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Worldwide Barbershop Quartet Association


~ SPPBSQSUS ~

Society Newsletter

January 2025


Issue 25-1

Hello Roger,

Happy New Year to all of our members from your Board of Directors.

Jay Giallombardo, Ken Hatton, Glen Sparling, Roger Heer, George Gipp, Rick Taylor, Rich Gray, Tim McShane, Paul Blazek, Bob Hastings, Mike Lawton, Ron Rank, Raymond Schwarzkopf


Our Board has some exciting things planned for our members this year! Stay tuned. We will not overburden you with emails, but keep on the watch for a Society Newsletter the first Saturday of each month plus a special alternating Bulletin - Quartet Corner or Lodges in Motion - the third Saturday each month.


We hope that everyone has a very harmonious new year with many songs in their heart!

ONLY 14 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER FOR THE CONVENTION! Registration closes mid-night Saturday January 18th!


HOTEL RESERVATIONS CLOSE IN 7 DAYS ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 10th.


Be sure that you purchase before the closing date in order to receive our special hotel rate.

QUARTET SINGING ORDER FOR CONTEST


On December 16th, the quartet order for singing in the contest was selected by drawing their names out of a hat on Monday, December 16th. Here is the order of appearance for the Semi-Final Contest on Thursday, January 23 at 6:00pm:


  1. Meanwhile
  2. Bob's Boyz
  3. SoCal Ramblers
  4. Gold Standard
  5. Sound Check
  6. Sterling
  7. Notables
  8. Riptide
  9. Gary and the Pacemakers
  10. Spellbound
  11. Last Minute
  12. Sound Standard


Who will be our next International Quartet Champion?


Wanna be a Judge? Here is your chance to use your musical expertise to evaluate which quartet should get the Gold. Click here to read the rules. If you want to be a judge, fill out the Yellow Slip at the registration desk and drop it in the 'Jug'. Selection occurs one hour before the contest and you must be present when your name is called to participate.

NOT TOO LATE TO ADVERTISE IN THE CONVENTION PROGRAM


We have space in the Convention Program to advertise your quartet or Lodge. Have an upcoming event? Want to make your group known?

Why not place an ad for your group in the program.

Prices are:

  • 1/4 page or Business card - $25
  • 1/2 page - $50
  • 3/4 page - $75
  • Full page - $100
  • Inside Back Cover (One available) - $250


Go to our website on 'The Shop' tab and select the 'San Antonio 2025 Program Ad' block. Place your order and send your artwork to Helen Giallombardo at gsbmedal@comcast.net.

Deadline to place an ad is January 5th, 2025

Copy deadline is January 12th

MEET THE COMPETITORS - LAST MINUTE


It was the month before our inaugural WBQC Contest three years ago when I got a call from a certain muckamuck in our beloved society beseeching me to rustle up a quartet to help bolster participation. And, well, he WAS the Grand Poohbah at the time – how could I say no? Hence the name of our quartet (with ONE rehearsal before the contest), Last Minute.



Last year, we regrouped, fired our old bass (who now sings lead), picked up a REAL bass and managed to improve our scores with FOUR rehearsals. Imagine if we ever got serious!


We’re all active Vocal Majority brothers, with three of us four also in VMX (Vocal Majority Express) and the other one on the front row. Last Minute, with our 100+ cumulative years of barbershop memories, is so stoked to, once again, be a part of this wonderful weekend warbling with so many friends, both new and old, over a cold beer or two…FUN - like it used to be!


Joe McCorison (Tenor), Clark Magee (Lead) Keith Richbourg (Bass) Chris Hoofnagle (Bari)

2025 Convention Registration

January 23-26, 2025 San Antonio, TX

Hotel Special WBQC Price $113 ENDS January 10, 2025


Registrations are still available until January 18th. The price for both the Convention and Quartet Contest is $185. Registrations are available to everyone who would like to join us. 


Click here to register


Click here for Convention and Hotel Information


Click here for a Schedule of Events

SINGING THE CHESTNUTS


Most of you know, WBQA is keenly focused on fostering an environment that promotes quartet singing and offers many great tools to help them along the way. Perhaps the most valuable tool for quartets (and lodges) that is available today is the collection of over 50 barbershop arrangements that we offer completely FREE to our members! These easy to learn songs, or “Chestnuts” as we call them, are made up of traditional barbershop arrangements for male voices and even include learning tracks… FOR FREE!!


Go to our website at sppbsqsus.org and click on the 'Music' tab. You must be signed in as a member to access the Chestnut library of songs.

FREE!!! Quartet Coaching in San Antonio


Not too late to sign up! Whether you are competing in the quartet contest, attending the convention as a quartet, or just hanging out with your favorite foursome for the week, you can take advantage of some WORLD CLASS quartet coaching which is FREE! with the purchase of your Convention Registration!!


All four members of your quartet must purchase a full registration for $185 to be eligible to receive the coaching session.


To register, fill out the Quartet Coaching Form and email to Rich Gray at richgray27@gmail.com.


Click here to download the Quartet Coaching form

CONVENTION ACTIVITIES

Beside time to meet old friends, sing a few songs or tags - no, sing a LOT of songs and tags - there are activities throughout the weekend:

  • Discovery Singing (Woodshedding)
  • Recreational Singing (Gang Singing)
  • Tag singing
  • Pick-up quartets
  • Heritage of Harmony Songs
  • Singing the Chestnuts
  • Lodge Forum
  • Quartet Coaching
  • Third annual Quartet Contest
  • Meet the Champs
  • FREE bus to downtown San Antonio and the Alamo on Friday


Wow! There's no rest for the weary with all of this happening! You don't want to miss this year's convention.


Click here for Convention Schedule


Wanna Sing? Download a copy of our Society song, Just Men Singing our Song, to learn and sing at the Convention with three other guys. The sheet music and learning tracks for all parts are available on our website under the 'Music' tab and the 'Official Society Songs' link.

NEW MEMBERS

We are growing! We had 133 new singers join us so far this year for a total of 1,897 members. Here are the new members who have joined us in December:


  • Victor Lopez-Navarro, Latimer, IA
  • Kyle Fioramonti, Liverpool, NY
  • Mark Butler, Kitchner, ON
  • Keith McDonald, Mesa, AZ, Lodge #10, Men of Song
  • Lee McNeal, Memphis, TN
  • Bill Vermue, Hamilton, ON


Be sure to let your Barbershop friends know about us. You might want to forward this email to them so they can see what's happening.

KEY TAKAWAYS OF DECEMBER BOARD MEETING:

  • Tribute to honor Founder Montana Jack Fitzpatrick - Our Founder passed away on Dec ember 9th, 2024. The Board discussed ways to handle the request by Jack's son for a quartet to sing at his funeral. The Board approved to use the funds set aside for Jack and Eileen's travel to the convention to help defray the cost for a quartet to travel to Montana.
  • Rich Gray, Marketing VP Elect - discussed his plans to launch a public Facebook page at the convention which would feature some of the quartet performances.
  • Resolution Adopted by Board - to thank the outgoing Board members - Gary Parker, Stu Bush, and Paul Cohen for their service to the growth of our organization during their terms.


A summary of the Board meeting can be found under the 'Members' tab.



Next Board meeting - Wednesday, January 8th, 2025

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW:

  • Member Database - Find other members, find Lodges or find quartets. Link to the database is in the restricted Members page. When signing in, your member number MUST include the preceding letter - Ex M1234. Try it. First time? You will need to click 'Reset Password' after entering your member number. You will be sent a link to the email address on file to reset your password.
  • Missed a newsletter? Check the Documents page for the latest Society Newsletter, the Quartet Corner Bulletin or the Lodges in Motion Bulletin.
  • Please, please, please DO NOT click on the 'Unsubscribe' link below. If you do, you will no longer receive any communication from your Society. I can only send you a 'Resubscribe' link ONCE!

SPPBSQSUS / WBQA

Visit Website - wbqa.info ,,,,,,, Email Us: sppbqsus@gmail.com

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