THE BEAT Winner, 2011 PROBE International Bulletin Contest

Transcription

1 Winner, 2011 PROBE International Bulletin Contest Volume 42, Issue 12 December 2011 News and Views from the Greater Indianapolis Chapter, Barbershop Harmony Society Performing with excellence and encouraging singing within the community. What the Dickens! Article by Greg Roembke, Christmas Show Director, photos by Kandra Sejas What would happen if you took the classic Christmas tale A Christmas Carol, added the sounds of Barbershop harmony, mixed in a few characters and made just a few artistic changes along the way? A successful annual Christmas Show! On Sunday, November 27, CCS presented its annual Circle City Sounds of the Season Christmas Show at the Ransburg Auditorium on the campus of the University of Indianapolis. Like the past shows, we featured our musical renditions of holiday music that celebrate traditions, family and faith. However this year, we tried something just a little different as we presented our own version of the Dickens story, What the Dickens! Steve McCullough as Ernie Our main character, Ernie, played by Steve McCullough, was a distant relative of Ebenezer Scrooge and had lost his love for the music of Christmas. On his path to rediscovering the joy of music, he was assisted by a variety of characters and Spirits along with the chorus and quartets. Jerry Troxel played the Spirit of Jack Murley, Ernie s former music teacher, who was doomed to roam the earth in his mismatched suit and plastic chains until he returned the joy of music to at least one of his students. Keith Leavell as Christmas Present Along the way, Ernie was aided by the Spirit of the Past, played by a geeky Jim Rosenau, who is technically savvy but somewhat forgetful. The Spirit of the Present, a very exuberant Keith Leavell dressed in a decorated gift box, was convinced that he is really the Christmas Present and helped Ernie through a series of songs that were more entertaining than helpful. And we used not one but two Spirits of Time Yet to Come to finally show Ernie the importance of Christmas music in his life. Scott Beverley and Logan Sejas played the very sinister Spirit Senior and Spirit Junior who, while they had no spoken lines, were still able to convince Ernie that it was time for him to change his attitude toward Christmas and the music of the season. (Continued on page 2)

2 Page 2 December 2011 Jerry E. Troxel, Editor Member, PROBE (Public Relations Officers and Bulletin Editors) 129 Yorkshire Blvd. E Indianapolis, IN jerry@troxels.com The BEAT is published monthly by the Greater Indianapolis, Indiana, Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, a proud member of the Cardinal District. Chapter Leadership 2011 President Gary Garitson VP Chapter Development Jerry Troxel VP Music & Performance Duane Henry VP PR & Marketing John Robinson VP Operations Larry Anthony Secretary Tom Bradley Treasurer Paul Gabriel Board Members at Large Scott Beverley, Jeff Boyd, David Fouts Immediate Past President Jerry Troxel Director Garry Texeira Assistant Director Andrew Myer Circle City Sound meets every Monday at 7:00 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church 345 N. Kitley Ave. Indianapolis, Indiana Dickens Despite several ringing introductions of Big Production Numbers with Special Effects by Steve McPherson, Stage Manager Don Brown failed in his efforts to have the one horse open sleigh glide across the stage and to have it snow on cue. However he more than made up for that with his enthusiastic efforts and interplay with director Garry Texeira. Music was the common thread to all of this, with the chorus providing the musical and visual background for all of Ernie s travels. Drawing from our holiday repertoire, the chorus led off with It s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and followed it with Jingle Bells and The Christmas Song, featuring Garry as soloist Cardinal District quartet champions Instant Classic then sang Auld Lang Syne to show Ernie his former high school quartet that included an unexpected backwards reprise of the tag when the Spirit of the Past tried to Google them and hit rewind by mistake. The chorus then attempted the next Big Production Number with I ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm. And to assist Ernie in trying to get back home, the Keynotes II quartet sang The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen. Up next was The Class Menagerie who sang the traditional I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas. Our good friends Smilin Through came out of retirement to once again try to eliminate that partridge with the parody, The 12 Days AFTER Christmas. In an effort to show Ernie what others thought of him, the chorus then sang Mr. Grinch, with Harold Mathews providing the narration. Logan Sejas as The Spirit of Time Yet to Come, Junior (Continued from page 1) Jim Rosenau as the Spirit of the Past Our next quartet, Heritage, presented I ll Be Home for Christmas as Ernie learned that his future was not going to be pleasant unless he had a change of heart. That finally happened as the chorus presented a new song, Christmas Eve In My Hometown. Ernie then celebrated his rediscovered love of the holiday music with the chorus and soloist Kyle Kitzmiller with Ring De Christmas Bells, assisted on percussion by Jack Murley and all the other Spirits. To close out the first act, the entire cast joined the chorus in Jingle Bell Rock, accompanied (finally!) by snow. A reprise of It s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year was used to acknowledge the cast and chorus as the large and enthusiastic audience showed their appreciation. For the second act, the chorus donned their tuxes and red holiday ties and led off with another new song, Carol of the Bells. Up next was a series of traditional songs that encouraged audience participation, including O Come All Ye Faithful, Angels We Have Heard on High and Hark the Herald Angels Sing. This was followed by the moving Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. Keith Leavell provided a solo in Coventry Carol and then David Meade sang O Holy Night with the chorus, accompanied on the piano by Doris Goodwin. Anthem, with Garry filling in on lead, then sang It Came Upon A Midnight Clear that provided the perfect lead-in for the chorus to sing Silent Night with Gary Garitson providing the narration. The audience again showed their approval with a standing ovation. (Continued on page 4)

3 December 2011 Page 3 Strolling down memory lane Ten Years Ago (2001) A monthly look back at our chapter s history by Lew Gillespie, Chapter Historian Chapter President Larry Anthony summed up the year by stating, we are all blessed by being able to do what so many people throughout the years have done express messages through song. Director Bryan Hughes, in completing his first year, stated, I have become close to many of you. When I first walked through the door, I was worried about how long this would last. The memories of the first year will not only last forever, but will propel us through the next several years. Music and Performance VP Jerry Troxel reviewed the year in the following ways: looking back, I must say it s been a great year. We took on some tremendous challenges with many changes in the music leadership team. We strove to put strong leaders in place as section leaders, performance leaders, and assistant directors. We made a tremendous showing at the 2001 Cardinal District fall contest. (notes taken from Inside The Pride, Vol. 32, Issue 11, Nov-Dec 2001, Brad McAlexander, editor). Twenty Years Ago (1991) Tom Gentil was named the new Director of the Pride of Indy [now Circle City Sound] Chorus. Tom had directed the Southern Gateway Chorus in Cincinnati for 22 years and earned several International medals, including the International Chorus Championship in He had also directed the Seven Hills Sweet Adelines Chorus for 32 years, and led them to a gold medal in Lew Gillespie On December 7, 1991, the chorus performed in Knox, Indiana, for the Starke County Arts Council. On Monday, December 16, 1991, the annual chapter Christmas pitch-in and officer installation was held at the rehearsal hall at 5301 North Franklin Road. Each section brought foods for a specific category. December 19 found the chorus performing at the Children s Museum of Indianapolis. (material taken from The Pride of Indy Chapter Bulletin, Vol. 22, Issue 11, Dec. 1991, Lew Gillespie, editor). A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a The Lighter Side hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of his office and asked them to disperse. But why? they asked, as they moved off. Because, he said, I can t stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer. There will be no rehearsals on Mondays, December 19 (Christmas Party), December 26 and January 2. Rehearsals will resume on Monday, January 9. Calendar of Events CCS Christmas Party Monday, December 19, 6:00 p.m. Christ Lutheran Church Cardinal District Leadership Academy (COTS) Saturday, January 7, 2012 Holiday Inn, Columbus, Ind. Singing Valentine Delivery February 13-14, 2012 Indy Metro area BOTY Banquet and Installation of Officers Friday, February 17, :00 p.m. Fort Harrison State Park Inn Cardinal District Spring Convention March 23-24, 2012 Holiday Inn, Columbus, Ind. & Columbus North High School National Anthem at Indiana Pacers Game Monday, April 9, :00 p.m. Conseco Fieldhouse Carmel Gazebo Concert Wednesday, June 6, :30 p.m. Carmel, Ind., Fountain Square For detailed information on all chapter performances check our weekly bulletin, SOUND BYTES or go to: and visit the Members Only section The deadline for the January issue of The BEAT is Friday, Dec. 30. Send articles to: jerry@troxels.com

4 Page 4 December 2011 Whether you are trying to sell a piece of real estate, a ticket to the annual show, or a cheeseburger and a drink, the key to success is location. In regards to our Lucas Oil concession stand, we have experienced the truth to this well known adage firsthand this year. Last year, Circle City Sound operated two concession stands at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Colts games the #510 pizza stand which is on the east side and the #533 grill at the south end zone. Due to the positive impression we made on the Centerplate people, when the previous group for the #506 grill wasn t offered their stand again this year, they asked us to move to take it over. Centerplate knew it was a busier stand than the grill we ran last year, but they were confident we were up to the task. Being just around the corner from the Bud Lite Zone at the north end, we quickly realized that this grill was much busier than what we had done before. From about an hour before the game until the end of the third quarter, it is non-stop at all eight registers! #506 Before the gates open Dave Fouts, Greg Roembke, Jim Rosenau So far this year, we have made just $400 less than we did at the same time last year with both stands combined, almost $11,000. The interesting thing about this is that we are doing it with 60 people instead of 90, and 20 people each game instead of 28. Only the people who choose to do so are working more than 3 shifts for the season. We crank out around 200 sandwiches, 200 orders of chicken fingers, 200 pretzels, and 1500 drinks, as well as Location, location, location! Article and photos by Becky Cline Becky Cline fries, popcorn, candy and peanuts every game. We work as a precision team with everyone doing their part to operate very smoothly and pretty much to capacity throughout the day. When people ask if our sales are down because of the Colts performance this year, the truth is that they would probably be higher if there were more fans in the stands, but our sales are still really great. We have the busiest stand on the Terrace Level. Congratulations to the CCS team for winning the $300 incentive award for November 6. It is because everyone is very conscientious about making sure we leave the place clean and in great shape every week that we earned this recognition. There are other factors such as being fully staffed, having low spoilage and good sales that also go into the selection process. We consistently finish in the top five every week, but it s nice to win that extra $300. Clowning around (or are they singing?) Greg Roembke, Bob Kendall Thanks to everyone for being dependable and bringing your best attitudes when you come. Even though we all give up something else to be there, we make the best of it and are giving the chapter a much needed financial boost. I m sure those travel funds will be appreciated when the time comes to head to Toronto for our next International competition. It s a pleasure to work with you. I look forward to being in the stand with you again sometime soon. Dickens (Continued from page 2) A show of this size takes the effort of everyone. Show Chairman Steve King was already hard at work in March when he asked if I d be interested in helping. Steve took care of the hundreds of details and offered support and help at every step of the way. When I left Sunday evening, he was still hard at it, managing the loading of the risers. Even though it seems strange singing Christmas songs in August, Garry and his team had the chorus singing as well as ever. Garry even agreed to the interruptions in the singing to allow for our special effects. Thanks to everyone who participated in any way to make this show a success. Whether you played a role, sang in a quartet, performed as a soloist, helped with the production, sold tickets or just showed up and sang, it was a true team effort. On a personal note, I ve got to thank my wife Janie. She has endured months of me floating ideas and bad jokes her way. In addition, she made several of the costumes that were used and helped with the props. I literally could not have done this without her.

5 December 2011 A truly exciting year ahead! Page 5 Where are we going? What's next for Circle City Sound? Well, the answer to that question is, there is going to be much to do and we are going to love the journey. With 2011 nearly under our belts and a part of history for CCS, we can now look forward to 2012 and beyond. I, for one, am very excited about what's to come for our chorus! The most pressing event coming up for CCS is the recording schedule for the first quarter of the year. This will be a very exciting project, our first of what I hope will be many recordings for CCS. This will take 100% participation and focus. It is an amazing process and one that many of us have never experienced. There will be tense moments and moments that will simply amaze you. The best part about making a recording is that it results in something that you will have forever. I know from my own experience that I will always be proud of the quartet and chorus recordings that I had the privilege to be a part of. I hope you will be there with us. While we are completing our first recording, we will also be busy working on new music for our upcoming shows and contests. There will be many new songs that I'm sure you and our fans will all enjoy! Speaking of contest, our contest set for the fall district convention and going into International in Toronto 2013 will be one to remember also. We will have the music very soon and October 2012 will be here before we know it. There will be much to do and we will need to be prepared. This will be a contest set like nothing this chorus has done before. We will have costumes, props, and a complete show package, all packed into to one contest set. It's going to be a blast, but a ton of work will be needed from each and every one of us. If that weren't enough, my hope is that we will be able to start our second recording project before the end of This will be for our Christmas recording, and it will be a labor of love. This will be something that will play in your homes and for your families for generations. Can you tell that I'm excited? Along with recording projects, shows, and sing-outs, there will also be some fun activities planned for 2012 also. I realize that with all the work and focus, there needs to be some fun too. Don't worry, we will have some extracurricular fun for you and our families. This will be a banner year for CCS, and I'm glad that you will be with us. Thank you to each and every one of you for all your hard work and for your faith in me. Thanks, also, to all of our wives, significant others, and families for all that you do for CCS we couldn't do what we do, or achieve what we want to, without your love and encouragement! I will do my best this next year and beyond to give my 110%, every time I step in front of you. We have so much to look forward to in I pray that all of you have a blessed holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and a Joyous New Year! See you next year! Garry Texeira MUSIC DIRECTOR This will be a banner year for CCS, and I m glad that you will be with us. Blowing in the wind? According to a popular folk song, the answers to several how many... questions are blowin in the wind. But what is the answer to the question of how many guests, on average, will have to walk through our doors to yield the 20 new singers that Garry is always pushing us toward? Although the answer may not be blowing in the wind, it may very well blow you away. Since the first of the year, we have had 64 singing guests who could be considered prospective members (men who don t join us on the risers and barbershoppers just passing through town don t count). Of those 64, seven have completed the steps to become chapter members. So we re batting about 11%. Not bad, but at that rate, to get 20 more members, we will need 183 more guests. From the Editor s Desk We need to step up our recruiting efforts to keep finding new guests and bringing them to our rehearsals. Once there, we can help them to fall in love with the joy of Barbershop Jerry Troxel singing and make time in their schedules to join us. So let s get cracking! If they don t come through our doors, it will be impossible to convert them to members. How many of those 183 will you bring?

6 1. The First Noel 2. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear 3. God Rest You Merry Gentlemen 4. Jolly Old St. Nicholas 5. O Holy Night 6. We Three Kings of Orient Are 7. What Child is This? 8. Deck the Halls 9. O Little Town of Bethlehem 10. O Come All Ye Faithful Page 6 December 2011 How well do you know your Christmas carols? from the Nov/Dec 2005 Pitchburgh Press, Tom Koch, editor as published in the Oct/Dec 2006 PROBEmoter, Steve Jackson, editor I periodically include song histories about various songs in our repertoire in the newsletter. For this issue, I decided to write about Christmas carols and put it in the form of a quiz. I provide some facts; you guess the carol. Carol 1 Sometimes given the British spelling, nowell, it first appeared in print in England in a collection by William Sandy (1833). The words and music are traditional. Most think it is from 16th or 17th century France; others claim it never had any French origins and is very British. Carol 2 The words for this American carol are based on a poem written by Unitarian minister Dr. Edmund Sears in The following year, inspired by the poem, Richard Storrs Willis, a composer as well as editor and critic for the New York Tribune, wrote a melody called Carol to which the words were adapted. Carol 3 When Scrooge, in Dickens A Christmas Carol heard this cheerful carol, he grabbed a ruler, and the singer fled in terror. It is traditional English, dating back to the 16th or 17th century. The usual harmonization, like that of The First Noel, is from Sir John Stainer ( ). Carol 4 This traditional American carol is generally considered anonymous, although it may have been written by Wilf Carter, who was also known as cowboy singer Montana Slim. Carol 5 This carol was written by Adolphe Charles Adam ( ), the French composer best known for his ballet Giselle. At the time, it was frowned upon by church authorities who denounced it for lack of taste and total absence of the spirit of religion. The French text is by Cappeau deroquemaure; the English by American clergyman John Sullivan Dwight ( ). Carol 6 Frequently thought to be much older than it is, the words and music for this American carol were written in 1857 by John Henry Hopkins as part of a Christmas pageant for the General Theological Seminary in New York City. Carol 7 The melody is the beautiful Greensleeves. It dates from Elizabethan time, possibly even earlier. The song was first registered in 1580 to Richard Jones with lyrics that were neither religious nor respectable. Shakespeare mentions it by name in The Merry Wives of Windsor in which it is played while traitors are hanged. In 1865, William Chatterton Dix (English) wrote The Manger Throne, three verses of which became this carol. Carol 8 The music is an old Welsh melody. Mozart used it in a piano and violin duet in the 1700s. The words are believed to be American, from the 19th century. Carol 9 Bishop Phillips Brooks ( ) wrote the words in Philadelphia in He was recalling his trip to the Holy Land three years earlier, especially the view of Bethlehem from the hills of Palestine at night. His church organist, Lewis Redner, wrote the music for this carol, originally for his Sunday School children s choir. Carol 10 This carol is sometimes attributed to John Wade, a British exile living in France. Otherwise, it is considered to be an anonymous Latin hymn. Around 1751, Wade put the text to music, probably by John Reading. In 1853, the now-familiar translation first appeared, attributed to Rev. Frederick Oakley. Jingle Bells Believe it or not, Jingle Bells, one of the most famous American Christmas songs, was originally written for Thanksgiving. The author and composer was a minister named James Pierpont who composed the song in 1857 for children celebrating his Boston Sunday School Thanksgiving. The song was so popular with the congregation that it was repeated at Christmas that year, and indeed Jingle Bells has been reprised ever since. The essence of a traditional Christmas is captured in the lyrics of Jingle Bells and the sound effect using the bells have become synonymous with the arrival of Father Christmas or Santa Claus to the delight of children of all ages.

7 December 2011 Page 7 Greater Indianapolis Chapter Board Meeting Summary November 2011 The Greater Indianapolis Chapter Board of Directors met on Monday November 14, 2011 in regular session. All of the ten board members were present. There was one guest (Skipp Kropp). The meeting was held at Christ Lutheran Church. The following is a brief summary of the business transacted at that meeting. Secretary The minutes of the October 17, 2011 meeting were accepted as written. Treasurer The chapter s checking account contained a balance of $23, at the end of October. The board received the balance sheet, the restricted funds report, the profit & loss year-to-date comparison, the monthly cash flow report and the YTD financial summary for October. Operations The CDWI event has been cancelled by the district. Plans are on track for holding the chapter s Christmas party at Christ Lutheran Church on December 19. Chapter Development The current membership count is % of the membership is presently active. Seven new members have been added so far this year giving a net change of plus three. Music and Performance Plans for 2012 will include renewed emphasis on making our meetings more interesting and compelling. PR and Marketing Several potential venues for the 2012 Annual Show are under consideration. Possible future performances include Zoobilation 2012 and the summer family concert series at the gazebo in Carmel. Standing Committees Tom Bradley CHAPTER SECRETARY The next meeting of the CCS Board will be their 2012 planning retreat tentatively scheduled for Thursday, December 29, 2011, at a time and location to be announced. All chapter members are welcome to attend. Singing Valentines: The 2012 program kickoff is planned for January. Old Business Implementation of processes and procedures for receiving payments by credit card (e.g., for ticket sales and singing valentines) are being finalized. New Business The board will pursue measures to ensure continuity of the chapter s lifetime achievement award program. The Barbershoppers of the Month for October are Larry and Bobbie Tolle for hosting another great CCS fall party. President Gary Garitson VP Chapter Development Steve Cline VP Music & Performance Skipp Kropp VP PR & Marketing Larry Anthony VP Operations Jeff Boyd 2012 Chapter Officers Secretary Tom Bradley Treasurer Paul Gabriel Board Members at Large David Fouts Scott Wiederoder Scott Beverley Immediate Past President Jerry Troxel Reminder: Every Monday is a Guest Night! December Birthdays 12/2 Dustin Hall 12/6 Steve Cline 12/9 Jerry Bean 12/11 David Meade 12/13 Jimmy Hinkle 12/15 Steve McCullough 12/22 Rex Parker 12/23 Allen Korty

8 Jerry E. Troxel, Editor 129 Yorkshire Blvd. E Indianapolis, IN WANTED: Men who love to sing! Circle City Sound meets every Monday at 7:00 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church 345 N. Kitley Ave. Indianapolis, Indiana Guests are always welcome! Don t miss the chapter Christmas party! The snow may be snowing and the wind may be blowing, but CCS members and their families should all weather any storm to be a part of our annual Christmas party. The event will take place at our rehearsal hall on Monday, December 19. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m., appetizers will be served at 6:30, and the catered meal will follow at 7:00 p.m. Our program chairman, Larry Klein, has been hard at work making the arrangements for this event, including some fun holiday-themed activities after dinner. The price is $12.00 per adult and $5.00 for children 11 and younger. It w i l l b e a g r e a t Thanksgiving-style meal with turkey and all the trimmings. Be sure to sign up on the website, and make your payments to Jim Sauder at rehearsal.