better
TOGETHER!
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Greetings Region 16! Even though we are not able to see each other in person, we hope that you have been able to stay united in harmony through technology at this unprecedented time. This is certainly the case with YHC! Our Master Director, Martha and unflappable Team Leader, Sue Dubois, are fast becoming “ZOOM masters”. In addition to vocal exercises, our evening includes: Physical exercises,
“So Ya Wanna Know
” where one member is chosen each week to introduce themselves, Section break-out rooms, Tag learning time, and Afterglow; our fun social catch-up time.
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Here’s our first “
So Ya Wanna Know”
member, Andrea Yustin, relaying some her fascinating life story to us. Wow! The places she has been, the things she has experienced! Martha will be choosing a person each week to immerse us in their unique story.
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In addition to this fun schedule, we have had a number of ZOOM visitors who have been a part of our online rehearsals. A big thank you goes out to the incredibly talented KIM BONE VAUGHAN for joining us from the comfort of her SAI trophy room, to speak on the huge importance of vocal warm-ups. We also got to see some trophies and one of her crowns – very beautiful and sparkly!
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On another night we watched a wonderfully supportive video message from one of our coaches; The aptly named KIM WONDERS. Oh, and that was the same night that we were introduced to our fun, paper-plate-fanning warm up from our very own Jennifer Febel.
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At our last rehearsal, we enjoyed an online YHC trivia quiz via KAHOOT, organized by YHC member, Jill Gillespie. “Did you know York Highlands (YHC) was chartered in 1970?” If you did, it may have helped launch you into placing in the top quiz winners. We are planning on continuing this fun quiz – more exciting challenges to come!
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We are also in the midst of planning our online installation night and a comedy “dress up” evening in lieu of our annual Comedy Quartet. Well THAT will make for some interesting photos for the next Sixteenth Notes! Until then, be kind to each other, try to keep in touch with each other as much as you can, and keep safe. YHC signing off!
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May 2020 was interesting from both a weather and chorus perspective. On the weather front, we enjoyed snow, thunder, lightning, rain, and a three-day heat wave – mother nature threw everything at us – and still we persevered!! And May showers have brought an abundance of spring flowers so there is much to be grateful for!
Speaking of May flowers, our Moola Makin’ Mommas team led by Christine Dunn and Liz Gibbs, with support from Nancy Lambrechts and Belinda Boekhoven, pulled out all the stops to make money for our chorus, and bring us beautiful flower baskets for our yards. CSC partnered with
Richmond Nursery
to pull together (in a few days’ time) a flower basket sale. The baskets were stunning and filled with different colour blooms, and these amazing ladies took great care to organize pick-ups to keep everyone at a distance and safe while they put the baskets in trunks all day long.
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(l to r) Liz Gibbs, Christine Dunn, Nancy Lambrechts and Belinda Boekhoven
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Beautiful hanging flower arrangements from Richmond Nursery
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Our chorus held its first ever online audition process and was pleased to welcome Natalie Cox as our newest member!! And what a member she is – beautifully expressive and, the top seller of flower baskets – 35 of them!! Now that’s the type of member every chorus wants! Welcome Natalie.
Pictured here: Natalie Cox, top left, along with MT leader Nancy, Director Joe, and Assistant Directors Aileen, Nora and Janet.
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On the chorus front, we transitioned from weekly FB Live rehearsals, to fully interactive Zoom rehearsals on May 12
th
, complete with breakout sectionals and choreo!! Our chorus leadership has continued to engage us in fun and constructive ways! Nancy Mantle and her husband (and zoom master control) Jim, are learning behind the scenes each week to manage the technicalities of our Zoom rehearsals and for that we are appreciative!! That, and we got a new song to learn which keeps us singing!
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Our management team, complete with returning and newly elected members, held a virtual installation ceremony, led by JD Crowe. A strong team is required to lead us through these interesting times and CSC is very fortunate to have one of the best! We are in good hands!
CSC is focused on staying positive, hopeful and excited as we stay connected, learning and growing together. Like all of you, we look forward to the wonderful day when we ca
n
safely be back together!
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Northumberland Chorus has been meeting every Monday evening to catch up and sing a few songs. The last one was our Annual Meeting, which was much different than other years, when we had a yummy potluck supper. We still managed to have a good time. One of the highlights of the evening, was having a visit from four day old, Miss Andie May and her Mom, Emily
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The “Sweet Adeline of the Year” was presented by Sheilagh, previous “Sweet Adeline of the Year”. The recipient was Heather Massicotte, an excellent choice. Heather has been our Financial Manager for the last year and has done a great job. She has a very friendly and outgoing personality, is a member of a quartet and is always available to help any chorus member with their music. Congratulations Heather.
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The Management Team was installed with a new Team Co-ordinator, Jackie Brimblecombe, who we know is up for the task. Jackie will be taking over from Cheryl Langille, who has done a terrific job for quite a number of years but wanted to give someone else a chance. Continuing Management Team members are Heather Massicotte (Financial Manager), Nancy Buott (Secretary) and Laura Heighway. Diane Hall was welcomed as a new member.
Our past Team Co-ordinator, Cheryl, was presented with a bottle of wine and a huge wine glass, etched with a design by Jackie’s husband. Unfortunately we can’t get together with her to help drink it.
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The Director’s Contract was signed by Sharon and Jackie. Sharon was presented with a beautiful vase of pussy willows. The vase was hand-painted by Jackie’s husband. A virtual card was also given to Sharon with signatures from chorus members taken from a photograph of one of our Zoom meetings.
Nancy presented a slide show of the chorus activities for the past year. It was so nice to look back and review everything we did; fundraisers, coaching sessions, open house, shows and social get-togethers (which we will have again).
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We then had some musical entertainment, jokes and stories. At the end of the evening we had a scavenger hunt, which was a lot of fun.
We are excited to see what is in the future for our chorus. A survey was sent out to all chorus members to find out what they would like included in the future Zoom meetings. We will keep working on our repertoire so we will be prepared when the time comes that we can be physically together.
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Orangeville Show Chorus has been keeping busy with our Zoom rehearsals each week! We sing, we learn new music, and continue to submit recordings for evaluation. We catch up on the news, and enjoy seeing the smiles on the faces of our fellow chorus members while we are unable to stand beside them on the risers.
Our Director Joan has been giving us a ‘Five Minute Theory Lesson’ each week from basic teaching of note names and values, to time signatures and rhythm patterns. Our Assistant Director Laurie is preparing a ‘Trivia Game’ so that we can not only have some fun, but can learn some interesting facts about our chorus sisters.
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We have been learning new tags and submitting videos to Bev, our Web Mistress who has put together quartets for our listening pleasure. This also helps us learn the new skills of videotaping…not as easy as one thinks, when you have to consider not just your music and the audio part, but the lighting, background, ambient noise…AND you have to get out of those pajamas and comb your hair!!! Bev has also put together two musical collages…the first with chorus members holding up the words to our chorus motto, backed by ‘You Raise Me Up’; and the second a message of gratitude to our front line workers, backed by ‘Angels Among Us’.
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We had a former member, Judy, visit us last week and she has been taking Ukulele Lessons…so she played for us…and accompanied us in a song as well. Great fun for everyone.
We are grateful to Region 16 and SAI for keeping us up to date and continuing to keep Sweet Adelines strong throughout this pandemic.
I close with an Acrostic Poem, suitable for the times we are experiencing.
P
raying you all will be safe,
A
nd know that you all will keep singing.
N
othing can stop Sweet Adelines
D
etermined to keep the chords ringing.
E
ach chorus and each chorus member
M
akes plans for the future, as one,
I
nspiring, imagining together
C
onfident we will overcome!!
Anne Richardson
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