ISLAND CITY CHORUS

GREATER MONTREAL CHAPTER

Northeastern District

The Barbershop Harmony Society

The Little Chorus that could!

MINI PITCH

Date: July 19, 2004 Bolton Landing gets reprieve! Volume 2004 -Issue 29

How to get to St. Matthew's Church: Take Queen Mary west to MacDonald, turn left and 4940 MacDonald is on the left. Parking in on the streets around the church, or take the Metro to Snowdon Station and walk the four blocks.

After a week of depression, the lights are back on for the Bolton Landing Barbershop Quartet Festival. It will be taking place in Bolton Landing over the Labour Day weekend, with top quartets and talent.

The Festival Organizers had appealed for donations to fund the $15,000 US up front costs, but the deadline came and went without the necessary funds being received. Fortunately, according to Scott Salladin, a member of the Bolton Landing Chapter Executive, the County Board has agreed to advance funds for this year, so the festivities will be on at least for this year.

Hopefully, headlining the talent is Gotcha! our 2004 International Champs, and the feature quartet for our 2005 show. Hopefully is used because Bruce Checca had notified the quartet that the festival was to be cancelled for this year. If he is able to rebook them, this will provide those who have never seen Gotcha! an opportunity to preview this talented foursome.

Donations to the Bolton Landing Chapter are being requested and can be made through their web site.

http://www.boltonlandingchapter.org/

Kenosha, WI - July 15, 2004 - The Barbershop Harmony Society today acted to reduce costs in its headquarters office, laying off several members of its staff.

Accompanied by Society President Rob Hopkins, CEO Don A. Harris announced the reductions in a staff meeting Thursday morning. "There is no easy time to do this, but it is an economic necessity," said Harris. "We simply cannot afford as large a staff today as we might have had in the past. Under the instruction of the Board of Directors, and with its full support, we have made the hard choices required to maintain a financially stable organization.

"We honour the contributions of all those affected. They have given their time and talents unselfishly, and their legacies will be felt throughout the Society for many years to come."

A complete listing of work assignments for the continuing staff will be forthcoming next week. "Our barbershop world is very close-knit," noted Harris, "So, we want to give our co-workers the dignity of sharing the news with their families, business associates and barbershop friends in their own way, in their own time. We would hope our members and friends will help our co-workers maintain their privacy in this matter as they may wish."

No further staff changes are contemplated at this time, and no immediate changes in member services are foreseen. "I have great faith in the ability of our continuing staff to step up and do whatever must be done," said Harris. "We will move forward, and we will help our members make their barbershop harmony experience flourish in the years to come."

Las Monday, we received the music for "Tonight," and a learning CD is available for " Tonight" and "Unforgettable." The tracks for "Tonight" are not the same as the music, but Rob Mance will be re-mixing them.

"Unforgettable" will be a very challenging piece, but if we can learn it, it will be a great addition to the repertoire.

We are invited back to help the Expos again on Tuesday, July 27. The Stinkin' Mets will be in town.

This intrepid reporter reports that the Editor (and the publisher) will be escaping Montreal for the Maritimes next week. He will be attending his class reunion at Acadia University, visiting his sister, who recently moved to Wolfville, NS and his wife's aunt in P.E.I.

All this to say that, unless someone volunteers, there will be no Mini-Pitch next week.

Here is our current repertoire list: [mp3] means that the mp3 file is on the Members' Only web site

Let's sing this tag!

Practice is something we do at home, every day, between rehearsals!

Rehearsal is where we reinforce what we have been practising every day!