News of the Cheshiremen!



2004 News
Sunday August 22	Annual Summer Barbecue at Surry Mountain Lake Recreation Area

Sunday August 22	Sunday Service: Featured Guest Music Program at the Keene UCC Church

Tuesday August 10	Summer Concert at the Saxtons River Playhouse

Tuesday August 3	Frost Free Library: Summer Concert Series, On the lawn…

Sunday July 25	Francestown, NH: Summer Concert and Ice Cream Social

Sunday July 11	Washington, NH: Town Summer Concert Series

Saturday July 10	Stoddard Olde Home Days at the Stymest Lawn

Saturday June 26	477^th Division U.S. Army National Guard, Yellow Ribbon Ceremony


Tuesday June 22	Good Shepherd Healthcare Center

Sunday June 13	Keene Fire Department Annual Fireman’s Memorial Service

Saturday May 8	“For the Love of Music 2” Annual In-School Program at Hillsboro-Deering High School A Music Department Collaborative, All-Day Saturday – Education, Rehearsal & Performance


Tuesday April 27	OPEN HOUSE Guest Night featuring Nashua Chapter Quartet, "Melodies & Memories"


Saturday April 24	52nd Annual Show


Tuesday March 3	Rehearsal with distinguished guests - Ron Menard & Joe Kopka of the Northeastern District
	On Tuesday, March 2nd, the Cheshiremen were treated to a special visit by two of the Northeastern District's most respected men, Nashua's Ron Menard and Joe Kopka of Frank Thorne. Joe's visit was to iron out details of the upcoming "Standing Ovation Program" training seminar which is to be held in Keene the afternoon of our spring show. As our chapter's NED Chapter Counselor, Ron's visit was to check on our chapter's progress and to meet with old friends. As part of the evening, Ron and Joe spent time with the chorus, imparting their wit and wisdom to the troupes. Ron provided the tenors and leads with advise on choral breathing, supporting high notes and the proper use of falsetto voicing while Joe, a former chorus director of the Manchester chapter, coached the baris and basses on proper vowel placement and singing better as an ensemble. Thank you, Gentlemen!

Tuesday February 17	Performance at RiverMead, Peterborough, NH
	While still basking in the afterglow of a very successful Singing Valentine's program, we were welcomed by a near-capacity crowd at RiverMead in Peterborough. Newcomer Mike Dowd who has been a Cheshiremen guest for the past several weeks traveled to Peterborough to cheer us on. Just before we went on stage, we were informed by the event coordinator at RiverMead that this was their largest audience this season and that many Peterborough residents were in attendance for our performance; having seen our sing-out advertised in the local paper. The highlight of the evening came when MC Allan Treadwell, speaking of the Singing Valentine program turned to the chorus and asked by show of hands, how many Cheshiremen had participated in the event....EVERY hand went up and we received a hardy round of applause for this fact.

Friday & Saturday Febr. 13/14	Singing Valentine's
	What better way to retell the events of the day than to use the words of one of the 120 recipients of a Singing Valentine this year... "It was the Friday before Valentine's Day, and I was sprawled on the floor with some of my 6th graders during math class. The door opened and in marched a very well dressed man, followed by three others. I recognized one of the people but had NO idea what was going on (unbeknownst to me, my secretary knew ahead of time and had let them into the school). All 16 students and I watched as the quartet burst into a lovely love song, a singing valentine from my wife and son. For someone who doesn't blush easily, I turned red as a beet! After the first song, the door opened and other staff members started poking their heads in, enchanted by the loud, pure voices. There was lots of applause, and then another song, followed by the presentation of a rose, and a photo moment. One teacher cried and said, "I've never seen such a romantic thing!" "It was a total surprise, and a delightful one. My students couldn't stop talking about it for the rest of the afternoon. They even sang me another song! One teacher, a member of the Keene Chamber Orchestra, later told me she hadn't come down to see it because she had assumed that the beautiful music she was hearing had been a tape or CD! I felt richly serenaded and much loved by my family." "Thank you, Cheshiremen!"


Saturday January 31	Officer Installation Dinner
	The Keene Cheshiremen held its 52^nd annual officer Installation Dinner at Keene State College. Although not as grand as last years’ big Half Century celebration, the 2004 Installation was just as dramatic… and much more fun. The ceremony of installing officers was conducted by District VP of Music and Performance, Jim Dodge, who lyricized nine of the Cheshiremen’s repertoire with special “job descriptions” sung by the chorus to the incoming officers. For example, the chapter president’s, to the tune of “Shine On Me”: “Oh, you’re the boss (will you lead us)”. The final number was the new officer sing, back to the chapter, to the tune “Don’t Blame Me”. You know where that one went! Thanks, Jim, for a most memorable installation! The Installation Dinner was also that yearly opportunity for the Keene Chapter to bestow its Barbershopper Of The Year award for 2003. Incoming president Bob Meissner, Jr. and Activity VP Allan Treadwell had the audience in stitches as well as suspense, finally spilling the beans to an unsuspecting recipient. It so happened, that yours truly, your scribe and Keene Chapter VP of Marketing and Public Relations, Steve Salamin (THAT’S salami with an “N” and pronounced SAL-AH-MMMIN – not to be confused with Scott!) received the coveted award. (I really do not know why.) It was for something about improving Chapter communications and relations, web site redevelopment, taking marketing and advertising initiatives to new, more professional levels, archiving and preserving the history of the Chapter, and dedicating much of his other life to the Cheshiremen and singing. Yabba dabba doooo. (What can I say? I love these guys! It’s what I love to do!) Thank you everyone. ~Steve [Ed. note]

2003 News

Tuesday, Dec. 30	Holiday / New Years - Gathering of Harmony and Friendship... the Cheshiremen and the American Legion Band, and their families, celebrate!
	(forthcoming)

Saturday, Dec. 13	Holiday Concert
	The Cheshiremen once again resurrected their custom version of the famous Scrooge classic “What the Dickens?” in a double feature holiday concert. The Keene American Legion Band (ranked #2 nationally) opened the first half of the holiday concert with a selection of band and holiday favorites. In the middle of the bands’ performance, everyone took a break, with the Cheshiremen surrounding the audience, to enjoy a holiday sing-along. The Band ended their portion of the show with a beautiful medley of winter favorites. Then, with a cast of notable characters from the Keene community as well as from the chorus, Scrooge took to the stage to review his days of Christmas’ past, present and future, ghosts aglow, to remember and change his ways… through singing! The performance was the first for the two groups in Keene High School’s new auditorium - a wonderful venue and facility – and nearly packed! Great show! Many thanks to the school and the community for their support! Happy New Year!



Friday Sept. 19 New Hampshire Day at	"We just LOVE the Cheshiremen" says the woman popping away at the popcorn kettle. "We missed you last year..." And so goes another wonderful performance for the crowds in the New Hampshire Building at the Big-E (Eastern States Exposition) in West Springfield, Massachusetts. At the request of the NH Department of Agriculture and NH Bureau of Tourism, the Keene Cheshiremen again adorned "New Hampshire Day" at the Big-E with barbershop harmony, both by the chorus and a quick-draw quartet. Two performances kept us busy - one at 10 in the morning at the opening moo and the second at 1 pm. Hurricane Isabel did not phase us or the audience, though we were a bit damp as we arrived... However, the day turned out just swell and we again thank our guys for making the drive and braving the elements. Many thanks to the NH Dept. of Agriculture for the opportunity. We had fun, too! End Note: "Hello" to "Sweet Mary Lou" at the NH Information desk. Thanks for volunteering!


Saturday September 13	A wonderful midday performance for the folks attending the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Health Fair. There seemed to be no shortage of good, clean, healthy fun this year and we enjoyed singing to the staff and friends of BMH. Of course, some Doc tried to lasso all of our men into the urology booth for health screening ... and to give us some "healthy" advice about.... (well, you can figure that out for yourself). Ah, those doctors... always thinking ahead for the good of living life to the fullest. Many thanks to the women in the Geriatric booth, as well, for the advice on "Getting Old Graciously". We appreciate your concerns. Wendy... Thank you again for a wonderful venue - and - for inviting us again! It was a great audience this year and we appreciate the opportunity to offer entertainment and barbershop harmony to the citizens of Brattleboro!	Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Photos courtesy of Diane & Wendy - Thanks!

Saturday August 23


Fri. & Saturday March 28 & 29	“For the Love of Music” was the event title. The Keene Cheshiremen chorus and chapter quartet Junction 1-3-5 performed an afternoon of choral music in collaboration with the Hillsboro-Deering (NH) High School Music Department. Chorus director Jim Flanders (also an alumnus) and Junction 1-3-5 dedicated an entire Friday last spring to music education in the barbershop style. Friday rehearsals with the high school men and women culminated in a Saturday performance by the Cheshiremen, the High School singers, a local adult chorus group and a memorable and dramatic finale of the combined Cheshiremen chorus, Junction 1-3-5 quartet and the High School singers. Powerful, warm friendships and choral music connections were made and the Cheshiremen promise to make this an annual event.

BACK to Main The Cheshiremen Chorus *The Keene* Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society Post Office Box 225 • Keene, New Hampshire 03431-0225 Toll Free 1-877-31B-SHOP (that's 1-877-312-7467) This page was last updated: Monday January 11, 2010 The web site www.cheshiremen.org and its contents © Copyright 2002-2010. All Rights Reserved, since 1952.