Date: March 12, 2001 Are you ready for Erin?

Thanks for bringing out your guests. Last Monday evening was a great one. We had several new guests and some returning friends join us for the first Official Guest Night of 2001. Now, let's follow up and invite them back. There seemed to be some good singers in the group.

Harmony, Inc. 40^th Anniversary. We are invited to sing at this celebration which is on April 4 at 8:00 PM. The location is 52 Joseph-Paiment, Dollard des Ormeaux. (South of Pierrefonds Blvd, West of Sources)

Music Team NEWS Here's the latest from Alan Kenley and the Music Team

1) Congratulations to Jerry and everyone who brought a guest on Monday night. We all had a great time.

2) Can you believe how fast the chorus picked up My Romance/It's You? Less than a half-hour. That's at warp speed and you should all get a pat on the back. Let's keep doing it. We've got lots of new music to learn.

3) Speaking of new songs, we have added How Deep Is The Ocean to the repertoire. Rob Mance has found an amazing arrangement and you will be receiving four part tapes and CD's on Monday night for this number as well as My Romance/It's You and Words, and an updated version of Didn't We. Let's all thank Rob for the tremendous effort he is making to learn all 4 parts of our repertoire and then putting them on tape for us.

4) We have a special member in our chorus who has been singing barbershop more years than I can count. He's a quiet kind of a guy who makes it his business to be at all sing outs, contests and shows. He has been singing Tenor forever and this past year was asked to switch to the Baritone section. He didn't complain, went home pulled out all of his music and in a matter of weeks was singing Bari like he had been doing it for years. When you see John Briffett on Monday night go over and congratulate him for doing such a great job.

5) We have a group of people that we rarely thank for their involvement in the development and progress of the chorus.. Our section leaders. They really have to work hard at their music in order to get up in front of their section each week to help us learn our music.

They have difficult jobs to do and have a huge responsibility towards the chorus. When they are working with each of us in section practice they become the Director for that time and as such must be shown the same courtesy we extend to Rob when we are on the risers.

All comments, opinions and advice that each of us has a tendency to want to give to a Director must be kept to a private discussion with him or her after the session.

Please refrain from criticising, offering opinions, commenting on wrong notes by other members during the sectional or offering to take over the section practice. Our section leaders need our full support and undivided attention.

FOUND Music Librarian. We are in luck. Al Mahoney agreed to take on the position of Music Librarian. Ron Dawson will probably assist Al when he returns to the fray. Thanks to Al for stepping up and taking on the job

FOUND Christmas CD Co-ordinator. Thanks to Richard Frenette. He has accepted the job of co-ordinating the Christmas CD. We have heard through the grapevine that the other choruses are working on their music selection and are getting excited about the project. Richard can't do this alone. We need photos of the choruses and quartets, a CD cover designed, a write-up, someone to co-ordinate the recording sessions, a PR person, contact people at each chorus and many other little details that have to be looked after. Please offer your assistance any way you can. This is a big project and Richard will need all the help he can get.

FOUND Quartet Development Co-ordinator. At the request of Alan Kenley, Murray Phillips has agreed to assume the role of Quartet Development Co-ordinator. He will be asking many of you to try singing in a quartet, perhaps for the first time. Try it. You will find it a wonderful experience. We are aiming at having at least four quartets singing at Division 2002.

Mini-Pitch Editor needed. There is a condition, however. Murray wants to give someone else a chance to edit the Mini-Pitch. He will be asking people for their recommendations. If you think you would like to try it out, let Murray know. He will help get you started.

Get your Show tickets, now. Tickets are available from John Clendinneng for our June 9, 2001 show, Steppin' Out. This will be at the same great hall we used last year. As we did last year, tickets are given when a cheque is received. A post-dated cheque works, and you can trade cash and cheques before the show in exchange.

Joker's Wild Retiring on our show. We have learned with sadness, that 1994 International Champions, Joker's Wild will be retiring. The good news is they will be appearing on our show, and that this will be their final performance.

Pay-as-you-go Joe - The total dues for a regular member of the Greater Montreal Chapter are $180.00 per year. We pay our dues either once a year for the coming year on our renewal date, or we can use the Pay-as-you-go-Joe system. The $15 Monthly or $45.00 quarterly payment hardly hurts. This is encouraged for all members of the Chapter. Post-dated cheques payable to Island City Chorus can be given to Ray Watkins, Chapter Treasurer.

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

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