It's getting to be a lot like Christmas ....

And its time to sing carols in Stubbs Rd at Albion Park.

 We had a better audience this time!

 With friends and family coming to singalong with us.

 Lots of spectators and lovely lights!

Our Christmas Party at Barbs ....

We always enjoy our BBQ Christmas party at Barb Scott's home.

Well we have the last couple of years.

Everyone brings their own meat and something to share.

I think Wendi Leigh was the 'winner' this year with her fruit Christmas tree creation.

 But - Jan DID. Thank you Jan.

And WELL DONE Wendi, it was amazing.

There's always lots of FOOD and FUN!

For EVERYONE!

Here we are performing for the neighbors

Christmas carols in the Mall

We met in the early evening in mid December to sing for shoppers in the Mall.

Problem was there weren't too many down at the performance area.

But we did bring our own 'groupies ....

It was very HOT and sunny ....

But we sang our carols about cooler climates!

 

Towards the end of our hour we had to compete with a marching band 

at the other end of the Mall. Not happy Jan!

Festival of the Choirs in Kiama 26th October 2014.

Here's Jan explaining to the audience the intricacies

of barbershop singing!

 And lots of lovely faces  .... in the moment

 Looking good girls!

I'd like to sing with these ladies - wouldn't you? 

Faces of Friends having FUN!

I don't see any frowns ... but lots of SMILES.

Getting ready for the Kiama Choir Concert October 2014.

Louise is 'Official'

Congratulations to Louise.

Her paperwork is through from SAI.

A great welcome home present.

Welcome to two new members ....

 Alice Caldwell to the terrific Tenors

And, Liz Hah to the Baritone Section

Lorraine visits Acappella Harmony Academy in Tulsa USA

I was recently privileged to be sponsored by the chorus to attend the (very appropriately      

  acronym-ed) Acappella Harmony Academy in Tulsa, birthplace and current headquarters 

of Sweet Adelines International.

The theme for the conference was not Think outside the Box, but rather Throw the Box Away!  

and sessions were geared to evolving women’s barbershop from “technically
excellent but predictable” to“technically excellent and OUT THERE!”

The Aha Moments were everywhere. 

For someone like myself from the ranks of Aussie-chorus member-land it was like being a

 kid in a lolly shop – if you can imagine Dede’s recent coaching session multiplied over 

three full days (my program totalled 20 sessions), then that would come close to the level of education, innovation and energy that we were feted with.

At the risk of boring you with too many superlatives, I’ll just mention three of the 

more personal Aha Moments that made the conference so special for me.

A spontaneous gathering of the seven Aussies (plus one renegade director/coach from NZ :-) 
in the hallowed foyer of the SweetAdelines International Headquarters, singing 
I Am Australian to the delight of official tours of delegates (the Americans love this song!)

A “date with destiny” moment, accidentally finding myself sharing a long lunch with Shirley 
Kout, one of the women responsible for bringing barbershop to Australia three  decades ago, 
and without whom we may well not have been doing what we do today.

 Realising, that not only were we learning from the organisation’s living icons, but that

this is the forum in which these iconic leaders also learn and refine their craft.                      

In a session on Mental Preparation (aka How To Deal With Nerves) a hand went up behind me,

and a fellow who I had not previously met, but have since learnt is Jim Arns, was sharing 

the story of his most nervestruck moment …..!!! Some minutes later, in the same session, 

another hand went up from among the class, and this time it was a  “dry mouth” story 

volunteered by Dale Syverson, followed by a debate among everyone present, on the use

of “pink pills” …I could go on, but of course I won’t. 

The only thing I want to add here is an encouragement to every member who loves

doing what we do, and wants to do it better.

Please keep your eyes open for the next time our Management Team offers the

educational grant, and apply for it!                                                                                                           

I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed with the learning experiences

offered by this organisation.                                                                      Lorraine

                                                                                                           

Palliative Care Remembrance Service 2014

For a number of years now, we have been privileged to

be invited to sing at the annual memorial service of

Port Kembla Palliative Care Unit.

Families  and friends who have lost loved ones in the
previous 12 months are invited to attend.
It was a moving service and many family members
participated by reading a poem or telling a story as a
memory of the person who had died.

The service concludes with the lighting of candles in remembrance

as the chorus sings 'Candle on the Water' and Irish Blessing'.

Farewell to Robyn Beesley

Robyn has made the big decision to leave the chorus so that she and husband Bob can have more time together travelling Australia in their caravan. We will certainly miss her but wish her well!

Robyn writes ....I have had an amazing time being part of the WHC family and really appreciate all the warmth and friendship shown to me. I have always marvelled at how well such a large group of women get along and care for each other. It must be the common goal of singing that lifts the spirits and creates harmony. I also think Jan has a lot to do with it. She is so generous with her time,

especially with the small groups and teaches so much in a fun and positive way. I will certainly

miss you all but hope to attend performances when I can.

Terri writes ..... We will certainly miss our very own “Pocket Rocket/Energiser Bunny”

Robyn came into the Chorus in 2010 and has been actively involved from the beginning. Always smiling, always eager to lend a hand and talk to anyone and everyone. She served as a member of the Management Team in two different roles and performed both with enthusiasm and generosity, and, for the past couple of years she has organised the troops for a group donation at the Blood Bank (possibly the only time she could be found ‘lying around’) I’m sure those of us who listen to 97.3 ABC Illawarra recall Robyn’s jousting with the breakfast announcers when promoting our concerts on the Community Service Announcements between 6.35 and 7 am (even if like me, you heard them from the clock-radio while still tucked up in bed!!) Robyn gave us all a bit of a scare a few years back when helping out with a recruitment exercise in Wollongong City Mall. She almost lost a finger when the heavy door on the media booth outside DJ’s closed on her hand. That was one day when we were thankful to have the Emergency Medical forms readily available. We have all enjoyed Robyn’s mini muffins as well as her Traveller’s Tales from around Australia. Bob too, has been a valuable supporter of the Chorus being on the Riser Team roster for rehearsals and helping out with transport to Stanwell Tops, Kiama and the Regent Theatre.

The Chorus family wish Robyn and Bob safe travels and many happy years as 

Grey Nomads around our BIG country.

Coaching with Dede

Dede Nibler came to Australia to work with choruses all over the country and we

 were lucky enough to have her in Wollongong for a day.

 Dede has been a member of Sweet Adelines International since 1976 and has 

been a musical director for over 30 years. 

She is a member of the International Faculty and has achieved

 Master Director status with 2 choruses. In her other life Dede worked in

 public school education as a music teacher and administrator. 

She has been actively involved with the Young Women in Harmony program

 and has sung baritone in a quartet on the International stage 9 times. 

On Sunday 3rd August our chorus shared an afternoon 

workshop with Out of the Blue. 

Here she is looking ageless ...

Words from Dede

We learn heaps over a cuppa

Smiling faces

 

Out of the Blue - about to perform

WHC an attentive audience ... Now its our turn

Here we are all together

When Singing Is and Isn’t Barbershop by Dede Nibler

“I’m a singer. So what’s up? I’ve been singing in my church choir forever, and 

I was in the Community Women’s chorus for a few years. I also sang in the 

school choir — hey, I’m experienced. How can singing in a Sweet Adeline chorus 

be that much different than any other chorus?”

Well, it is! On the surface, singing seems like it would be pretty standard, 

but barbershop singing can take us to a new and different musical place.

Apples and Oranges

Many of us have a history of choral singing either at the school or community level. 

While these singing experiences are important and valuable, they do not lay a 

complete musical foundation for barbershop singing. Many classical singers 

experience a shock (Yes, I mean shock) when barbershop style greets a non-barbershop

 singer. All that rubato on slow songs, no crisp consonants (you don’t want a 

healthy T on the end of the word?), turning of diphthongs, reading bass clef notes and 

the melody is where? More than a few women who visit our choruses will be

 mightily confused during the first several rehearsals. As we better understand the

 uniqueness of our art form, we can do two things: teach it to our guests and

 singers and sing it better! 

Knowledge is power!

Voicing

Let’s begin with the first confusion — for those of us who grew up singing classical

 literature, having the melody sung by an inner voice is “just plain old wrong.” The

 melody is always on top! Sopranos always get the chosen part. Wrong — not in 

barbershop! In barbershop, it is the lower voices on the treble clef, the soprano/high 

alto vocal range, which get the prize: they get to sing lead, the melody part. This may 

throw a monkey’s wrench at those sopranos who must sing light harmony, in tune, 

and with a controlled vibrato. And a word of caution — not all sopranos can sing 

tenor, the top barbershop part. The timbre of the voice may not be sweet enough, 

the voice may be too heavy, or the vibrato may be a bit uncontrollable. 

To blend with the other three voices, the tenor has to float, but be able to sting l

ike a bee when her notes call for it.

Women who sing bass and baritone know that this type of singing just doesn’t exist 

in the classical world. I never felt like a true vocal artist until I sang baritone. This is

 the reaction of many women who come to barbershop from other voice parts in 

classical choral ensembles. As an alto, I never really felt challenged — but as a 

baritone? Many bass singers originally sing men’s tenor and they find a home in

 barbershop. Many leads don’t necessarily possess the range to sing soprano, but are

 born entertainers and feel a strong connection with the melody. Tenors might have 

found their voice to be too light to sing a soprano solo, but really shine as a 

barbershop tenor. That is part of the satisfaction of the barbershop genre – singers 

finally feel like they have found the voice part that is right for them.

Balance

The balancing of the four voice parts is one of the main differences between singing 

barbershop and classical women’s music. A classical cone shows all parts, 1st soprano, 

2nd soprano, 1st alto, and 2nd alto, sung as four equal voices. This also applies to 

classical mixed voicing, SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass). Since most classical 

repertoire has the melody in the 1st soprano, the other three parts function as 

supporting voice parts to the soprano. Barbershop coning is different. A few differences 

are: The bass must provide a strong foundation, the baritones must fill around the leads, 

the leads must command authority and the tenors may not overpower the leads. 

Only in barbershop do voice parts have actual musical responsibilities that must be 

accomplished before the famous lock and ring of chords happens.

Blend

Blend requires greater emphasis in barbershop than in classical ensembles. Voices

 must not stick out of the unit. That’s why a common vocal production is important for

 barbershop singers. Along with having good breath management and an active soft 

palate (lifted but not stretched), we learn to sing in the masque to make those chords 

ring! There is a big difference between a voice produced with the sound hitting the soft

 palate (like singing into a pillow) and a voice hitting the hard palate (like singing 

in the shower). 

We practice finding the hum/ring/buzz spot in order to 

increase the resonance factor and hopefully, the ring of overtones. 

Classical ensembles, more often than not, are not trying to create overtones. 

Their sound beam is placed farther back in the mouth cavity; therefore, overtones 

are not produced.

Other Musical Emphases

Other musical factors that are required to attain the barbershop sound are: breath

 management so that phrases do not end prematurely; physical involvement/energy 

(most classical ensembles do not move around, smile much, or look like they’re
 entertaining performers); tuning conducive to ringing chords (this could be the subject of

 another article); articulation that does not interrupt the flow of sound with hard 

consonants (we have imploded consonants, not exploded); pure vowel sounds 

and turned diphthongs; voices with controlled vibratos that allow the chords to ring; 

and voices that are free but energised and resonant.

Now What?

The Sweet Adeline family has international and regional faculty members, coaches, 

directors, section leaders and choreographers who understand barbershop. One of the 

most important things a chorus can do is to use as many of these talented people as 

much as possible and on a regular basis.

All members need to attend regional music schools. These events are planned with 

the members in mind and provide great education in the singing of barbershop.

Most of all, however, all of us should make a commitment to improving our 

personal barbershop technique. Until we decide to play by the barbershop rules, 

the results will be mixed and, perhaps, disappointing. The quartets and choruses 

on the move are those who dedicate themselves to those musical principles, which 

make barbershop different than any other kind of singing in the world.

Barbershop can be a most challenging and rewarding experience!

Christmas in July 2014

Dusting off some of our Christmas Repertoire

Wendi makes a good reindeer ....

 And once again many of us discovered a sliver of

creativity to decorate our Team effort paper chain.

The Beanies, Gloves and

Scarves rose to the challenge of small group singing

Love the candle lit faces

Some of the deco's

THANK YOU TO KAREN!

Terri writes ......

For her creativity and generosity in putting together Christmas in July last week. 

The decorations,food, candlelight and mulled wine made for an atmosphere appropriate t

o the cold night and the theme, and we managed to revise a considerable 

portion of our Christmas repertoire. 

Thanks too, to Debbie K for capturing the mood of the

evening on camera to share it with Jan and Lorraine, and to Steph 

our diligent archivist, and not forgetting the other ladies who contributed 

additional edible goodies for our Yule feast.

Farewell Faye

We were sad to hear that after such a long time with the chorus,

Faye Stilwell has decided to resign.

An excerpt from Faye’s letter of resignation:

I am sorry to say I am submitting my resignation as a member 

of Wollongong Harmony Chorus.

I have had a wonderful time in the past 15 years. My understanding of Barbershop 

knowledge from four Chorus Directors plus experiencing the commitment Jan has for 

the chorus has been very uplifting and enjoyable. 

I have benefited in countless ways from my membership of the Chorus

My decision to resign has been very difficult, I have been trying to find the 

answer for weeks; nevertheless, I also know I want to write to you with my 

resignation so that you know my position now.

Additionally I have met the most wonderful “closet show-offs” um people

 (like me) over my years with WHC and I will miss singing with everyone.

I wish you all the very best now and for your future endeavours. 

Thank you so much! Yours sincerely,

Faye Stilwell

We decided while it was a sad time to loose her from the risers, it was
a great excuse to go out to lunch.
You will recognise some 'old' faces - here is Anne Hsu

And Noni Gleeson, Jann McNeal and Betty Nic.

Helen up to her usual tricks ....

We shouldn't need an excuse to catch up should we?