Our 2004 Barbershopper of the year is Bert Brossoit. Bert has been an outstanding contributor to the life of our Chapter, and in addition to chairing the show committee has been a constant supporter of events and activities. The official presentation was made at the Great Northern Harmony Workshop.

If you weren't at the GNHW on Saturday, you missed a great coaching session with Music Judge Kevin Keller.

Kevin took us through our two contest songs using four simple concepts. The best thing about his approach is that it is transferable from song to song.

1. Breaths: The breath is the end of the phrase, and is the most important part of the phase, since it provides the propulsion to give the next phase energy, it makes the singing easier and it adds excitement.
2. Embellishments: One of the basic ingredients to a barbershop arrangement is the swipes and moves that we sing. By treating each successive note in a swipe or move as more important than the previous note, we add excitement and energy to a song.
3. Melody Shape: If we examine each section of the song to determine whether it is going up down or remaining the same, it will help us to set a dynamic plan.
4. Milestones: Every song has a number of milestones that we can use to make the song come alive and move forward. The beginning, the end of the introduction, the beginning of the verse, the end of the verse, the beginning of the chorus, the end of the chorus, the beginning of the tag, the end of the tag are all points which require attention.

Congratulations to Steve Wheaton on another great school!

Midwinter is the most under attended and under appreciated event held by the Society. The $50 registration covered the Senior Quartet contest, the Friday Night Show, The Saturday Night Show and some excellent classes, similar to those offered at International last year (and again this year.)

This year was my first. It is a real bargain, and I recommend it.

Jacksonville itself was a bit disappointing in that it was cold! The highest it got was 56°F (13°C.) It has continued this week with the lead in to the Super Bowl.

Next year it will be in Sacramento, CA.

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. (Jan. 29)—Texoma Sound swept the 2005 Barbershop Harmony Society International Seniors Quartet Contest today, beating out 23 other competitors and achieving the highest score in the last several years.

The contest was held in conjunction with the Society’s annual midwinter convention this past week in Jacksonville.

Members of Texoma Sound are: tenor Frank Friedemann of Tulsa, Okla.; lead Jim Casey of Denison, Texas; baritone Bill Thompson of Stillwater, Okla.; and bass Tom Pearson of Houston, Texas. They scored a total of 909 points. The quartet represented the Society’s Southwestern District.

Second place was won by Savoir Four of Illinois; third went to Antiques Roadshow of Michigan; fourth to Talisman of Illinois and fifth to Antique Gold of the Greater Vancouver area, British Columbia.

Like all members of the Society, competing quartets sing barbershop harmony as a hobby. In "real life," Texoma Sound’s Friedemann, 61, is a counsellor-public relations manager for Musgrove-Merriott-Smith Funeral Service; Casey, 66, is a self-employed vocal music instructor; Thompson, 68, is assistant sales and service manager for General Motors Corp.; and Pearson, 63, is an orthodontist.

No member of any competing seniors quartet may be younger than 55, and the cumulative age of the quartet must be 240 years or more. They were judged on presentation, singing and music.

Rob Hopkins, Society President reported that at its Board meeting on Friday, January 28, the Board adopted the following motion:

The Board will then be able to address the proposals of the Headquarters Location Committee at its spring planning meeting April 8-10. I cannot tell you that the Board will make a decision at that time--only that it will be on the agenda and we MAY make a decision at that time.

I have appointed the following men to the committee:

• Don Harris, chairman
• Bill Biffle
• Clarke Caldwell
• Joe Jenkins
• Alan Lamson

I want to thank these men for their willingness to take on this important responsibility.

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

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

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