Date: March 26, 2001 Get ready for ARCIM. Learn your music and words!

Erin Howden was here! Last weeks was a long rehearsal., but was a lot of fun. The front row got a work out and the rest of the chorus was quick to catch on to the choreography that Erin taught us. We need to practice it now, so that it comes as second nature. We will look pretty impressive when it all comes together.

Ron Dawson is back in hospital. Ron's mother informed me that Ron had been admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital again. His heart valve may be leaking, or there may be another problem, but he was retaining fluid and his legs were badly swollen.

He was given medication which reduced the fluid buildup, but he was still in some distress, and was taken up to the Royal Victoria Hospital. He is currently undergoing a thorough assessment.

ARCIM is this weekend. At rehearsal, we will be working hard on the five songs we are singing at ARCIM this coming weekend. The competition is at Collège Jean Études, 3535 Rosemont Blvd, Montreal. Alan Kenley says, "I believe it's at the same location as in previous years." We will be singing on Saturday at 9:00 PM. Arrive at 6:30 PM, please.

The songs we will sing are Go Tell It on the Mountain, You'll never walk alone, I only have eyes For You, Love me (and the World is Mine), I'm Beginning to see the light.

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) Everyone should be there to help our sister organization celebrate.

Music Team NEWS Erin Howden was amazing. She didn't receive the score or learning tape of Steppin' Out due to a technical glitch. When she arrived here in Montreal, she got the music and started to develop something she felt would work. She had dinner and then came to rehearsal. After hearing us sing the song a couple of times, the front row were taken off to be tortured, while she worked out the bugs. Sure enough, half an hour later, Erin had developed a pretty good package. She has my admiration and respect. What a talented trooper she is!

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.

Christmas CD Co-ordinator. Richard Frenette has accepted the job of co-ordinating the Christmas CD. We will need to have people to help him. 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.

Quartet Development., Murray Phillips has agreed to assume the role of Quartet Development Co-ordinator. He is asking 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. Tonight we will have some first time quartetters. Show your support, and cheer them on.

Get your 50^th Anniversary 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.

John tells me that only half the members have taken tickets, so far. EVERYONE MUST SELL TICKETS, OR DUES WILL DOUBLE! The good news is that the product we are selling is excellent, and your friends will enjoy the show, the chorus and our guest quartets, plus a great afterglow.

Show Advertising is also on sale now. We will have 1,000 people at our show. Most of them are people who are in the target market of most Montreal businesses. Advertising space is available at a very reasonable cost. Ask your friends and business customers if they would like to have an advertisement in our program. It is not expensive, and it hits the people to whom they want to talk.

Alan Kenley will have more information very soon.

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.

Mini-Pitch Editor needed.. 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.

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

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